[TR] Fremont Glacier- Mt Logan 8/28/2011

[fredrogers]

Trip: North Cascades Natl Park - Fremont Glacier- Mt Logan

 

Date: 8/28/2011

 

Trip Report:

Climbed Logan via the Fremont Glacier 8/26-8/29 with my buddy Jake. My prose won't quite match Mr. Lewis' report, but I do agree with his sentiment that Logan is a long ways back, but a worthwhile climb- one I have been contemplating for over 10 years and finally had weather, time off and partner all come together.

 

View of the correct (northern summit block from the Fremont Glacier)

 

 

The snow ramp from the glacier to the rock is still hanging in there, but not likely for all that much longer. It looks like you could bypass it via some crumbly 3rd/4th class to the right (the rock quality right from the glacier is some of the worst on the climb).

 

 

 

 

Both my partner and I felt we had never climbed as exposed, zero error 3rd and 4th class as on the east ledges and the final bit to the summit. The ledges are easy to find, all there and pretty solid, but a fall would send you several hundreds of feet onto the Douglas glacier. Attention getting.

 

The summit register appears to be missing. We found green wire but no canister on the top. Mrs. Johnson's 1st grade class will be disappointed we didn't sign it for them.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Did not bring rope or glacier gear- no need for anything other than ice ax and crampons.

 

Did not bring enough booze. A pint of Yukon Jack is not enough to dull the aches of this kind of mileage for more than a night.

 

Approach Notes:

Long. Approached via Thunder Creek. Bomber trail all cleared of down fall. Great to be in the shade of old growth during the heat.

 

Wasp nest on the trail between the first camp site at the bridge and Neve camp. Got my buddy coming and going.

 

Mean little 1000' climb exposed to the sun between Tricouni and Junction camps. Not recommended for the heat of the day.

 

Trail between the plateau above Skagit Queen camp and Thunder Basin is very over grown in places. Very, very wet from dew in the morning and full of nettles and other thorny things that will make you regret wearing shorts.

 

There is a sketchy log crossing that will avoid fording Thunder Creek right before the horse camp. I wussed out and forded.

 

Our plan was to carry to high camp and have a short summit day, but after talking with a couple of other climbers, we bivvied in Thunder Basin. Glad we did since we found very little camp-able terrain until very close to the glacier. It only added about 1.5 hours to do the addition 2K from Thunder Basin.

We ran into two guys who had gone all the way up the first valley from the junction of the climber's path and the official trail. The climbers trail is good and pretty easy to follow until the last major water course in the first valley above Thunder basin. Once you hit the water course with the avvy felled trees, head up hill for 200-300' feet to an easy crossing and pick up the trail there. Cairns all the way to the moraine.

Edited August 31, 2011 by jon