[TR] Ulalach - via Squire Creek Pass 10/24/2017

[JasonG]

Trip: Ulalach - via Squire Creek Pass

Trip Date: 10/24/2017

Trip Report:

 

Long live the mighty Cascade Climbers!  My first TR on the new software, so we'll see how this goes.....

 

Remember when it hadn't rained in months?  When summer just didn't seem to end?  This harkens back to that time, when the call of the fall spirited us away from work midweek.  When nobody but us and the wolves roamed the high country of the Darrington hills (see below).   It was also an excuse for Scott and I to harass the rest of our crew from a North Cascades summit via modern technology.  This is becoming increasingly important, I hear.   In case you're wondering Ulalach (think Ooo la la- Chinook for "onion") has great cell service. 

But more importantly, it is lonely up there.  We didn't see much in the way of evidence of passage, and we honestly had to think a bit to puzzle the way to the top.  It helped that I've started to not research climbs as thoroughly as in years' past.  In this age of ridiculous beta, tuning out is a great way to increase the adventure, even on a day trip.  Even if I had done some research, I wouldn't have found out that we could expect to see wolf tracks superimposed upon ours on the descent.  Apparently this was news to the USFS, NPS and tribal wildlife bios that I consulted upon our return.  Hopefully the Darrington locals can tolerate their new neighbors.

Viva la mystery of the North Cascades!

And the new software makes captioning WAY easier.....  I'll actually label these, where it makes sense to:

 

 

Darrington's version of the deepwater solo:

Whitechuck from the trail below Squire Creek Pass:

Ulalach!:

Scott admires the mighty east face of Three Fingers from Squire Creek Pass:

Whitehorse:

Three Fingers:

Salish Peak!

North Peak of Three Fingers:

Del Campo (L) and Big Four (R):

Put Jumbo on your list!:

The upper Squire Creek Valley, with Liberty on the left and Three Fingers on the right:

Squire Creek Wall:

Scott breathing deep the oniony glory of Ulalach:

The hills are alive!  There were pup tracks with the mama.  They followed our tracks for a half mile or so, just below the pass.:

Exfoliation Dome, perhaps the toughest summit to reach in WA under 5000':

 

Gear Notes:
Helmet. Ample opportunities for 5th class climbing off the scramble route.

Approach Notes:
Squire Creek Pass trail from Clear Creek road. From the pass follow your nose north. Stay on the east side of the ridge at first, until you can traverse into a saddle just south of the peak. From here, you will want to stay mostly on the ridge until forced to a right side ledge at a step. Follow weaknesses up and left back to ridge and finish on the west (left) side, pulling on shrubbery.

[olyclimber]

Awesome!  

[Kit]

The only thing worse than going on a trip with Jason...

Is not going on a trip with Jason.

 

I wish I could've played hooky.  Fantastic photos and great write up.

[JasonG]

It's true.  Self-loathing is the powerful glue holding us together.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Nice, thanks for some rainy weather stoke for D-town!

[Toast]

Fuck yeah, CC.com is back!

[Summit_Rolos]

Jason, i love that photo of the clouds streaming through the trees, outstanding!

[curtveld]

Fabulous pics!  That area has a lot more to offer than slab climbing.  

[Priti]

Mmm onions, wolves, Darrington deep-water soloing... Oooh la la...

Love the photos. Thanks for sharing!