Crater Creek Basin Traverse

[Tod]

I did the traverse traverse from Little Jack Mountain to Crater Mountain yesterday. Beautiful country, but the terrain directly under Jack Mountain is not easy going.

 

I was expecting to climb Jack and Crater along the way but ran out of time since I was supposed to be back in Seattle by 5pm for dinner with friends. So..... the climb turned into a traverse of the Crater Creek basin.

 

Left Ruby Creek trailhead at 5pm Saturday eve and was on top of Little Jack Mountain by 8pm. The trail to Little Jack Mountain is in decent shape, but doesn't seem to be maintained or used much. A few snags or brush here and there, but overall a clear path. Camped under the stars Saturday night (beautiful night).

 

Got going at 6:30am from Little Jack and made the traverse to the South Face gulley. The traveling was easy up until I got to the large gulley west of the main South Face Gulley. From there it took me an hour to fight the brush, trees and cliffs to get to the main gulley (a short distance away). Time, 9am.

 

There is a climbers path from the main South Face gulley to the Crater Creek Meadow to the east. If you descend the South Face gulley and are looking for the path, you have to climb up very high on the top edge of the trees and stay along the edge of trees and the cliff above.

 

Crater Creek Meadow is a very beautiful meadow with a gurgling creek snakeing it's way through it. Definitely a good place to camp if your climbing Jack Mtn.

 

I made my over and back down to Jerry Lakes, and then up to the Jerry Glacier. Was at the upper Jerry Glacier saddle (7,300) at 12:30. The glacier is pretty dry and broken up in places but is easily traveled with crampons.

 

Along the way I was not able to spot the ramp from the lower glacier to the ridgeline north of Crater Mtn. I think I saw a few scrambling possibilities that could be the so called ramp, but they looked a little sketchy and possibly incomplete. Anyone have any detail on the ramp from the glacier to the ridgeline north of Crater Mtn that is vaguely described in the Becky Guide?

 

The trail is in great shape going down from Crater Mtn. If there was any question as to what the best way in to Jack Mtn is, it's via Crater Mtn. A bit longer but easier and more scenic/interesting, but I think most everyone except me knew that....

 

Back at the car by 3pm, and in town by 5:30 (doh! 1/2 hour late and the wife was upset). Great traverse regardless.

 

20 mile loop

~8900 ft climbed/descended

12hrs

[Ursa_Eagle]

nice loop! That's a mad fast time! Congrats!

 

If you wanted to climb crater the easy way, the trail from crater lake (which you prolly went down) ends at a 3rd class (maybe 4th in places) gulley that eventually leads to the summit ridge. Lots of fun, and a good consolation if you get jacked on Jack. (I agree that the SE approach is much better than the SW for Jack)