short tr on maude

[genepires]

Went into maude to do the north face this week and had a great time. The route is in great condition and is a full 2000 feet of perfect cramponing and tool daggering.

 

usefull beta if you go up there.

the high camps (killer bivy about 6700 feet) have small creeks and good sized snow patches for water. There are sites at about 7300 feet too but lack any water. There are some snow patches and bivy sites just below the saddle but then you would have to go back up to get your stuff if you left any.

 

There is a big shrund at the bottom of the route but looks easily passable on the left.

 

Nelson describes a traverse from the seven finger/ maude saddle. He says to drop to 7300 feet but I kept traversing across at 7600 feet to bypass the shrund and not lose any more height. (I am lazy)

 

There are several finger of snow that go all the way to the top. The snow is very hard and perfect for crampons and tools. Never was able to stab in the spike but relied on the picks as daggers. Classic!

 

There are a couple of exposed ice bits that are very fun. The ice is very old and hard like water ice but only 40 to 50 degrees. Good times.

 

It was cloudy so the temps were cool. As soon as the sun came out, two volleys of rocks came flying. A watermellon sized one came within 2 feet of me. Get a early start.

 

The descent, who knows? I started down the right gulley then it starts branching. Being a chicken I kept traversing to the south till I could find a gulley that was a clear shot all the way to the base but ended up almost at the south buttress. I bet any of those gulleys would have been fine but I didn't have a rope and didn't want to go back up the gulley after hitting a big drop off. My route involved lots of traversing and lots of loose rock. Another option is to go to the south shoulder (nice scree) and then traverse back to high camp. There is a small trail going down the worst parts. Anybody got down nice and quick?

 

 

Get out and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

[kurthicks]

i was looking at doing that route in the next 3 weeks...thanks a bunch for the beta! how was the approach?

[Trav]

I did the Entiat Icefall a couple of years ago and descended the walk up route on Maude to the south east. A decent trail was marked at the time with cairns. This trail takes you to another small basin South of the main Leroy creek basin then over a small pass back into Leroy creek basin. It took us about 45min to 1hour descend to Leroy creek this way. But if you camped at the col between 7Fingered Jack and Maude this descent would force you to hike back up and retrieve your camp unless carried over. But this still might take less time than negotiating the gullies.

[ncascademtns]

genepires said:

Went into maude to do the north face this week and had a great time.

 

 

 

Good TR!

Dude! You got the wrong Forum

You missed it by one. Move it up a notch to the North Cascades.

Have a Nice Day.

[genepires]

I thought that since dragontail is in the alpine lakes forum, and they share the same highway approach, that it would be here. But I guess it is on the north side of the highway. Is the highway what seperates the regions? I assume that the moderators would do the forum change. thanks.

 

The approach is very nice. Easy trails and cross country work. One has to get off the trail at around 6400 ft where the main trail does this huge traverse to the right. Look for a faint step trail going straight up to the right of a small creek.

 

That descent that was later decribed, is that the south shoulder ascent route? I could see the trail from a distance and looks very nice and safe but longer. Would do it next time.

 

 

[ncascademtns]

Good Job!

Some buddies of mine and I did it a couple of weeks ago. They owed it to me since it was the last 9000ft peak in the state that I had left to do. They call it peak bagger syndrome!

We did the Carne Mountain High Route which is more of a off trail scramble. The North Faced looked very do-able looking down at it from the summit.

Was the register replaced yet?

The canister was damage and the snafflehounds had their fill of paper nipping at the edges.

[jshamster]

I hiked in on Tuesday & climbed N. face yesterday. Super fun.

Pretty strange to be climbing firm snow & ice in 65 degree temps, but conditions were great.

There are now no continuous snow or ice fingers. I had about 40 feet of dirt & mud scrambling about 2/3 up the route.

Descended the hikers route then made a high traverse back to Leroy Basin & bivy gear.

Fun fun.

[Stephen_Ramsey]

Wife and I climbed the Entiat Icefall route over Labor Day weekend. Good times. Hiked in (and out) using the Entiat River Trail.

 

Summit register canister is still damaged, and has no pencil.

Edited September 5, 2003 by Stephen_Ramsey

[wayne]

We had a good outing too on the N.Face rt. . I was not even ready for cold, it sprinkled a bit in the am as well . we almost got bagged by a MAJOR FIRE IN THE AREA> It is now closed-

[Kyle_Flick]

The snow is now discontinuous for about 40 yards with hard ice for about 60' near the top. I did a high traverse across from the Col to the north face and encountered few ledges--mostly steep compact dirt and loose rock.