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Trip: Tenpeak and Kololo- Witness to Vanishing Ice - Standards Trip Date: 09/01/2019 Trip Report: The Cascades have become a bit of a gong show in recent years, and much more so on holiday weekends. This was on full display the Saturday of Labor Day weekend as @therunningdog and I slogged up the North Fork Sauk trail en route to White Pass, passing no less than 50 (!) people bound for Glacier Peak the next day. The overflowing parking area attested to the fact that many more were already up the trail, somewhere. But, unsurprisingly, nobody was headed to Tenpeak or Kololo and we left them all behind as soon as we left the Foam Creek route for the character building traverse to the White River Glacier. An unforecasted rain squall was bearing down on us as we crested the moraine below the glacier and gazed out on a large lake that wasn't on our maps. There was no way to cross the outlet (we had read) and the traverse around it looked tenuous at best with loose debris perched on steep slabs. But the alternatives were even worse so we rock hopped and chossed our way around to the bare ice, barely making it to flat gravel as the heavens unleashed. This is what we came for? Camp "Grim" was christened as we soggily established camp where ice was just a few years before. The weather cleared at dusk but the forecast for the next day was worse so we drowned our sorrows in whiskey and the Ron Burgundy podcast. Did you know that your brain shrinks to 65% of its normal volume during deep sleep so cerebral spinal fluid can pump around and flush out toxins? Ron didn't either. Anyways, the next day dawned so-so as expected but we didn't have anything else to do so began the tedious and long slog around the Hive, over the shoulder of West Tenpeak, and around to the Standard route on Tenpeak. While scenic, glacial recession in this area has made for rugged travel, sans snow. Expect a full day return. The regular route on Tenpeak is short, has a bit of fifth class, and is actually pretty decent. Given the approach (White River isn't a lot better), nobody will be surprised that it only gets a party or so a year. The register was placed in 1972 and appeared to have scrap of paper with Fred's name signed to it. This is probably the only register I've seen with that honor (if it is legit), as all others I've seen with him have been photocopies of the original entry. After a long while admiring the view (the weather had cleared) and delaying the tedious descent/return to camp, we bid adieu and headed for Camp Grim. On the way back we coined the acronymn "YOCO" to describe Tenpeak- as in a peak You Only Climb Once. Still, I thought it was worth climbing....once. Monday was clear and glorious as forecasted so we took our time climbing up to the col west of Kololo that would give us access to the what's left of the Whitechuck Glacier. Dropping packs we went for a scenic ramble up to the summit of Kololo, a fantastic viewpoint of the surrounding area. Nobody around for miles it seemed, but a short ways off we knew the masses were packing up and heading home. By the time we crevasse hopped our way down the bare ice and joined the climber's path, we didn't run into anybody until some horsepackers on the Foam Creek path who were picking up USGS gear. The hike out the NF Sauk was a lot quieter than on the way in, but enlivened by a few parties. The most memorable of which had a member who had packed AT boots all the way to high camp because "they were the only boots that fit my crampons". Wow! So, if the trails are going to be crowded, at least there's always the people watching. Captions refer to the photo below ..... Hiking in on the NF Sauk: Indian Head Peak: Uh oh: Camp at the toe of the White River Gl: Honeycomb Gl. crusin': Dakobed: West Tenpeak. We didn't summit because we didn't want to break out the rope: Snout of Honeycomb (L), Signing in on Tenpeak (R): Gneiss!: The magnificent desolation of the White River Gl.: Treat your water people: This is what we came here for!: What's left of the Whitechuck Gl.: Tenpeak is the dark tower: Whitechuck crevasse hopping: I've never seen a tarn like this, have you?: The ultra classic Sloan: I tend to forget what a nice valley the NF Sauk is: Gear Notes: half rope and light rack to 2" for Tenpeak. Ice axe and Al crampons. Helmet Approach Notes: Pick your poison. Long, rugged and scenic from NF Sauk or brushy and long from White River

Trip: Alpine Lakes Wilderness - Thunder Robin High Route Trip Date: 09/07/2019 Trip Report: I did some off trail exploration, connecting the high terrain between Thunder Mountain Lakes and the Robin Lakes. I found the terrain to be surprisingly rugged and remote feeling, despite never being more than a mile or two from the PCT. There was a lot of talus and steep heather and not too much brush for the area. My general route: traverse south from Thunder Mountain Lakes, cross into the basin above the Deception Lakes, traverse the west side of Mac Peak, down to Talus Lake, up over the next pass, down to Lake Phoebe, and up past the Granite Mountain Potholes to Robin Lakes. Then I took the PCT back to the Surprise Creek TH, where I started. It made for about 29 miles and 10k ft gain. For more details, see https://climberkyle.com/2019/09/07/thunder-robin-high-route/ Evening above Lower Thunder Mountain Lake. Sunrise on Mt. Stuart. Sunrise over Square Lake. Sunrise over Daniel and the Deception Lakes. Basin west of Mac Peak, lots of talus. The ridge north of Talus Lake. Lake Phoebe. Granite Mountain Potholes. Robin Lakes. Surprise Gap. Gear Notes: Lightweight bivy kit, poles, La Sportiva Ultra Raptors for the gnar. Approach Notes: Surprise creek trail to Trap Pass to Thunder Mountain Lakes.

Wow! A great TR. Your story adds a really nice human dimension to the fantastic visuals, which we all have come to expect from you. So no more pics-and-done TRs, @JasonG, you've set a new standard for yourself! Thanks for putting in the time and effort. I miss the Pickets. Must get back. Will get back. But the depth of suffering and density of objective hazards give pause. Only true masochists and seasoned alpinists need apply.

Wait.....you wrote up your TR in eBook form?