Type: Ice, Alpine, 650 ft (197 m), 5 pitches
FA: Stan Price, Matt Bergman. 1996
Page Views: 4,766 total · 28/month
Shared By: Julian Smith on Feb 19, 2010
Admins: Jim Clarke, Mike Snyder, Taylor Spiegelberg, Jake Dickerson

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Description Suggest change

Bitches Brew is an awesome line that is to be found up the Deer Creek drainage just over a 1 one hour approach in good snow conditions. From the Deer Creek trailhead, hike past 3 sets of switchbacks, cross a big creek (this is the drainage for Slogger), go up one more short set of switchbacks, past “the Clearing” (a 100 meter wide clearing on a steep scree slope) and about ¼ mile later look for the drainage on your right (North). You should not be able to miss it. This drainage is also the same one that used to approach Smooth Emerald Milkshake, so there should be a lot of traffic going down the drainage too.
Approach over some rolling ice in the creek bed for just a little ways until you arrive at the first pitch. This will be a 40 meter, steep curtain of WI 4 to a ledge. To your left will likely be a tree with some rap slings. Continue up a 2nd 40 meter pitch of ice that is slightly less steep to reach the bottom of an amphitheater. There will probably more rap slings around a tree at this point too.
Continue up the amphitheater to reach the base of a 50 meter pillar that seems to blast off into the sky. This is the money pitch. Mount up a short cauliflower cone and launch skywards on a superb pillar. Look for a tree on the right at the top of the pillar with some rap slings.
Up above this pitch there may or may not be 2 more pitches of easier ice. This is a great route and definitely worth the hike back up into the Deer Creek drainage. Smooth Emerald Milkshake is just across the valley. It can be used to scope out the climb if you are interested in seeing what kind of condition the 3rd pitch pillar is in. Enjoy!

Protection Suggest change

Bring some ice screws!

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