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[TR] Big and West Craggy - S Face and Traverse 7/29/2014


KaskadskyjKozak

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Trip: Big and West Craggy - S Face and Traverse

 

Date: 7/29/2014

 

Trip Report:

 

I took my three boys backpacking with the intention of taking one or two up to tag some summits. In the end only my tried and true partner took me up on the offer for summit bids. Ironically he is the youngest of the three (age 12).

 

We left town late in the morning on Sat, stopped at Mondos in Marblemount and got to Winthrop in the heat of the day. We checked a map of fire closures at the Winthrop Ranger Station and saw we would be fine and headed up to the Copper Glance Creek trailhead. Boots on the trail at 4 pm; at camp by 8.

 

We had one routefinding issue in the off-trail section where we struggled with blowdowns and some brush. Our route-description from Summit Routes said to head off trail right around the creek crossing. On the way out we discovered the better place to leave the trail is at the small lake at 6200 feet.

 

Meadows on the approach:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_277.JPG

 

Camp near sunset:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_278.JPG

 

Morning reflection on lake by camp:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_281.JPG

 

Anyhow, we got to bed at dark and got up before 6 am. The climb of N Craggy went well, with us on the summit at 9 am.

 

Magnificent Isabella Ridge:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_287.JPG

 

Scree and talus slopes on the S face of W Craggy:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_292.JPG

 

We enjoyed the views and began the traverse to W Craggy.

 

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_295.JPG

 

Getting to the col was fine, but from here we ended up dropping too low to get below cliff bands (as per Summit Routes).

 

The col at the base of Big Craggy's W ridge:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_310.JPG

 

We traversed, dropped elevation, etc, until we gave up and just dropped to 6750 and got on the standard approach from camp. In the basin below Isabella Ridge, we picked a wide gully and then traversed left at 7600 feet before ascending a final, wide, upper gully to the ridge.

 

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_343.JPG

 

From here the hike to the summit was straightforward.

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_313.JPG

 

View of N Craggy from W Craggy:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_315.JPG

 

We avoided the flying, stinging insects on the summit by sitting down a few feet away.

 

Beware of stinging, winged insects!

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_317.JPG

The hike out to camp and to the cars went uneventfully, but the day ended up being quite long (13+ hours)

 

My son negotiating steep scree on the descent from W Craggy:

Craggies_-_Jul_2014_341.JPG

Edited by KaskadskyjKozak
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