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Trip: Colonial - standard Trip Date: 08/03/2021 Trip Report: After various plans fell through over the last 2 weeks for various reasons, including life, rain, and smoke, I was itching to do something, anything. On Monday I checked the next day forecast on windy and saw a pocket of good air predicted over the area including Snowfield, etc. On a trip to Snowfield a few years ago we skipped Colonial. A pika had obliterated my partners backpack straps at night. We improvised something out of our glacier gear, which my partner deemed suitable for getting back to the trailhead, but not inspiring enough to add another climb on our way out. Given the favorable smoke forecast I thought this must be my chance to go back for Colonial. Popping out above the trees I could see the forecast was spot on. Haze all around in the distance, but plenty clear locally. I could also see that the face below Colonial was mostly bare ice. It looked intimidating, maybe impossible to do solo with my one axe, approach shoes, and kahtoolas. But I thought I’d proceed for a closer look, and just go as far as I thought I safely could. Upon reaching the face I assessed. The ice was probably unavoidable, unless you down climb steep exposed snow, where it might be possible to skirt around the ice to some choss and back onto snow. The ice was steep at the bottom, below the point where the approach intercepts it. But higher up, from where the approach meets it to the notch looked about 40 degrees. And the runout wasn’t too bad at the beginning of the ice (gets bad 1/3 way across) so I grabbed a sharp rock for my 2nd tool and tried it out. The going was ok and I soon reached a crack in the ice that I used as a kind of ledge to traverse to the notch. I’ve never seen a route described as AI1 or WI1. Maybe this was it. There was a little snice here and there. The cracks in ice had a little snow on the border. When this snow is gone, which won’t take long, the route will require a real ice pitch. I couldn’t have got away with my single axe and light crampons if not for the ‘ledge’ system bordered with snow at the margin. There was a chance of thunderstorms beginning in the afternoon, and I wanted to avoid headlamp time anyway, so didn’t overstay my welcome on the summit. Military jet or two came by to desecrate the area for a little while. Too bad the wilderness act doesn’t cover air space. Traversing the face back the way I came was about the same difficulty as the way up. Definitely required some concentration for the no fall zone. Checked out a small glacial spring on my hike back. The water was quite warm, and the floor was extremely slick, glad I didn’t get stuck in there. The slabs on the way down the ridge made travel enjoyable, as did the knobbier granite from 5800’ down to 5400’. But I felt old on the hike down as knee pain started to kick in (maybe too much fun on the slabs earlier). The winds aloft started picking up and thunder began to rumble in the last mile to the car. Gear Notes: Crampons, two tools would have been good Approach Notes: Be prepared for ice if going now/ late season

Trip: Mount Constance (7756) - SOUTH CHUTE - STANDARD Trip Date: 07/31/2021 Trip Report: Mount Constance (7756') – Lake Constance Approach Trip Report – July 31-Aug 1, 2021 (Sat, Sun). I climbed Mount Constance (7756') over the weekend. I started the climb from the Dosewallips River Trailhead (Rd. 2610) outside Brinnon, WA. I attempted this climb a month ago and did not do enough research. I ended up trying to climb Warrior Peak thinking that it was Constance and having to turn around after running out of time. The West side of Warrior Peak is not fun, shitty rock and steep. The weather was looking somewhat iffy with the potential for thunderstorms predicted with a weather window for summit day. The other potential climbs all had worse looking weather so Constance got the green light. I planned for a 2 day climb. Saturday: I caught the 9:35am ferry at Edmonds over to Kingston. I made it to the trailhead at 11:30am. On last month’s attempt I decided not to bring a bike for the first 5 miles to the Lake Constance Trail, resulting in 2+ hours of boring road hiking. This trip I brought the bike for the first and last 5 miles of the trip, huge difference. The bike ride took 45 minutes to the Lake Trail, saving me about 1.5 hours and the extra wear on my feet. Great start so far. Lake Constance Trail is a workout. It climbs 3300’ in 2.2 miles and has a couple Class 3 sections on the trail itself. I was shocked how much the water situation changed since my last trip up the trail at the end of June. June was a raging torrent of water coming down Constance Creek, July the same creek was bone dry where the trail meets up with it. The first water available on the lake trail is about 2600’. It was cloudy with a little bit of light rain here and there, I made it to the lake at 4:45pm. I decided to proceed up to the base of the thumb to setup camp, right at the turn to go up the South Chute of Mount Constance. Last month this area was 70% snow covered with plenty of running water. By the end of July the snow is less than half with minimal water options. The only water available was coming from the section of the mountain just before the Thumb. One good flowing creek and one minor flow coming down a rock face. I set up camp below a running water source at 5200’ in a nice flat camp area that was under snow the last time through. I counted about 6 good spots for a tent of bivy in the area. I got as much water as I could before going to sleep to be ready to go in the morning. Sunday: I woke at 4:00am planning to be on the trail by first light. It started to rain. Shit. I was thinking I might be 0 for 2 on this peak when the rain started to let up and the clouds started to clear out. The weather was starting to look nice so I headed for the summit at 7:15am. I headed up the South Chute. The talus was loose so I tried to stay as close as possible to the sides of the cliffs where I had better traction. 8:45am I reached the top of the South Chute. The gully up to the E-W Notch was more of the same down low so I climbed onto rock on the left side as soon as possible arriving at the Notch at 9:45am. The snow finger on the other side of the Notch has melted out enough that it can be avoided. 10:45am I made it across the Finger Traverse. The snow finger dropping down after the Finger Traverse has melted out substantially. I cut across diagonally to the shelf heading to the summit avoiding the snow. I arrived at the summit at 11:45am. The views were pretty limited due to all the smoke in the sky but I didn’t care, the climb was fun and worth the trip by itself. Summit register was in good shape and fairly new (placed July 2020). I headed back down the way I had come up. The loose talus that sucked on the way up was really nice on the way down, a love hate relationship. I arrived back at camp at 2:45pm. Packed up camp and was on my way down by 4:00pm. I was very happy to have the bike waiting for me at the end of the lake trail. The last 5 miles went quick and I was back at the trailhead at 7:45pm. I was able to catch the 9:40pm Kingston ferry back to Edmonds. This is a challenging climb with plenty of loose rock and navigation required. Great climb! Some Tips and Notes: 1. The only running water above the lake is from the creeks flowing down the side of the mountain before reaching the Thumb. There was no running water on the route on summit day. 2. Some have said that bringing a bike is not worth the hassle. I would disagree. I would definitely bring a bike, it makes quick work of the boring ass 5 mile road hike in and out. 3. I brought Crampons and an Ice Axe and didn’t need either one. The snow has melted out enough that it can be avoided for the most part. 4. There are good camp options above the lake, before the Thumb, with running water above. 5. I came across a trail runner on the way to the summit, he was doing the climb in one long day going light and fast. He was figuring about 12 hours. Travel Time for reference: Saturday: Car to Camp – 5.5 hours. Sunday: Camp to Summit, back to Camp, back to Car – 12.5 hours Gear used: 1 Trekking Pole, Helmet - brought Crampons and an Ice Axe and didn’t need either one. Waterfall along Lake Constance Trail, one picture from Late June the other from Late July. Amazing how fast the water dries up. Trail sample going to Lake Constance. Heading up to the Thumb camp. Nice camp at the base of the Thumb (5200'). South Chute from camp. Big Ass Spider on the way up South Chute. Looking down South Chute to Camp and water sources. Gully to E-W Notch. E-W Notch - narrow, loose and steep going over. Looking back across Finger Traverse. Trail Runner coming across Finger Traverse. Ledges leading to summit (back right peak). Ledges to Summit. Looking back over route traveled. Summit of Mount Constance. Nice Summit Register! I didn't leave my address, but I did leave my blood type and a stool sample. Summit view looking back over route traveled. Great Climb! Gear Notes: Gear used: 1 Trekking Pole, Helmet - brought Crampons and an Ice Axe and didn’t need either one. Approach Notes: Start: Dosewallips River Trailhead (Rd. 2610) outside Brinnon, WA. Lake Constance Approach up South Chute to Standard Route.

Looking to join an existing party or form one for a climb/summit sometime between August 5th. and the 20th Let's talk if you or anyone you know would be in to tht - E

Oh yeah I should add this photo from the area in July 2018, because look at it

Trip: Squire Creek Wall - Concerto in C for Drill and Hammer Trip Date: 09/07/2014 Trip Report: Posting this record and topo to allow the Trip Report Search to find the route history. This route was made with work done from July, 2013 to September, 2014, with the FA on 9/7/2014. Pitches 1-9 (partial) by David Whitelaw and Bill Enger. Pitches 9 (partial) and 10 by Bill Enger and Jim Daubert. Pitches 11-14 by Bill Enger and Jake Larson. In 7/2020, four smashed bolts or hangers on Pitch 2 were repaired or replaced by Bill Enger. In 7/2021, additions were made by Bill Enger and Brian Young: Pitch 11 bolt added at Inverted Prow to replace piton, Pitch 14 two bolts added to protect the white rib and a chain anchor added on the summit. The topo to follow, too big to attach here... Gear Notes: Standard single rack to 3". Two 60m ropes. Approach Notes: Boot track from Squire Creek. ConcertoInC_rev1.pdf

the size of the image was so large that even when I adjusted the system to accommodate it, it still didn't work! So I resized the image and added it to your post. Thank you!

The topo .jpg is failing to attach, perhaps it's too big at 50,619 Kb. Tried a smaller, resized file at 1940 Kb, no joy. Meanwhile, the topo and description are available here: Concerto in C for Drill and Hammer

I’m down! Will be available from August 1st to August 14. I’m looking for a group or to form one as well.