Sloan Peak

[Fairweather]

Anyone have any thoughts on which route is best for a one day late May/early June climb of Sloan Peak? Bedal Creek or Sloan Peak Trail/Sloan Glacier? Seems like the glacier should be in fair shape at this time of year, so I'm kind of leaning toward Sloan Peak Trail, but I've heard finding the creek crossing can suck up valuable time.

 

Also thinking about a one day of Overcoat Peak-snowfinger or South Arete. Any info on this trip? (Alpine Lakes )

[lunger]

Can't speak to the latter route, but imagine that the Bedal route would be downright creamy this time of year--there's a bit of brush that would be nice to walk over instead of through. (We day-tripped mid- or late-summer.)

 

You'll get a good view of the W. face along the way, there's a meadow w/ some cabin ruins and a large boulder (no pad req'd), and the route is just generally entertaining. From the summit that Sloan Glacier did look impressive/expansive, so you prob. can't go wrong that way either. Although I too have heard stories of the problematic stream crossing... enjoy

[mattp]

In February, there was plenty of brush in Bedal Creek and even though there has been significant snowfall since then, I bet nothing below the high basin below the W. face has enough snow to obscure brush. In several places the winter-flattened brush and avalanche-flattened trees obscured the Bedal Creek trail for a couple hundred yards at a time but it was still very passable and you probably won't waste much time if you just forge on ahead each time you lose the trail. Depending on the weather (sun and warmth), those ramps on the south face that access the upper part of the mountain could be treacerous but overall, the Bedal Creek approach offers a pretty easy way to get to a moderate and scenic route up Sloan Peak.

[robertm]

Has anyone done the 5.7 route in the Beckey guide up Sloan (SW face?) that mentions excellent rock? I have always thought that would be a cool way to get up Sloan (which I still haven't had a chance to do yet).

[Toast]

Sloan Creek Trail got a good mile of it washed away in a massive avalanche last spring. Old growth snapped like twigs, teetering logs, hidden holes to fall through, yellow jacket nests... That'll probably be your biggest challenge on that route. The river ford was just pretty simple last fall, but the river may have risen since then. All in all this was my favorite climb last year.

[Alex]

I've done Bedal Creek approach in mid summer, and its really not bad at all.