klenke Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 Mark I. (posts as Mark), his dad, and I climbed Foggy Peak today in the Glacier Basin/Monte Cristo area. Pretty leisurely climb on a super day. We took lots of long relaxing breaks and still made the summit and back in good time--maybe because we decided to just do the South Route. And this was a good thing, because none of the other routes (SE Ridge, W Ridge, N Ridge) appeared very interesting anyway. It was mostly class 3 scrambling. Only for the final summit block finish on its NW side did we set an ad hoc belay. It was class 4 to finish. It would have been class 3 but the exposure down the north side all the way down to the glacier bumped it up a class. We had a 60m rope but one 30m rope will complete this pitch (with practically no pro needed). It's an easy climb made fun given the proximity to Seattle. Only the timbered rib up from where you leave the trail is annoying, but this goes pretty quickly (a faint "trail" can be lost and found and lost and found and...). For the road, we used bikes, as it should be. Incidentally, I was reading somewhere that car prowls are common at the Barlow Pass T.H. Well, one of the cars parked in the parking lot up the incline was prowled while we were on the climb (broken side window). SO BE ADVISED. In talking with the gal at Green Gables Store, she said about 2 or 3 prowls take place on that stretch of the Mountain Loop Highway per week. For a little added security, it is probably better to park on the road where the limited frequency of thru-traffic may deter burglars. Quote
chucK Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 I did the N Ridge a year or two back. It was fun. A bit more climbing scrambling on good rock than the South route (I downclimbed the S route) Climbed up to Irene (?) gap or pass or whatever, glissaded down then traversed around the East side to the N Ridge. Fun. Quote
ski_photomatt Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 Talk about car prowls - at the Heliotrope Ridge/Glacier Creek TH on Sunday, a car had its tire stole. The entire tire! The truck was sitting directly on its axle, a few springs and other assorted parts lying on the ground. Someone evidently jacked it up, stole the tire and took the jack. No other damage as apparent, no broken windows, nothing. I now pack my backpack completely before leaving home and make sure to bring nothing extra to the TH except the old shoes and clothes I'm wearing in the car. Nothing in the car to tempt theives with. Quote
Stefan Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 At popular trailheads I now take off the cables connecting to the battery. Not that my car would be anything anybody wanted.....but maybe just a joyride..... Looks like you had fun on the trip! Good to see! Quote
klenke Posted June 17, 2003 Author Posted June 17, 2003 Hey Stefan. Having now done Foggy and Cadet Peak, I now find I have a small new climbing wishlist: to climb all the major named peaks on Addison Ridge. The remaining ones would be Eyrie Tower (maybe), Pirate Peak, South Gemini, North Gemini, and Sheep Mountain. It looks like Pirate and both Geminis can be done in one day from the Monte Cristo area. Sheep would be a separate trip probably. You done any of these peaks? Quote
nolanr Posted June 18, 2003 Posted June 18, 2003 I've parked in that area probably at least a dozen times w/out having my car broken into, but that just sucks. Death to all TH car prowlers! Actually in 7 years of doing a lot of hiking/climbing in this area, some popular TH, some out of the way ones, the only break in I had was Squire Creek out by Darrington. Shithead broke a specialized side window on a sliding door that caused about $400 in damage, all so he could take a couple bucks in quarters. Stupid! Quote
MPaul_Hansen Posted June 18, 2003 Posted June 18, 2003 Leave an older car at trailheads.... Successful w/ putting in a kill-switch which 'grounds' out starting current. Not good for late-model cars though. Few thieves make note of the added minor wires under the hood..... Quote
Stefan Posted June 18, 2003 Posted June 18, 2003 klenke said: Hey Stefan. Having now done Foggy and Cadet Peak, I now find I have a small new climbing wishlist: to climb all the major named peaks on Addison Ridge. The remaining ones would be Eyrie Tower (maybe), Pirate Peak, South Gemini, North Gemini, and Sheep Mountain. It looks like Pirate and both Geminis can be done in one day from the Monte Cristo area. Sheep would be a separate trip probably. You done any of these peaks? I have only done Sheep. Sheep can be done in early season becuase it is not that far away from the gate, so bikes are not that necessary. We crossed the bridge over the South Fork of the Sauk, went directly up, and then went into the drainage shown on the map at 3400 feet. You cannot get into the drainage at 3200 feet or 3600 feet due to mossy cliffs. We continued on the north side of the drainage until about 4400 feet where it widened out and up to the col at 5720+ and traversed over to the summit. I have no information on the other peaks. Quote
klenke Posted June 18, 2003 Author Posted June 18, 2003 MPaul_Hansen said: Leave an older car at trailheads.... Yep, I own a piece of shit car for my mountain car. Sometimes I just wish someone would steal it so I can get a new one. But nooooo. It's always faithfully there when I get back from the climb. My car is such a piece of shit that when other people drive near it, their car values go down like how a shitty house on a street drives down property values on that street. Quote
Dru Posted June 19, 2003 Posted June 19, 2003 Stefan said: I have only done Sheep. Sheep can be done in early season Quote
3fngrs Posted June 19, 2003 Posted June 19, 2003 hey nolan did you make it up monte cristo on sunday? i talked with you in the basin (i think) and am heading up this weekend to do cadet Quote
klenke Posted June 19, 2003 Author Posted June 19, 2003 Cadet Peak as of Monday, June 16, see here. Quote
tread_tramp Posted June 19, 2003 Posted June 19, 2003 My friend Rod and I did Monte Cristo sunday. Snow was in great shape for kicking steps up to the North Col. It's a fun climb with good views. When we got back to the col around 2:30 or so we met a guy at the col heading up by himself, maybe Nolan. Quote
nolanr Posted June 20, 2003 Posted June 20, 2003 (edited) Yep, that was me. Good job Tread Tramp. I followed your tracks over, made a couple moves up on the rock and decided that just wasn't happening for me that day. I traversed a little farther over to a snow finger, thought that might go up a ways, but there was a big hole in it that I didn't see a real promising way around. So I headed back down. I got myself totally sketched out the weekend before so I was playing it way safe. Nice day to be out anyway. Also that pair that was heading up to Cadet the same day didn't summit, they hit a ridgeline and got deadended. Looked like an older guy and his grandson probably. Have fun next weekend 3 fngrs. Edited June 20, 2003 by nolanr Quote
tread_tramp Posted June 20, 2003 Posted June 20, 2003 Ya Nolan, the old guy was Jack Stein. He was doin a Father's Day climb with his son. Too Bad they didn't get it. It was a fun day. Quote
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