kThurner

Hi Jason, yes that's Mongo. I noticed the request today and thought this might be a more appropriate place to put it.

Sorry Wayne, no disrespect intended. In hindsight perhaps it's better to focus on celebrating the OP's achievement and leave undone climbs for some other thread. I'm not a climber and I don't really belong in that conversation in any case. Congratulations to the OP's on a fantastic climb!

Found this a few weeks ago on the old road/trail up Goodell Cr. Perhaps someone here lost it. Looked like it fell off someone's pack as they descended. Describe it to get it back.

Yes, Fallen Angel, from the south. There is a route that avoids difficulties on that northern end. Head north from the NPS marker near pt 5362 and head for the gentle peninsula below. Then head for the stream shown on the topo which crosses the road. There is some terrain in the area and I'm not surprise you got cliffed out, especially if you went further east to intersect the trail rather than northerly to the road.

Going up Borealis Ridge from McAllister Camp used to require more routefinding attention, but is now a pretty well trodden route. It is steep and direct. Your itinerary looks ambitious to me. The first day from the car to the top of Borealis Ridge is a very big day indeed. Your described "Second Camp" sounds like you're thinking of putting down on steep snow at the east end of Austerra Ridge which is not advisable. Better to camp on the south slope of Primus along the North Klawatti Glacier. From there the next good camp would be further up on Austerra or Klawatti peaks.

Depending upon side-trips, your route to Primus via Borealis ridge and on to Eldorado is shorter than the route over Snowfield and Isolation, if only by a day. Few people choose to drop to Klawatti and Moraine Lakes in summer, but it can be worth while if you have the time.

For those interested, I’ve recently made an addition of 60 new images to the site. Thanks again for all of your comments. Special thanks to those who have seen fit to post additional links and commentary elsewhere on the web. I very much appreciate this.

Thanks very much for your comments. Sure, drop me an email.

A collection of photos, mostly from the North Cascades. www.kevinthurner.com

I have climbed it from the easy south side as part of a traverse of that entire ridgeline. But you're probably looking for an ascent on the side Dru presents in his photo.

I've traversed this ridge in both directions, but not in quite a few years. When I did it, it was a fun scramble with some exposure in places, but not intimidating. Since then however I've talked to two people who had to turn back on this ridge. One of these people is a friend with climbing skills well above mine and this has made me wonder if some geologic event has occurred on the ridge since my last traverse of it.

As a side note, if you find the LeConte truly impassable, there is a route around the west side of LeConte Mtn down to South Cascade Lk, then you'd simply walk up the South Cascade Glacier.

Time to approach depends on your route. Rapid is a day from Copper Ridge. It is also a day from Lindeman/Middle Pk area. Accessing Pocket from Twin Lks is a very full day or more. Approaching Pocket from the north is also an option. My advice would be to take a week, do a traverse and not rush through this area.

I once did the high route from Sulphur to Bannock, then continued on to the Gunsight area. No reason you couldn't connect it with the Ptarmigan if you're determined.

Anyone have current conditions of Slesse Creek Road?

New feature of the NCNP Site: NCNP Newhalem Visitor's Center view of Southern Pickets

Hmmm... is that Welch Pk ?

Another try:

Here's a couple snapshots. I used a very wide angle lense on these. The existing lake is not much to see. It's quite small and full of trees. The runout is spread over a huge area and did not form a very steep dam feature. The slides on the east bank appear to be more the result of the main slide impacting them. For those concerned about it's location, it is roughly opposite the first of the two year-round side streams that cross the old logging road (the one that had it's own slide event a couple years ago). (Well shoot - sorry about this, but after posting the pics in the Gallery, how do I display them in a post here? )

For those of you interested in geology, or simply appreciative of the magnitude of such events, the geomorphology of lower Goodell Cr has been significantly changed by a very large landslide. I haven't seen the slide in Skagit Gorge that hit Hwy 20, but I did see a picture of it in the Seattle Times and this slide in Goodell Cr dwarfs it. Significant parts of both sides of the valley let loose, but much more so on the west side from a high elevation. The new riverbed is much elevated and in time, will form a new terrace in the valley bottom. The old logging road is relatively unaffected, though all streambeds along it have been scoured. At one point along the road though, right at the place where this slide occured, you can now look right down at the river (exceptional view), where previously there had existed a substantial area of dense forest. This thing made a big noise for sure.

In July of '95' I crossed the South Fork near the confluence with Bridge Creek and climbed to the crest of the Sturm Cr - South Fork ridge. I followed this very pleasant ridge all the way around to the summit of McGregor. I recommend the route.

Haven't been in that area this summer, but I think most people who've been up or down Borealis Ridge would agree that the area would benefit in the long run from some fire.

Putting aside the obstacles below, I'm wondering how difficult the climbing is from the saddle at 5720 ft getting onto the South Ridge and then up to the summit. Anyone here with experience on this route?

Yes, both are easy scrambles. A very beautiful area with an exquisite name.