off_the_hook

Trip: Sawtooth Peak - Northwest Ridge Date: 9/29/2007 Trip Report: With hopes of speed climbing Black Kaweah the following day, we ascended Sawtooth Peak to get a little acclimatized. I have not been above 9,500 ft in over 2 months, so this climb up to 12,330 ft was important in order to climb 13,680 ft Black Kaweah. We drove from the Bay Area, arriving at Mineral King in Sequoia National Park at 12:30 pm. The drive was gorgeous as we passed through several ecosystems, including a giant Sequoia grove. From the trailhead, we hiked to the top of Sawtooth Peak via the old Glacier Pass trail in 2:20 and then took around 40 minutes on the summit to enjoy the spectacular views and the very rare marine layer banked up against the lower slopes of the high Sierra. Unlike the cascades, the Sierra are hundreds of miles from the ocean. We descended the needlessly switchbacked Sawtooth Pass trail, arriving at the trailhead at 5:20 pm - just in time to eat dinner and get some sleep for the Black Kaweah! Columbine Lake from Sawtooth Pass. Sawtooth Peak. Views of the Great Western Divide from Sawtooth Peak. 7,000 foot marine layer banked against the high Sierra - a very rare sight. Columbine Lake and the Kaweah Range in the background. Black Kaweah is the peak at the left end of the Kaweahs. See enlarged panorama. See Black Kaweah Speed Climb story/photos.

We were just below the ridge, then on the ridge (all on climbers paths) until a short traverse through a boulder field brought us to the couloir entrance. We spent lots of time on the summit and bringing/using a rope probably added at least an hour, but I was happy to have the rope. We knew about the Miles Smart time (5:45) and after doing the route, we agreed that the time is very impressive, but feasible if one is soloing, has prior knowledge of the route, and decides to eliminate breaks.

Trip: Mt. Stuart - West Ridge Speed Climb Date: 9/21/2007 Trip Report: Scott G. and I speed climbed the West Ridge of Mount Stuart in 8 hours roundtrip, starting just before 6 am and finishing just before 2 pm. We reached the summit 4:50 after beginning, took a 35 minute break at the top, and wrapped up the climb via a swift Cascadian descent for 8 hours total. I was home for the week from CA and I wanted to squeeze in a climb if the weather allowed. The forecast for Friday looked ok, but the weather turned out to be idyllic with clear skies and cool temps. Anything hotter would have made the Cascadian descent and subsequent ascent up Longs Pass uncomfortable. This was my first time up Stuart on any route and Scott’s first ascent of the West Ridge. However, the only route finding error we made the entire day was missing the exit off I-90 in Cle Elum while we were talking about climbing. I thought the route was really fun and Scott was an awesome partner for this speedy ascent. We roped up for two half pitches, once while on the north side where new ice and snow on the rock made it more hazardous and the second time on the crux moves in the crack below the summit. The West Ridge probably takes the prize for the most bivy sites on a climbing route! Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Ingalls Lake TH : 0 / 0 / 05:57 Ingalls Lake : ~1:10 / ~1:10 / 07:07 Start of West Ridge Route : ~2:00 / ~50.00 / 07:57 Arrive Summit : 4:50.25 / 2:50.25 / 10:47 Depart Summit : 5:25.32 / 35.06 / 11:22 Ingalls Lake TH : 8:00.49 / 2:35.17 / 13:58 Early views of Rainier, Chimney Rock, Lemah. The beginning of the West Ridge route. I thought the scrambling for a couple thousand feet in the couloir and up Long John Tower was super fun. West Ridge notch. Climbing on the cold north side. Recent snow and ice on the rocks made the north side alpine-feeling and it was cold and windy on this side of the mountain. Summit view to Rainier. Ingalls Peaks and Ingalls Lake Glory Optical Phenomenon. The winds were picking up the moisture and snow crystals from the recent snow creating "insta-clouds". Stuart Glacier. Awesome lighting on Stuart from Longs Pass. Gear Notes: 30 m rope, a few cams, sticky-soled trail runners (La Sportiva Exum Ridge). A pole and gaiters for the Cascadian descent was nice to have. Approach Notes: Good shape.

Sweet!!!!! Awesome route on an awesome mountain!

The ranger was very supportive prior to the start, telling me conditions were great and I should go get it. After the climb, he congratulated me.

I walked it coming up. My initial walking pace was even too fast and I had to slow down a little after I started to feel dizzy.

Trip: Lemah Mountain - Date: 8/24/2007 Trip Report: I climbed Lemah Mountain in 11 hours, 26 minutes roundtrip (5:52 up, 29 minute rest on summit, 5:05 down. I made a few routefinding errors that cost me a little bit of time, but regardless, this mountain is long and physically taxing. The trip was about 32 miles roundtrip, 22 miles on trail and 10 miles of rugged cross country travel. Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Pete Lake TH (2,800 ft) : 0 / 0 / 07:16 Pete Lake (2,980 ft) : 38.31.11 / 38.31.11 / 07:55 PCT Junction [Lemah Mdws Trail] (3,200 ft) : 1:00.05 / 21.34.52 / 08:17 Spectacle Lake (4,239 ft) : 2:00.46 / 1:00.40 / 09:17 Arrive Lemah Summit (7,540 ft) : 5:52.27 / 3:51.41 / 13:09 Depart Lemah Summit (7,540 ft) : 6:21.31 / 29.04.78 / 13:48 [spectacle Lake (4,239 ft) : 9:28 elapsed / 3:07 split from summit / 16:55 real time] Pete Lake (2,980 ft) : 10:37.40 / 4:16.08 / 17:54 Pete Lake TH (2,800 ft) : 11:26.29 / 48.48.34 / 18:42 Lemah Mountain, together with Chimney Rock and Summit Chief Mountain, comprise the "Snoqualmie Pickets." While these mountains are located relatively close to the metropolis and a popular section of the PCT, they are rugged and provide a real wilderness feeling. The climb of Lemah Mountain is even true to Picket fashion with routefinding issues, brush, and slow boulder fields. Aside from a cairn on the summit and a couple along the approach, I saw no evidence of human travel - no paths, camp spots, bootprints, or snow tracks. It’s becoming tough to find such solitude and untrampled terrain in the Cascades, even in the real Pickets... The 22 miles of trail to get to and from Spectacle Lake from the Pete Lake Trailhead are the easy part. I made a minor mistake and took the Lemah Meadows Trail to the PCT which added about 1 mile of running and also took the longer (standard) route to Spectacle Lake. By the time I made it to the lake I had covered 11+ miles. You can see the five fingers of Lemah Mountain in this photo (just right of center). The middle finger is the main summit. The shores of Spectacle Lake are rugged and rocky and one must first ascend to a shoulder in order get around the north side of the lake. From here, I traversed through talus and brush below cliff bands. It is difficult to see where to ascend to the ridge to cross over to the Lemah Creek drainage and I spent some time here as well figuring it out. Finally atop the ridge, the hard part is over, but Lemah Mountain still seems far away and there is much walking through heather meadows, talus fields, an old moraine, and granite slabs. Finally below the mountain! At the glacial remnant, I put on crampons, which were helpful on the snow slopes which became steeper near the top. A class 3 scramble and then another snow field brought me to the ridge leading to Lemah's main summit. A short scramble later and I was on the summit. I spent nearly 30 minutes resting and enjoying the great views, especially to Chimney Rock and Overcoat Peak. Chimney Rock, Overcoat Peak, and Glacier Peak in the distance. Nothing in between Lemah and Rainier. Middle Fork Snoqualmie, Mount Thompson, and peaks near Snoqualmie Pass. Spectacle Lake, a LONG ways away! Summit shot. Lemah #2 (left) and the Main Summit (right) Glacial tarn. Chimney Rock massif. Four of the Lemah Fingers. Close-up of Lemah #2 and the Main Summit. While I didn't make any errors on the return trip, it still took 5:05 hours from the summit to the car! Gear Notes: Axe, crampons. The La Sportiva Exum Ridge trail shoes handled the terrain great! Approach Notes: Around 32 miles roundtrip - 22 miles of trail and ~10 miles of rugged cross country travel. Trails are in good shape, no path after Spectacle Lake.

Trip: Eldorado Speed Climb - Sub 5 hrs RT Date: 8/23/2007 Trip Report: I speed climbed Eldorado Peak in 4:58 roundtrip. I started at 8:03 am, summited at 11:06 am, and was back at the car just after 1 pm (3:03 up, 20 minute summit break, 1:35 down). This was my fourth time climbing the east ridge route in the past five years so I knew the tricks of doing the approach fast (unlike Lemah Mountain the following day). Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Eldorado Parking Lot (2,160 ft) : 0 / 0 / 08:03 First Talus Field (4,000 ft) : 39.53.45 / 39.53.45 / 08:43 Cross Stream [small Waterfalls] (5,000 ft) : 1:10.54 / 31.00.91 / 09:14 Ridge Pass (6,150 ft) : 1:33.56 / 23.02.03 / 09:37 Eldorado Glacier (6,500 ft) : 1:59.28 / 25.31.69 / 10:02 Base of East Ridge (7,800 ft) : 2:30.52 / 31.24.78 / 10:34 Arrive Summit (8,868 ft) : 3:02.57 / 32.04.74 / 11:06 Depart Summit (8,868 ft) : 3:23.16 / 20.18.66 / 11:26 Base of East Ridge (7,800 ft) : 3:40.34 / 17.18.32 / 11:43 Eldorado Glacier (6,500 ft) : 4:02.34 / 22.00.23 / 12:05 First Talus Field (4,000 ft) : 4:37.54 / 35.19.56 / 12:40 Eldorado Parking Lot (2,160 ft) : 4:58.43 / 20.49.53 / 13:01 I was a bit too pumped for this climb and 10 minutes into it my head was spinning and I had to take a break against a tree. I toned it down after this and once I got to the boulder fields I found my rhythm and felt great thereafter. Lesson learned - don't start out too aggressively! I was shooting for around 6 hours, but a very fast descent of the Inspiration and Eldorado Glaciers opened up the possibility of a sub 5 hour roundtrip. I knew it would be very close, so I picked it up down the boulder fields and the final section in the woods. Some marine clouds made for nice views. Global warming has manifested itself on Eldorado as the famous knife-edged snow arête has melted into an easy plateau. I remember having to descend slightly from the snow ridge to the summit rocks and now those rocks are the high point. Pickets from Eldorado Gear Notes: Axe, crampons. This was my first climb in La Sportiva's Exum Ridge trail runners and they had excellent traction on the boulder fields and steep trail. Approach Notes: In good shape.

It was actually a bit shorter on the way down because we took a 20 minute break at the heather bench after I had taken the time. Either way, you can only go so fast down that path!

theLarch, I hope you had a great day in the mountains! I basically just run in the winter to stay in shape; and you are right, it's easier to go out for a run with the better winter weather in CA.

Trip: Sloan Peak - Corkscrew Date: 8/15/2007 Trip Report: After West McMillan Spire on Tuesday, Colin A. and I looked for a shorter but still rewarding climb. Since both of us have wanted to climb Sloan Peak for some time, it was an easy decision. The climb was indeed shorter than West McMillan, taking me 7 hours, 9 minutes, and the corkscrew is a classic cascades route for good reason. We saw nobody else the entire morning. BlackHawk's trip report from July 7, 2007 is very accurate and helpful (thanks!) and conditions remain virtually the same. The cool weather this summer has kept Sloan Glacier from breaking up and we found the glacier crossing easy and direct. Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Trailhead (1,900 ft) : 0 / 0 / 05:37 Arrive Sloan Summit (7,835 ft) : 4:07.07 / 4:07.07 / 09:44 Depart Sloan Summit (7,835 ft) : 4:43.79 / 35.53.79 / 10:30 Trailhead (1,900 ft) : 7:09.57 / 2:26.56 / 12:36 We set out from the trailhead at 5:37 am. You can really keep your feet totally dry this time of year. We walked through one stream on the way in, but on the way out I was able to stay totally dry. Cougar Falls is indeed a great sight on the way up the mountainside. I saw a black bear in the avalanche swath, but it scampered away before I could pull my camera out. We ascended the trail through to the meadows and the rocky/slabby section to a hard snow slope that took us to the ridge beside the Sloan Glacier. Once across the glacier, we hiked the famous corkscrew to the summit, enjoying great views south to the Monte Cristo Peaks. Ascending the Sloan Glacier. Large crevasse in the Sloan Glacier, notice Colin standing on the bottom lip. Famous corkscrew trail on the heather shelf. Great summit view to Monte Cristo peaks and Mount Rainier. Sloan Glacier from the summit. Del Campo, Sperry, Vesper, Big Four, Pilchuck. We heard a helicopter as we were putting our crampons on at the glacier and this chopper returned as I stood on the summit. The helicopter did several loops around, below, and quite close to the Sloan summit as I was standing on top. It must have been quite dramatic to see somebody standing on top of Sloan’s pinnacle from the air. Helicopter in red box. The descent went smoothly and I was back at the trailhead at 12:36 pm, 7 hours, 9 minutes roundtrip. Gear Notes: axe, crampons Approach Notes: Can get by without getting feet wet. Brushy, overgrown, many downed logs as advertised.

Trip: West McMillan Spire - West Ridge Date: 8/14/2007 Trip Report: I climbed West McMillan Spire in 11 hours, 15 minutes roundtrip. Colin A. and I wanted to take full advantage of the rare good weather forecast, so we decided on two day climbs - West McMillan on Tuesday and Sloan Peak on Wednesday. Here are some photos and stats from West McMillan: Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Goodell Creek Trailhead (600 ft) : 0 / 0 / 05:17 Climbers Path Turnoff (1,600 ft) : 1:05.27 / 1:05.27 / 06:22 Heather Bench [top of hill climb] (5,200 ft) : 2:31.23 / 1:25.56 / 07:48 Arrive West McMillan Summit (8,000 ft) : 5:52.44 / 3:21.20 / 11:09 Depart West McMillan Summit (8,000 ft) : 6:44.45 / 52.01.32 / 12:01 Heather Bench [top of hill climb] (5,200 ft) : 9:00.50 / 2:16.05 / 14:17 Climbers Path Turnoff (1,600 ft) : 10:33.57 / 1:33.06 / 15:50 Goodell Creek Trailhead (600 ft) : 11:15.46 / 41.49.45 / 16:32 We drove out to Newhalem on Monday night and slept for a few hours. At 5:17 am we were off down Goodell Creek Trail, arriving at the climbers path turnoff at 6:22 am. The steep climbers path up the wooded ridge was a really sweet hill climb (one of my favorites) allowing for super fast elevation gain. We topped off at the 5,200 ft heather bench and sweeping views of Terror Basin at 7:48 am. The traverse to the base of West McMillan Spire was longer and more tedious than it looked, but the spectacular views more than compensated and we stopped numerous times to take photos. Inspiration Peak looms above "like a skyscraper!" After ascending glacial slabs, we put crampons over our trail shoes for the snow section, which was still hard, especially near the top. Once on the west ridge, it was a fun scramble to the summit, where I arrived at 11:09 am, 5:52 after starting. I spent 52 minutes on top enjoying the gorgeous views and clear weather. Classic West McMillan Spire view. Inspiration Peak. Summit shot - I blend in well with the scene... Summit Panorama Baker, Terror, Shuksan. McMillan Glacier Mount Fury Redoubt, Luna, Spickard. View south from McMillan Spire. Azure Lake and Jack Mountain in upper left. Mount Despair Just after noon, we finally began the descent, which featured a nice glissade down the snow slopes and a great return traverse along the slabs and heather gardens. After a 20 minute break at the last heather bench viewpoint, there wasn't much to look at, so I picked up the pace down the steep climbers path and jogged parts of the Goodell Creek trail, arriving at the truck at 4:32 pm. Gear Notes: axe, crampons Approach Notes: In good shape. The climbers path is sweet!

Trip: Fernow, 7FJ, Maude - Speed Climb Date: 8/11/2007 Trip Report: I speed climbed Mount Fernow, Seven Finger Jack, and Mount Maude in 11 hours, 13 minutes roundtrip out of the Phelps Creek Trailhead/Leroy Basin. I started with Fernow because I figured this was the most involved and physically taxing mountain and ended with Maude so I could walk off the easy South shoulder at the end of the day. This climb was less on the mileage (~25 miles) and more on the elevation gain with an estimated 13,000 feet of gain and four separate climbs! I found that the key to climbing the Entiat Mountains fast is to find (and stay) on solid rock as much as possible. Since this was my first time in the Entiat, I made a few routefinding errors that cost me some time, but it went smoothly overall. Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Trailhead (3,500 ft) : 0 / 0 / 06:20 Leroy Creek turnoff (4,100 ft) : 28.01 / 28.01.01 / 06:48 [Col west of 7FJ (7,700 ft) : ~1:50 elapsed, ~08:10 real time] Arrive Fernow Summit (9,249 ft) : 3:51.21 / 3:23.20 / 10:11 Depart Fernow Summit (9,249 ft) : 4:06.41 / 15.19.47 / 10:27 Col west of 7FJ (7,700 ft) : 5:51.27 / 1:44.46 / 12:11 Arrive 7FJ Summit (9,100 ft) : 6:47.28 / 56.01.19 / 13:07 Depart 7FJ Summit (9,100 ft) : 7:02.47 / 15.18.55 / 13:23 Arrive Maude Summit (9,040 ft) : 8:55.01 / 1:52.14 / 15:15 Depart Maude Summit (9,040 ft) : 9:13.30 / 18.28.91 / 15:33 Leroy Creek turnoff (4,100 ft) : 10:48.34 / 1:35.03 / 17:09 Phelps Creek Trailhead (3,500 ft) : 11:13.11 / 24.37.36 / 17:33 I departed Sammamish at 3:30 am and arrived at the Phelps Creek trailhead at 6 am, setting off at 6:20 am after some breakfast bars. The first 3.7 miles were easy and I ran it in 28+ minutes. The trail is in much better shape than the access road! From here I turned up the Leroy Creek trail and began the power climb, going from 4,100 ft to the 7,700 foot col west of Seven Finger Jack in 1 hour, 20 minutes. From the col, you must descend an annoying and loose 1,200 feet to the old moraine of the Gloomy Glacier to begin the southwest route. On the way to Fernow, I had to avoid snow since I left my crampons at home so I went down to the small lake and around the buttress on its south side. On the way back I ascended to the col directly from the moraine on snow/talus slopes on the north side of the buttress (the snow had softened some). The route up Fernow was surprisingly solid and the slabby rock had natural steps cut into it making a 2,000 foot staircase and allowing for a fast ascent. I was elated to reach the summit of Mount Fernow 3:51 after starting at the trailhead. It was a gorgeous morning and coolish temps were great for moving fast Glacier Peak. The deep blue skies in the morning were spectacular! Dakobed Range close-up panorama. North Face of Mount Maude and Seven Finger Jack. Seven Finger Jack and Mount Rainier from Mount Fernow. Bonanza and Ptarmigan Traverse Peaks. Notice smoke from fire near Holden. View from along the descent of Fernow. What's left of the Gloomy Glacier. Route up the snow/talus slopes to the 7,700 ft col west of 7FJ from Gloomy glacier moraine. Rugged Entiat Crest from Seven Finger Jack to Mount Fernow. Small Lake below 7,700 ft col The walk back up to the 7,700 ft col from the Gloomy moraine was tiresome and the trail shoes were not getting great traction on the harder/steeper snow. However, I knew the most taxing part of the day was over. After a break, I climbed up the slopes from below the col to the right skyline of 7FJ and then up the standard slog route, arriving at the summit of Seven Finger Jack 6:47 after beginning. Seven Finger Jack from 7,700 ft col. Entiat River Valley from the summit of Seven Finger Jack. Bonanza and Ptarmigan Peaks from Seven Finger Jack. Mount Fernow from Seven Finger Jack. North Face of Mount Maude from Seven Finger Jack. I descended 7FJ via the standard route, arriving at a nice snowmelt stream on a bench below 7FJ where I drank and ate. This was the first running water since Gloomy glacier moraine so I was thirsty! From here I continued up the West Slope of Mount Maude which featured enjoyable class 3 scrambling on solid rock. A nice walk through the tundra meadows brought me to the summit 8:55 after beginning. View from below Seven Finger Jack at a snowmelt stream. Summit of Mount Maude with high clouds streaming in already! Me with 7FJ and Fernow in the background. View to 7FJ and Fernow from Mount Maude. A traverse between Fernow and 7FJ looks feasible, but hauling the requisite gear would slow everything else down! From the summit of Maude, I made my way down the upper south shoulder easily, but somehow missed where to descend on the lower portion into Leroy basin and ended up forging my own pathway through larch trees and cliff bands. Once I hit the trail, it was cruise control down Leroy Creek to Phelps Creek. I had some hop to my step at the bottom so I picked up the pace and ran the last 3.7 slightly downhill miles in 24 minutes. I saw lots of people on the trail on the way out, but I had the mountains to myself all day. A great climb! Gear Notes: Axe Approach Notes: Trail in great shape; road could be better. Super fast elevation gain up Leroy Creek.

Jessbee, glad you had a great time on the mountain as well! Hydration: No filter. I started with a 2L Hydration bladder, refilling at a stream on the slabs just before the ascent to Snow Dome. Footwear: Trail runners from the North Bend Factory Stores. Camera: The 3.5 year old Nikon 5600 has been great for scenery shots; light and simple. The new Nikons with greater MPs and features are tempting though. Wonderland: I have thought about it, but I only want to do it when I feel adequately prepared to do 94 miles very fast, which is not yet.

Thanks for the comments. Training: I ran competitive track and cross country from junior high through undergrad. I have been covering around 60 miles a week the past couple months. This mileage is a mix of running in local parks around Stanford and weekend trips in the high Sierra at 13k ft+ (see the California forum for these trips). I have not run an official marathon yet and I prefer softer surfaces to roads (i.e. ultra trail runs). Headlamp: I use a Petzl Tikka Plus and on the way to the trailhead I purchased a handheld LED keychain that is very lightweight and provides a surprising amount of light. There was also a full moon, but the Tikka/keychain combo would be effective anyway. Timing: No GPS, I used the mileposts/trail signs provided at the indicated distances and the lap function on my watch. I also wrote down the times in case the watch screwed up. The photos are in general chronological order except the first two and the last photo, which were my favorites.

Trip: Mt. Olympus Speed Record - 11.5 hours Date: 7/31/2007 Trip Report: I climbed Mount Olympus in 11 hours, 30 minutes round trip. As far as I know, this is the new speed record on the mountain. I went solo and the climb was unsupported. I started at 2:46 am and finished at 2:17 pm - 45 miles and around 8,000 ft of gain. I have been aspiring to speed climb Mount Olympus for some time so it was great to finally get it! I thought I could climb the mountain in 14-15 hours and the idea was to run 6 mi/hr pace for the first 12 miles. I basically stuck to the plan for the first 12 miles (I was a little fast, especially at the beginning), but went a lot quicker then anticipated for the rest of the climb, especially the glaciated parts. I think the climbs in the high Sierra at 13k+ ft helped. I really surprised myself when I reached the summit only 5 hours, 55 minutes after starting! At this point I knew I could go under 12 hours roundtrip. Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time Trailhead (578 ft) : 0 / 0 / 02:46 5 Miles (800 ft) : 42.16.63 / 42.16.63 / 03:28 (5 Mile Island) [5.7 Miles : 49.57 / 7.40.89 / 03:36] 9.1 Miles (950 ft) : 1:22.46 / 32.49.05 / 04:08 (Olympus Guard Station) [12.4 Miles : 1:57.53 / 29.00.89 / 04:44] 13.1 Miles (1,370 ft) : 2:08.43 / 10.49.89 / 04:54 (Hoh River Bridge) 15.1 Miles (2,558 ft) : 2:44.23 / 35.40.22 / 05:30 (Elk Lake) 18.5 Miles (5,100 ft) : 4:10.12 / 1:25.48 / 07:26 (Blue Glacier Moraine) Snow Dome (6,600 ft) : 5:05.11 / 54.59.13 / 07:51 Arrive Summit (7,969 ft) : 5:55.20 / 50.08.86 / 08:41 Leave Summit (7,969 ft) : 6:17.14 / 21.53.89 / 09:03 Snow Dome (6,600 ft) : 7:11.05 / 53.51.21 / 09:57 18 Miles (4,500 ft) : 8:08.02 / 56.56.44 / 10:54 (Tarn Below Moraine) 15.1 Miles (2,558 ft) : 8:48.51 / 40.49.22 / 11:35 (Elk Lake) 13.1 Miles (1,370 ft) : 9:08.50 / 19.58.88 / 11:55 (Hoh River Bridge) 9.1 Miles (950 ft) : 9:58.24 / 49.34.06 / 12:40 (Olympus Guard Station) 5 Miles (800 ft) : 10:38.58 / 40.34.13 / 13:25 (5 Mile Island) Trailhead (578 ft) : 11:30.54 / 51.55.75 / 14:17 I drove up to the trailhead Monday evening, taking the southern route from Seattle through Olympia and Aberdeen (4:30 total driving). I was asleep by 9:30 pm with the alarm set for 2:30 am. A quick pack up, snack, and drink, and I was off. Passing the first couple mile markers made the task seem daunting, but I soon found myself in a great running rhythm that carried me to the 12.4 mile marker. This marker is right before the first hill, where the running stopped. I powered up the hill to Elk Lake, Glacier Meadows, and the Blue Glacier Moraine. Mount Olympus doesn’t make an appearance until the crest of the moraine is reached so it is a very dramatic first appearance. I put crampons on at the bottom of the moraine, which were essential at this time in the morning (7:20 am) because the glacial ice was super slick like an ice cube. The neve up to snow dome was perfect and I quickly caught up to a party of 6 at the Snow Dome flats. This is the only photo of me not taken by me or the self timer. There were a few crevasses to hop over and I was soon atop the false summit. For the final scramble up the true summit I ascended the ledges on the northeast side, beginning before the steep snow pitch. These ledges were class 2-3 until an easy class 4 move brought me to more easy scrambling and the summit. Famous series of "wavy" snow ridges. I enjoyed the gorgeous weather on the summit for 22 minutes, taking in views in all directions, including the Valhallas, the Coast Range, the Pacific Ocean, the Cascades, etc. Valhallas Close-up On the descent, I found the class 3 "Eagles Nest" route on the south side (avoids the 4th class move), which is not obvious on the ascent. Blue Glacier from Snow Dome. Self-timer photo turned out pretty good...yeah! Sweet icefalls! Panorama from the Blue Glacier flats. I stopped to take many photos on the way down the glacier and took a long break at a tarn below the moraine to pack up my gear, hydrate, and eat. Terminus Once on the move, I was back in a rhythm and felt great. Somewhere between Hoh River Bridge (13.1 miles) and Olympus Guard Station, however, I started to feel the first signs of tiredness so I took a break at the Guard Station to refortify myself. The final 9 miles went well and I was able to maintain around 10 min per mile pace all the way till the end. I was quite tired, but not destroyed. It was nice to chat with the ranger at the visitor center whom I spoke with before the climb as well as the backcountry ranger below Elk Lake. I came away with no blisters, but I did come through with an idiot move by glissading into a shaded (icy) patch resulting in a scraped butt - ouch! 7 hours after standing atop Olympus my legs were in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. What an awesome climb! Gear Notes: Ice axe, crampons, energy bars, gu, extra layer. See California section for training. Approach Notes: Trail in fabulous shape with no impediments. 39 miles of trail roundtrip (I ran/jogged about 30 of those miles)

Thanks. The North Buttress (center) is around 800 feet tall. It has two routes on it, one called the North Buttress (in Sierra Classics) and the other called Silver Cloud. They are both Grade IV, 5.10b.

Trip: Feather, Royce, Merriam - Date: 7/21/2007 Trip Report: On Saturday we climbed the triumvirate of gorgeous peaks out of the Pine Creek trailhead in the John Muir Wilderness – Merriam Peak, Royce Peak, and Feather Peak. These remote peaks are located between the more frequently climbed Bear Creek Spire to the North and Mount Humphreys to the South. I first saw these mountains from Bear Creek Spire on May 19, 2007 and hoped to return to climb them later in the summer (see photo below). We left the trailhead at 5:40 am and I returned a minute after 5 pm for an 11 hour, 21 minute day. The climb featured approximately 8,000 feet of elevation gain and 25 miles. Merriam (left), Royce (center), and Feather (right) on May 19, 2007 from Bear Creek Spire. The Pine Creek trailhead is relatively low at 7,400 ft, but the excellent trail switchbacking up the hillside quickly brought us up to 10,000 feet at Lower Pine Lake. The only event of note was a barrage of rockfall that descended from the cliffs above (old mines) that was very close to where we were hiking. We were definitely awake after this scary moment! From Honeymoon Lake, we went cross country up to the pass between Peak 12,563 ft and Spire Peak. The view from the pass was spectacular and we enjoyed a beautiful walk across the Royce Lake tundra and up to the Royce-Merriam saddle. Merriam (left), Royce (center), and Feather (left) from Royce Lakes. Merriam Peak from one of the Royce Lakes. North Buttress of Merriam Peak From the saddle, we ascended the Northwest saddle scramble route, arriving at the summit at 9:50 am. Panorama from Merriam Peak. View towards the Evolution Peaks from Merriam Peak. After a break on the summit, we returned to the Royce-Merriam saddle and slogged up the South slope of Merriam Peak, arriving at 10:56 am. View from Royce Peak with Merriam Peak in the foreground. Royce has a small summit plateau reminiscent of Mount Darwin and Mount Mendel. Seven Gables summit from Royce Peak. View form Royce Peak summit to Feather Peak, Mount Gabb, Mount Abbot, Mount Dade, and Bear Creek Spire. Feather Peak has a weird red streak that appears to be a dropped load of fire retardant?? After a rest on the summit of Royce, we descended down via the Northwest chute route, which was incredibly loose, tedious and tiring. We finally made it to Feather-Royce Saddle and continued up the Southeast slope of Feather Peak. Feather Peak was the most enjoyable climb of the three with some really fun class 3 slab climbing for the top couple hundred feet. Feather Peak also had the best view, with a huge drop down to the glistening Royce Lakes. View from near the Feather Peak summit. After 25 minutes on Feather, we retraced our steps back to Feather-Royce saddle and then downclimbed/glissaded the hard snow slopes from the saddle down to Royce Lakes. This steeper snow slope will become icy within a couple weeks. Also, for those ice climbers, Feather Couloir looked like it had at least a few pitches of solid ice from our summit vantage point. View down from Feather-Royce Saddle. Glissading the hard snow down from Feather-Royce Saddle. Panorama of the Royce Lakes basin from below Feather-Royce Saddle. Feather-Royce Saddle. Feather Peak and Feather-Royce saddle on the left. Royce Lakes Basin The walk down from Royce Lakes back to Honeymoon Lake was very pleasant slab and meadow walking. The trail descent was also nice, but I was happy to be finished with the switchbacks just after 5 pm. We had the entire Royce Lakes basin to ourselves, seeing nobody past Upper Pine Creek Lake the entire day. TH: 5:40 am Merriam: 9:50 am Royce: 10:56 am Feather: 12:50 pm TH: 5:01 pm Total: 11:21 Gear Notes: Axe required for Feather-Royce saddle. Crampons probably necessary too, although we did not use them on our descent/glissade. Approach Notes: A great trail compensates for the relatively low trailhead elevation. Watch for rockfall from cliffs above.

I needed the axe for the ascent up from Ritter-Banner Saddle to the start of the North Face route on Mount Ritter and for glissading down from the Ritter-Banner saddle toward Lake Ediza. You will probably still need the axe Aug. 1st if you are ascending to Ritter-Banner saddle, especially in the morning when the permanent snow patch will be icy.

Thanks. Alpaholic, I don't have pictures of the couloirs since I wasn't on the north side of the mountain. I could have taken photos looking down the couloirs from the summit plateau, but I wasn't thinking about it - sorry. They looked icy though. The descent down the east face is pretty straightforward - except taking a ledge to skiers left near the bottom to another gully is the easiest way.

Trip: Matthes Crest - South to North Traverse Date: 7/8/2007 Trip Report: After the Darwin/Mendel trip on Saturday, we opted for a variation in the type of climbing and chose the Matthes Crest for some rock - setting out at 6:45 am. The approach and depproach (a little under 6 miles via Budd Lake) were, not surprisingly, the best parts of the climb for me in terms of efficiency as we did it in 1 hour, 55 minutes on the way in and 1 hour, 30 minutes on the way out. My rock climbing skills leave a lot to be desired, however, and we spent much time on the crest negotiating a few moves that were tricky for me. Nonetheless, the route was fun with exhilarating exposure in a fantastic setting. The roundtrip was 9.5 hours. Cathedral Peak on the gorgeous approach. Echo Peaks from below the Matthes Crest. The beginning of the traverse after two pitches to reach the crest from the base. Steven scrambling the crest. Me on the crest. Photos above and below by Steven Sheets. Further along the crest. The south (foreground) and north summits. Notice the climber near the top. We were glad to meet another party because having two ropes makes the rappel logistics way easier (we only brought one rope). Matthes Crest from the bench on the western slope of Echo Peaks. Gear Notes: Selection of small/medium cams. Approach Notes: Approach via the Budd Lake use trail and then skirt around the western side of Echo Peaks on a beautiful meadowy bench to the basin below Matthes. This approach worked really well.

Trip: Mount Darwin & Mendel - North Face Date: 7/7/2007 Trip Report: On Saturday we climbed the North Face of Mount Darwin and the East Face of Mount Mendel in the Evolution region of Kings Canyon National Park. We departed the North Lake parking lot at 4:25 am and returned at 4:55 pm for a 12.5 hour roundtrip. We reached Lamarck col at 6:40 am and were treated to a great view. Mount Darwin (left) and Mount Mendel (right). The route goes straight up the snow slope, narrowing to a small couloir near the summit plateau. Looking up the North Face of Mount Darwin. Ascending the North Face of Mount Darwin on perfect Neve. Final icy couloir up to the summit plateau. Mount Darwin summit plateau and pinnacle. We reached the summit at 9:30 and enjoyed the beautiful views and fun pinnacle for 45 minutes. Fiske, Warlow, Huxley in Evolution Basin. Evolution Basin and Mount Goddard. Exposed traverse around to the scramble up the Darwin summit pinnacle. Looking down to Darwin Canyon. Summit pinnacle of Mount Darwin. We could see the billowing smoke from the fires near independence from the summit of Darwin. Summit pinnacle of Mount Darwin. We descended the northwest ridge of Mount Darwin to the Darwin Glacier. After a break, I set out for Mount Mendel, reaching the summit at 12:30 pm. The route up Mendel was not very interesting, but the mountain afforded nice views of Darwin and the Evolution valley. Evolution Valley from Mount Mendel. Mount Darwin from the summit of Mount Mendel. The Darwin Glacier is melting out fast. After some photos on the summit of Mendel, I descended back to the glacier and then we set off for the climb back up to Lamarck col. Darwin Canyon. The North Face of Darwin is an excellent route up an impressive peak. With great weather and conditions, we had a blast! Gear Notes: Axe/crampons. Approach Notes: In good shape.

Trip: Mount Goddard - Starr's Route Date: 6/30/2007 Trip Report: Located deep inside Kings Canyon National Park and the highest summit west of the Sierra crest in the region, Mount Goddard's prominence and location afford a unique view. The climb took 15:15, starting at 4 am, summiting at 10:55 am, and finishing at 7:15 pm (yes, the return trip took longer). My route through Lamarck col and Darwin Canyon entailed around 10,000 feet of elevation gain, three major uphill climbs, and well over 30 miles of ground to cover. Plus, the route took me up the spectacular Evolution Basin, one of the most famous sections of the John Muir Trail. I brought an ice axe and didn't need it, but it was good to have for training purposes. Mount Darwin and Mount Mendel from below Lamarck col. I set out from North Lake at 4 am and made good time to Lamarck col, arriving at 6 am. From the col, I descended down into Darwin Canyon, then Darwin Bench, and then around the corner to the gorgeous Evolution Basin. Evolution Lake. Mount Huxley rises above a tarn in Evolution Basin. The walk up Evolution Basin went smoothly and I was soon at the pass above Wanda Lake. Mount Goddard reflecting in tarn at pass above Wanda Lake. A talus descent brought me to the base of Starr's Route on Mount Goddard. The third class rock was pretty fun and I was soon atop Goddard ridge with a long talus slope ahead that was a bit tedious. The prominent ridge is the route I took - "Starr's Route". View South from ridge leading to Goddard's summit. I reached the summit at 10:55 am, 6 hours and 55 minutes after starting. I rested on the summit and took photos for 45 minutes and then began the descent. View South, including the Palisades to the left. View to Davis Lake, Wanda Lake, and Evolution Basin. Davis Lake and Mount McGee. The walk back down through Evolution Basin was nice and I was still making decent time. Wanda Lake in upper Evolution Basin. Evolution Lake view. I was feeling good until I had to change gears for the third and final uphill climb through Darwin Canyon and up to Lamarck col, which is a little difficult to spot from the slopes below. Looking back down the perfect U-shaped Darwin Canyon. The North Face of Mount Darwin on the way up to Lamarck col. The final ascent of the day to Lamarck col was tiresome but fortunately, the rest of the way from the col was downhill and I arrived at North Lake at 7:15 pm, 15 hours and 15 minutes after beginning. Gear Notes: No axe needed. Approach Notes: In good shape.

I use a compact Nikon 5600 - a four year old model. It is excellent for landscape photography (as are all Nikon's in my opinion), but not great for nighttime/fast action. Very little processing (none on most photos); the deep blue sky is a function of getting the right angle in either early morning or late afternoon (the bright Sierra sunshine helps too).

Trip: Mount Ritter/Banner Peak - North Face Date: 6/23/2007 Trip Report: This renowned duo is the centerpiece of the Ansel Adams Wilderness near Yosemite National park. We set out from the Rush Creek Trailhead by Silver Lake (along the June Lake road). This approach begins 1,000 feet lower than the normal Agnew Meadows start, but gains the elevation quickly through several miles of switchbacks along the Clark Lakes trail. We departed at 5:10 am and within 2 hours we were up high along the ridge gazing at Ritter and Banner. At Clark Lakes, I began a loop that would basically take me around Banner Peak - Thousand Island Lake to Lake Catherine to Ritter/Banner Saddle to Nydiver Lakes to Garnet Lake. I was back at the car at 5:25 pm for 12 hour and 15 minute day. Reflection from Clark Lakes A long walk around Thousand Island Lake (much longer than you think initially!) brought us to the foot of Banner Peak. We continued on up to North Glacier Pass. At this point my partner felt the altitude and decided to forgo continuing the route. I set off for Ritter-Banner saddle. I was making good time until I found out I lost a water bottle and spent 30 minutes looking for it - to no avail. Once I let the water bottle go I was back on track, ascending the North Face of Ritter via the right hand chute to the summit - arriving just after 11 am. The Minarets from Mount Ritter. Banner Peak from Mount Ritter. I enjoyed the glorious views and then returned to Ritter/Banner saddle to climb Banner Peak. The views from Banner were equally impressive and I spent about 30 minutes on the summit, departing at 12:45 pm. From left to right: 1000 Island Lake, Garnet Lake, Nydiver Lakes, Lake Ediza. I went back to the saddle and then glissaded down from the saddle toward Lake Ediza, but turning off on the higher slopes heading for the Nydiver Lakes. I traversed just above the lakes to a pass that leads to the basin above Garnet Lakes. This section was spectacular with sweet views to the Minarets. Ritter (left) and Banner (right) Descending from the pass to Garnet Lake was easy, but the walk around Garnet's shores was long and more tedious than I had imagined with ups and downs and various obstacles (unlike Thousand Island Lake which has very flat shores). The swarming mosquitoes in this area were not pleasant either and while the DEET kept the bites at bay, I swallowed more than a couple suckers! Nonetheless, the views from Garnet were well worth the effort. From the outlet of Garnet Lake, I took the trail down to the River Trail and then headed up to Agnew Pass. Once atop the pass, gravity helped me with the remaining 5.5 miles to the trailhead, arriving at 5:25 pm. Clouds Rest: After some rest and food, we set off to hike Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake for early morning light. Although a little chilly/windy on the summit, the gaze down toward Yosemite Valley was awe inspiring. We were back at the car by 9:30 am, just early enough to beat the Sunday afternoon traffic. Gear Notes: Ice axe needed, crampons optional Approach Notes: Mosquitoes are out!!!