Husbands/​Wives Team Up For Alpine Objectives

Moun­tain Mad­ness guides Marc and Son­dra Rip­perg­er teamed up to tack­le a few alpine objec­tives in Wash­ing­ton Pass, Leav­en­worth and the Enchant­ments with a mar­ried cou­ple from Port­land, Kori and Dan. This great cou­ples get­away was a per­fect way for Kori and Dan to spend a vaca­tion togeth­er and work on their own per­son­al climb­ing goals in a beau­ti­ful North Cas­cade setting. 

On Day 1, the ladies ven­tured up 6 pitch­es of the beau­ti­ful South­west Rib of South Ear­ly Win­ter Spire, over­look­ing the north­ern end of the Cas­cades. Marc and Dan trailed behind their ladies as they cruised up the route. 

Son­dra and Kori cruis­ing at the top of South Ear­ly Win­ter Spire. Marc Rip­perg­er photo

Son­dra and Kori spent Day 2 in the sun work­ing on a vari­ety of gran­ite crack climb­ing tech­niques. The guys forged off into the alpine trekking over 5 miles into the Enchant­ments above the town of Leav­en­worth. Marc and Dan then began their ascent up the mas­sive Ser­pen­tine Ridge of Drag­ontail Peak. With over 2,000 feet of ver­ti­cal climb­ing, the guys sum­mit­ted Drag­ontail Peak and then descend­ed the 7 miles back to the trail­head in one long day of climb­ing. They were hap­py to see their ladies and be back at camp late that evening.

Dan look­ing cool high up on the Ser­pen­tine Ridge. Marc Rip­perg­er photo

Kori get­ting through the 5.8 sec­tion of the South­west Rib. Marc Rip­perg­er photo

Day 3 found Son­dra and Kori start­ing ear­ly and climb­ing the 4 pitch­es up the 300 foot R&D route to the top of Ici­cle But­tress. The guys slept late, made omeletes and relaxed that morn­ing. Before return­ing back home, the four enjoyed lunch in Leav­en­worth togeth­er and con­versed about the sev­er­al days of great rock climb­ing. Cus­tom trips with Moun­tain Mad­ness can be tai­lored to every type of climber with a vari­ety of inter­ests, whether on snow, ice or rock. 

Marc and Dan show­ing off for the ladies. Marc Rip­perg­er photo

Son­dra and Kori fin­ish­ing up the R&D route in Leav­en­worth. Marc Rip­perg­er photo