JasonG

Trip: Inspiration Traverse- Cascade River to Thunder Cr. - Primus and Tricouni Date: 9/3/2017 Trip Report: Just when Steve and I thought ourselves well traveled in the North Cascades, we found an unexpectedly spectacular corner of the range, away from the masses, yet within a reasonable 3 day weekend of home. Sure, I had climbed Primus 15 years before, but it was in a cloud without views except for my partners in the mist. So imagine my surprise when I saw the view this past weekend! We began our short, yet long-feeling soiree from the standard approach to Eldorado on Saturday, after what has become a now typical MMA fight for permits at the ranger station (take a number, wait an hour, marvel at the lack of trip planning of many groups). Then it was time to drop a vehicle at the Thunder Creek TH (full as well) and circle back to begin the painful slog upwards from the Cascade River. It was hot, but at least there wasn't much wind. The hike up was the standard 5 hour exercise in humility, broken up in the boulder field by an encounter of two young and enthusiastic lads who were hiking in for the first time, armed with beta gleaned exclusively from Instagram. Steve and I felt even older than the trail already had us feeling, but more we thought that Fred better figure out how to start using social media if he wants to keep his dirtbag lifestyle sustainable. Don't go the way of Blackberry. Anyway, the east ridge bivy (with the best crapper in the park) lived up to its reputation and we were treated to a great sunset and sunrise from one of the better camps anywhere. We got to know our neighbors from the Colorado Mountain School and Mountain Madness, glad that they appreciated the Skag as much as we do. They don't make mountains like this anywhere else in the lower 48. We were up with the sun the next day and we bid our newfound friends farewell. They would be the last people we would see until we were hiking out Thunder Creek Monday. No tracks on the glaciers, and just a few footprints in the dirt would be the theme of the next two days. Smoke from fires slowly invaded over the weekend until we hiked out under a surreal sun Monday afternoon. I'll leave the details of the traverse out to Thunder Creek to your imagination, with plenty of photos below to pique your curiosity. Half of the fun from this past weekend was being surprised right in our own backyard. Go explore! J'Burg: Colorado Mtn. School Ice climbing practice: Moonrise over TFT: NW face of Forbidden: Notice the climbers on the summit ridge of Eldorado: Primus: This lake is not on your map: Snowfield group in the distance: The Borealis Gl. is shrinking fast: Goode and Stormking: Moon over Logan: Steve and Tricouni: Tricouni (L) and Primus: Gear Notes: 30m glacier rope, Al crampons, axe, helmet. Approach Notes: Standard Eldorado approach to East Ridge bivy. Through Austera/Klawatti col, around Austera, carried over Primus to Primus/Tricouni col. Traverse high on Borealis west until possible to reach ridge descending to glacial lake not on USGS map. Descend from Lake on prominent ridge to McAllister Creek.

Only if you start appeasing Raindawg

Ok people, I finally got around to adding captions to the photos in the TR. Let me know if that doesn't answer your obscure peak ID questions! And thanks for all the kudos on the trip and photos, it was the trip of the summer for sure.

Looking forward to the next 17 years of Cascade Climbers! Pretty soon it will be beamed directly into your brain, and I will be moderating your thoughts.

The Skag crew representing! That is an interesting peak list. The first thing I thought is that these guys have done this before....because that is pretty much my peak list for the next time I do the Ptarmigan! Love the photos too. I'm biased, but I like the attention to the craft. Good photos in a beautiful area aren't totally without work.

Way to get it done guys! That is one of the best summits in the range, no question. I think Porter can help you if the typical workaround isn't doing it. Connected you all via email.... JG

Human nature is a bitch, but at least the route was crowded. If it's any consolation, the Bugs wouldn't have been much better, behavior wise, had they been open.

And there is no way it is 3rd class to true summit. I thought 4th for sure (and simuling with a rope nice), and that was before I was a dad. Nice work and TR! Thanks for toughing the technical difficulties out.

If you're having trouble posting at TR, perhaps this will help: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1149152/Trip_Report_Issue#Post1149152

That's pretty surprising.

It may be that there is a better path than we took, or that it is getting cleaned up with all the traffic in recent years (I climbed it in 2003). Formidable has been the site of several fatalities over the years, I think all due to loose blocks. I know Bonanza used to have a bad rap, but the traffic of recent decades has cleaned it up nicely. These top 100 are getting busy!

Nice work! That is a spooky one, with all the large loose blocks around. Glad you had an uneventful ascent!

Gunn Lookout Mtn. and Cow Heaven up 20 are good. Same with old trail up Sauk from 20. Starts at ~400' so you can get 2-3k snow free most of the winter as well. All are right at the edge of your 90 min cutoff. Let me know if you are headed up my way!

It normally rains here too, all summer. You just got really lucky . Glad you had a good time on a couple of our local classics! Let me know when you are planning another trip and I can point you towards a couple areas without the bloodthirsty marmots. And thanks for the heads up on the Ursak, news to me!

Yowza. Glad you survived! Now you know why the rest of us leave the volcanoes alone after mid-July.

Ha! I held my tongue but I was thinking the same thing! Green Creek Circuit!

I haven't been up that side of the South Twin, but my understanding is that there isn't much of a trail (like on NT). So your plan of 'schwacking is what I've heard others do to link them. But all these climbing routes are getting more and more beat in as the years go on so I wouldn't be terribly surprised if there was some sort of path to ST from the logging roads of Daily Prairie.

A ridge running machine never does :[]

I switched to Nikon and just got the d750 w/ Nikkor 24-120 f4. Nothing top of the line by any means, but a huge step up from what I had (Canon T1i w/cheap kit lens from ~2009).

Scott- I'll add some captions, in time. Check back! Tom- Your trips in there were a major inspiration, thanks for showing the way to the next generation. Mike- You know you miss the brush! Mr. Sloth- Thank you very much! I am on vacation while I am taking these so I guess I am getting paid.

You need to put up a pay per view webcam Dru. Beer money!

Ah, good to know, thanks!

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

And the other "rare exceptions" are?

Thanks guys! Glad everyone approves of the camera upgrade. I have to admit that it seemed a bit indulgent, but I quickly got over that looking at the images. Lunger- We left a new register up there since the old film canister has seen better days, at least as far as preserving scraps of paper. And the whole "Schrundy" saga is an old one with a lot of history. Nothing scatological however, just our own brand of weirdness. If you ever are looking for a decidedly non-trailblazing trip, come out with the choss dogs and we can fill you in. Seano- For a real photographer, not serious glass, but serious enough for me. Nikon d750 w/ f4 24-120. I left the big tele at home.