[TR] Beebe Mountain - NE ridge 05/02/2021

[JasonG]

Trip: Beebe Mountain - NE ridge

Trip Date: 05/02/2021

Trip Report:

A few weeks ago, @Trent and I missed the Seattle memo that everyone was to leave town with their bikes and convene at the Ross Dam TH to bike the highway before it opened.  Because of that we started early enough to be quite surprised upon our return to see a steady line of bikes on the highway, going both ways!  We also missed the dude backing his Sprinter over a carbon fiber road bike in the parking lot (his bike, thankfully).  Apparently they make quite the pop when they explode.  But I digress.

BEEBE! BEEEEEEBEEEEEEEEE!  Why isn't this peak more popular, given the views and access?  There isn't any brush to speak of and you are pretty much guaranteed solitude in the increasingly slammed North Cascades.  Is everyone on the Birthday tour?  Maybe the lines will form when the snow melts and people are stuck in traffic on 20.  May as well pull over and grab a summit!  Just be warned that there isn't flagging any longer.  We pulled a ridiculous amount down on our way up, filling our pockets.  C'mon people, it isn't a hard mountain to find!

Oh, and just make sure you wax your snowshoes if you go early in the season.

We saw what my wildlife biologist friends called wolverine tracks

 

 

Gear Notes:
Bikes and .....sigh....snowshoes

Approach Notes:
From Hwy 20 follow timbered ridge just south of Beebe Creek

[Bronco]

Steve makes snowshoeing look so fun!

[JasonG]

It is true @Bronco!  Mostly it is because snowshoeing is.....uh....fun? 

On that particular day I hate to admit that they were the proper tool though.  We found zero good snow for skiing from 3800' to the summit.  Mostly it was varying crusts over isothermic mush.

[sepultura]

Those are quite the snowshoe action shots. It almost looks fun, almost.

[Trent]

Extreeeme snowshoeing! My area of expertise!

[mountainsloth]

Wow! Wolverine tracks! That’s how you know you are on the path TRULY less traveled! Thanks for a glimpse at a seldom posted mountain!

[manninjo]

Went up to check out the north face on this peak (7th photo, above the wolverine tracks) with the last bit of good weather we had - can report that up close, the rock, although it is granite (or granitic), is pretty chossy looking. We elected to forgo further exploration beyond walking the base and went back up the standard NE ridge. Any likely route on the north face would seem to be best as a frozen/mixed endeavor. The whole hike, as advertised, had very little brush. Great way to spend a late September day off Hwy 20, had the mountain all to ourselves!   

[JasonG]

Ah!  Was wondering if anyone was going to take a look at that....and yes, I think you are right about the season that it would be the most "fun".  Here is another view to whet your appetite:

Access in the winter would be "reasonable" with a sled, if you are into that sort of thing.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Glad you got out and checked it out Joe!  I had more fun on the mostly good rock of Lexington at WA pass.  :-)