Leavenworth - Hubba Hubba

January 31st, 2004

Dave Whitelaw and I headed out to Leavenworth to climb some ice on Saturday. Conditions had been warm, and a ton of snow had fallen West of the crest, so we decided to check out the Mountaineer Creek climbs or Hubba Hubba.

Driving over Steven's Pass, we soon left the fog and drizzle of the West slopes behind, pulling into Leavenworth under beautiful blue skies.

Drury Falls looking melted out on the last pitch.

We skinned up the Bridge Creek road until the Mountaineer Creek climbs came into view. There were several short and melting pillars, and most of the ice looked detatched. We turned back around and begin what is arguably one of the worst ways to approach Hubba Hubba. At a certain part along the road we hightailed it up into the open glades and started following an old road traversing towards the climbs. We were just about at the elevation of the base of the cliffs, but the low snow cover over boulders and avalanche death cookies made the skiing difficult. Eventually we hoofed it up to the base, just as another party was finishing up the climb.

Hubba Hubba's Central flow.

Hubba Hubba's central flow (aka The Funnel) is a great two pitch WI3, with most of the climbing being easier rambly ice. There was a perfect belay in a cave with two nuts and a slung icicle at 60 meters. Unfortunately we were climbing on 50m lines, so David had to simuclimb past my first screw before I reached the belay! (you could belay earlier with lost arrow pitons on the left)

Dave leads off on the initial steep step. Photo: David Whitelaw

The ice above was thinning out and there were plenty of water-spitting-holes to avoid. I took a line up the left side that eventually gave way to some moderate mixed climbing up a right facing corner. Wish I'd brought some bigger rock gear than pitons! As no one was behind us, we rapped the route and ran a lap on the lower tier. Good fun with some civilized temperatures!

Looking down the second pitch.