JasonG

Western Southern Pickets. Kind of similar to Bear, but maybe a bit longer. Crescent Creek? To the saddle by the Chopping Block?

Hard, probably like this, only more difficult and committing. I remember climbing along the top of the Diamond on the summit ridge and dropping a rock down a bomb bay chimney the exited onto the Diamond. It overhung enough that the rock I dropped (didn't throw, just dropped) didn't touch the sides of the chimney nor the face for more than 1500' vert, maybe more. That face is WILD! Has it even been repeated?

Too true. Having just dabbled in the Pickets a bit, this is hard for me to wrap my mind around. Strong work!

That is one of my favorite TRs from the archives!

I've wondered if that face on Redoubt may be getting tougher as the years go on and the glacier thins. Seems like a narrow window when it is in reasonable shape these days. Ooops, sorry for contributing to the drift!

So cool! Thanks for updating the blog, I'd been wondering what you were up to. The part that cracks me up is how worried you were about the bears, not the pocket glacier or the incredible amount of solo climbing that lay ahead! Great story all around, a true gem.

Thanks! I read somewhere that they call this area the Snoqualmie Pickets- for good reason, it's a rugged area! I added some captions and a couple more photos... Yes Ivan, as always, whiskey was the key to our success. Thanks for pointing out the omission, I've fixed it. I should also add that for those mainly interested in bagging either peak independently, there are quicker ways than we went. The Lemah snow finger looks fast and interesting, and Chikamin is pretty quick from the PCT or other trails on the SE side of it. BUT Spectacle lake is a pretty spectacular spot, and worth a visit on its own. So, I guess to combine all three in one trip, as we did, isn't a bad way to go either.

Nice work Gene and Curt!!! I love that link-up, tons of great climbing. And don't feel bad, it is a long day from the road, no matter your age.

Trip: Lemah and Chikamin - Standards Date: 6/30/2013 Trip Report: Aside from Leor's TR, there isn't much in the database for Lemah and only a little more for Chikamin. Though not climbing per se, both peaks have a great deal of alpine flavor and are in a rugged neck of the woods for the Alpine lakes. My verdict is that they are both worth a visit for the peak bagger, though maybe not the way that we linked them. It started with Zak, my brother, sending out an email invite this spring to his annual climbing trip. I've tried to make it on several of these trips over the years, but it had been a couple years, so this year I was glad when the date and destination allowed me to join Zak, Brad, and Justin. We were bound for Spectacle Lake for a couple nights to link up Lemah and Chikamin. We began the journey with a muggy and buggy hike up the Cooper River, past Pete lake and up to Spectacle Lake. A lack of a couple bridges made for some stream crossing shenanigans, greatly aided by alternative footwear. We arrived at a mostly empty Spectacle lake in about 5.5 hours or so, only finding patchy snow along the way. The next day we were away by 0500 and soon were 'schwacking around the Lake towards the low saddle SE of the summit. This was somewhat unpleasant, but certainly not terrible. Once at the saddle we continue up the ridge until an easy snow ramp lead north down into the basin on the east side of Lemah. Easy snow led up to a nasty moat that stretched all the way across, about 600' or so below the summit. We found a way onto the rock on the north side, but it involved some 4th class and steep snow (with a bad consequence fall) so Brad and Justin waited while Zak and I continued carefully to the top. The final bit was easy class 3 if you wrapped around to the NW corner of the final rocks. No register. We made it back down to Brad and Justin and traversed below Lemah II and I on our way to a steep snow gully that led over the shoulder of Lemah I. This was a bit steeper and firmer than it looked from below, but went just fine, and soon we were looking down a steep talus and meadow slope to the pass above Chikamin lake. A wild little cirque! At this point the heat and long day began to wear on the team, but we pressed on to the north ridge of Chikamin. This proved to be a bit steeper and looser than we were expecting, so we wrapped around the SW side of the peak to gain the regular route ~150' below the summit. Steep snow and class 3 was the theme on the traverse around, but the summit was mostly class 2 with a short bit of solid and fun class 3. The views were grand as usual, and it was fun to stand on a peak that I had looked at so many times driving by on I-90. But it was getting late and we had unknown terrain between us and camp. We began the descent by dropping SE to Glacier Lake and traversing around it's north side. This was mostly on snow and went fast. We crossed the outlet of the lake (KEY!) and worked our way skier's right down and towards Spectacle lake. This section was pretty brushy, but snow again helped us. Then we got to the lake and spent about a half hour or more in some pretty bad brush and steep terrain, finally finding a fisherman trail that we followed around to our camp on the peninsula. It was a long day, more than 14 hours camp to camp with many breaks. Luckily we had Crown Royal waiting for us. On day three we got a lazy start, but were prompted to move out in the morning as it became obvious that it was going to be very hot. Justin's heels had gotten destroyed the day before and he didn't exactly know how the hike out and stream crossings would go. Waking up in the middle of the night with his heels sticking to his sleeping bag didn't inspire confidence either. Amazingly though, with enough leukotape and gauze, Justin powered out in impressive style, and about 5 hours after leaving we were changing into cotton (bliss!) and barreling into Roslyn for burgers and beer. Until 2014 and the next Zak trip, here are some photos: Chikamin and Lemah from Pete Lake: Impressive waterfall on the trail below Spectacle Lake: Spectacle Lake! Chikamin on the middle/left and Lemah on the right (in cloud) Lemah II and III: Chimney Rock and Summit Chief from the saddle: Approaching Lemah. We went up the obvious snow to the left of the summit, although you can't see the nasty spanning moat low down: Likely unclimbed spires on Lemah II: Zak on the final scramble up Lemah: Steep snow gully on the south side of Lemah II: Slogging around Chikamin lake: Descending Chikamin, Spectacle Lake is visible on the right: Short, solid, class 3 step below the summit: Glacial scouring is evident all around Spectacle lake: Fording a very cold Lemah Creek on the return: Gear Notes: Ice axe, helmet, crampons (maybe). Stream shoes/crocs. Whiskey Approach Notes: Good trail to Spectacle Lake.

Or maybe they took a north side detour, just for fun? Sounds like they weren't short on energy. Entertaining read!

Wow! I had no idea such a glacial cave system existed around here.

Sounds like a good story, do tell.

Thanks Curt! I won't be able to make it, but I'm glad it is out on the web for all to see and hopefully attend.

What's this I hear about a work party meeting at the Darrington RS at 1000 this coming Saturday?

Yeah, keep the Selkirk TRs coming!! Great images, engaging stories, and tons of high quality moderate climbing. I've enjoyed every one of them, and have added to my Roger's Pass tick list.

Uh, that's a chipmunk.

I started to sweat just looking at those photos, wow. I can see why Seahpo doesn't get climbed that much, and I bet Jagged ridge has been done only a handful of times. Truly a wild trip, amazing.

Excellent work, that is a cool climb to one of the more memorable summits around! And, you were smart to go early in the year when the gully is soft snow and bring the bikes for a fast exit.

In addition to what was mentioned previously: Cadet West Ridge of Columbia Gothic Tomyhoi Black Corteo The above are all scrambles and are really nice day trips.

PM Ross, Teleross here. He is in SoCal now, if I remember correctly, and should be in the know. SuperTopo gets quite a bit of use in Cali though.

Just bring a rat trap, they're light. Welcome to the jungle.

Thanks for adding to the list Darin, looks like some fantastic climbing, esp. the South Twin and Skookum portions of your trip. Tthat is a huge amount of terrain to cover in a day, very cool! Loved the images as well, we were admiring the Range from Sherman on Saturday and talking about going back in there. But, as you mentioned, admission to the valley doesn't come free. Some classic 'shwacking to get in there.

Kevino- Drop me a line when you are over this way and I'll be happy to take some glamour shots of you. Maybe we'll even go skiing. Scott- It is tough being in the mountains with Gordo, the adoring masses almost are too much. BTW, thanks for those Kokanees, we put them to good use!

Talk to Colin: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/685563/ Or Mark Westman: http://www.markwestmanimages.com/ They climbed it together a few years back.

Interesting to see why there are a range of ski packs made. To each, their own . .. . Over the years, there were enough avalanches where the surviving members' avi gear was ripped from the outside of their packs to warrant the change in instruction. Pack designers took heed as well, making for an easy change in behavior.