[TR] Mt. Fernow- SW Route 6/27/2004

[Mal_Con]

Climb: Mt. Fernow-SW Route

 

Date of Climb: 6/27/2004

 

Trip Report:

Got a late start on Sat.leaving town about 1:30. Quite a few cars at the Phelps Creek Trailhead with a couple parties going up Maude. Made it to Leroy Creek in just over an hour. The creeks were quite high above the level of the stepping stones and Leroy was flowing down the trail in places. Crossed the Creek and headed up the trail reminds one of Mailbox Peak. There was one other party in Upper Leroy Basin and a few small patches of snow El. 6125'. Started up at 6 with the top of Maude and 7 finjack in clouds. Ran into a couple guys doing the North Face of Maude. We hotfooted it up to the pass above a small lake not shown on the map then the pass between Jack and Fernow. There was a steep snow finger that dropped to the Glacier below. We thought this could not be the route which was supposed to be only Class 3. We explored the area without finding anything until we returned to the finger and put on crampons. Traversed the finger which was about 60 degree snow to where you could step out on rock then descended snowfields to a chossy cliff. Found a way through the cliff to the unnamed glacier which had a few small crevasses. Descended the glacier to the moraine below then up a snow covered stream to a basin above. Looking back we saw tracks going up a rise to another pass further west (the real route). Our snow chute ended in a cliff. Took the valley to the right instead of the gully above which had a couple waterfalls going down it, bad choice. Went up steep snow then about 100' of 3+ to 4 rock to a ledge that led to the upper basin from which the summit is a cake walk. Unfortunately, we were 30 min. past our turn around time with work in the morning so we reluctantly missed the summit. From the bottom it was obvious we had missed the rout as there were tracks going up much less steep snow to another pass. We proceed up this and in less than 30 min. were looking down at the lake. A quick scramble up choss led to a small gendarme on the ridge with a scramble trail going up to it. we proceeded to glissade back to camp and picked up the IPA's we left in Carne Creek.

 

Gear Notes:

Axe Crampons no rope needed

[Kyle_Flick]

It's deceptive up there. We were up there the weekend before and camped at the unnamed lake and then hiked up to the col west of where you guys were and then dropped down (Gloomy Glacier) and then up the slabs and snow. The summit block was fairly solid 3rd and 4th class rock. Next time may I suggest you consider carrying over and make a loop out of it. For example, we descended the Southeast side of Fernow into the Entiat Valley to the moraine below the N.F. of Maude. It can be done fairly swiftly by linking snowfields and glissading. The short grunt up to Spectacle Buttes may question the wisdom of this route, but once you reach the high point and look down to your camp below at Ice Lakes, all ill will is washed away. Then take the High Carne Mt. trail out the next day. A nice loop.

[Heavy_B]

Was that you we ran into at your camp? My buddy and I had just come off Maude that day and talked to a couple guys that were heading up Fernow the next morning. We were camped over in the meadow.