[TR] Mount Clark - Standard 08/09/2021

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Mount Clark - Standard

Trip Date: 08/09/2021

Trip Report:

 

We attempted Clark back in June as part of a three day trip, which included a summit of Mount Deception and two nights at Royal Lake.  After cancelling our plans this weekend (Terror Basin, with advanced permits) due to "meh" weather we opted for a cleanup trip, and allocated Monday for it, C2C.

 

We drove up Sunday night and slept in our cars at the trailhead, setting alarms for 5:30 am.   After breakfast and packing up we headed up the Upper Dungeness trail at just after 6:30.  Overall we kept a decent pace and summitted Clark without issue at around 1:45, took a quick break and headed back down.  The only snow we encountered was in Surprise Basin, which made for a nice break from tedious boulder hopping (the snow was continuous in the basin).  The snow at the summit block back in June was totally melted out.  The first part of the final block was loose and a bit unsavory class 3.  The finish is a nice crack that pushes the limit of class 3 - it's quite steep but has great holds.

Mount Deception looking a lot more melted out than it was in June.  Glad we did this with snow coverage!

View towards Clark from the tarn in upper Royal Basin:

View towards upper Royal Basin from the base of Surprise Basin:

Continuous snow in Surprise Basin:

Traversing on the east side of Clark.  This exposed section is one of two 'attention getting' parts.  (great holds)

Summit Stoke:   91/100 for me, 40/100 for my son (Smoots)

Royal Lake as viewed on the way out:

Here's to another one in the books!  Prost!

 

Gear Notes:
Light crampons, approach shoes

Approach Notes:
Trail in excellent shape - no blowdowns. Snow free except for Surprise Basin.

Edited August 11, 2021 by KaskadskyjKozak

[Kuato]

I was up in that area this weekend doing Mount Mystery.  Clark was looking really nice.  Deception wasn't looking so nice, kind of like a pile of loose rock.  What was your total travel time to the summit and back?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

2 hours ago, Kuato said:

I was up in that area this weekend doing Mount Mystery.  Clark was looking really nice.  Deception wasn't looking so nice, kind of like a pile of loose rock.  What was your total travel time to the summit and back?

7:15 cars to summit.  14:10 C2C.

(18.70 miles, 5780' gain)

Edited August 12, 2021 by KaskadskyjKozak

[Rad]

Sweet!  Remember these days. 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

9 hours ago, Rad said:

Sweet!  Remember these days. 

I take nothing for granted.  Every day out in the mountains is a blessing!

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I love seeing all these Olympic TRs!

[Otto]

I've been wanting to go up Clark for a long time. I've heard there is good rock there. Thank you for the excellent photos!

However, peak bagging is not a numbers game. It is an experience game, as I'm sure you know.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Otto
redacted possibly inflammatory comment about smooting

[KaskadskyjKozak]

18 hours ago, Otto said:

I've been wanting to go up Clark for a long time. I've heard there is good rock there. Thank you for the excellent photos!

However, peak bagging is not a numbers game. It is an experience game, as I'm sure you know.

There is plenty of loose rock, but it is solid in the two most exposed spots, where it was most welcome.

as for the peak-bagging, I'm well past the "experience" threshold so it is a lot more about numbers for me as well as important factors to determine when and if to go (seasonal variations depending on time of year and snowpack/glacier conditions, weather, amount of daylight, access, fires, my fitness level, availability of partners, time off work, etc).

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by KaskadskyjKozak