[TR] Mt Challenger- Big Beaver 8/28/2004

[eternalX]

Climb: Mt Challenger-Big Beaver

 

Date of Climb: 8/28/2004

 

Trip Report:

Left Seattle at 8am. Arrived at Ross Lake Dam at 11:00. Started Big Beaver hike at noon. Arrived at Beaver Pass at around 7. It was raining but the dense trees kept us pretty dry.

 

Got a late start and proceeded at look for the entrance to the bushwhack, hoping to find a post like the one denoting where the Luna hike starts. Well, the only thing we found was the USGS markers and a couple orange blazes about 1/2 mile from camp. So, we started the bushwhack here, passing a survey station and tower (and bees nest the stung the leader 10 times - all in all, 3 of the 4 of us would run into nests and be stung on this bushwhack).

 

THIS IS NOT WHERE TO START. I'll get to it later, but if you come to the survey station, go back to the trail and back towards camp. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO UP HERE.

 

But we did. We started the bushwhack that took 5 hours, ran into two rock walls surrounded by devil's club, and was the most hellish experience I've ever had in the woods.

 

Arrived at the 5700' ledge at around 5. Saw a black bear and watched him eat some berries. He was a big guy and completely unaware of us. We just watched until he moved on.

 

Next, we proceeded to go past the upper ledge and drop into the next gulley over. We thought we should gain the next ridge, so we did. Another mistake. You should drop down and take the base around the ridges. At around 7 we gave up on making Wiley Lake (and therefore, the summit) and hiked down to a small pond to filter water and set up camp. It was a very sad evening once we realized we wouldn't make the summit.

 

We got up the next morning and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise, made tea and proceeded out. Taking the corect route we made good time and encountered another black bear (though this one smaller) at the upper ledge. We watched him for half an hour and he watched us, though more interested in eating berries. We made our way around him and caught the trail at the 5700' ledge. This trail lead down about 500' and then into a creek bed. At this point we weren't sure what to do so we quickly followed what looked to be a trail to the left (north). I'm not sure if this was the trail or if the trail continued lower through the creek bed but the bushwhacking turned pretty brutal for about another 500'. At that point we made our way south (right) and only by luck found 1000' of widely-spaced, blown down trees. This last 1000' (and basically the whole bushwhack down was cake...IF ONLY WE KNEW ABOUT HIS ON THE WAY UP). We set a cairn where we hit the trail , about 500 yards north of the camp. If you do this trip, DO NOT go too far south. We were back to Big Beaver by 5.

 

Out of Beaver Pass by 10 the next day and made it to Big Beaver Camp by 3:45. Had to wait for the boat until 6, but made conversation with a couple NOLS folks who did make the summit, which hurt to hear.

 

I thought the Nelson guide did a poor job of describing the route. Go about 500 yards north or camp and head east. There are basically no markers so don't even bother looking for them. We saw one cairn on the who trip.

 

All in all an okay trip, but we're pretty mad we didn't summit. Good luck to whoever else tries it.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

glacier gear (not user because we didn't make the summit). Both people who brought trekking poles bent/destroyed them on the bushwhack

 

Approach Notes:

No markers. Good luck!

[ncascademtns]

Good work and nice try. You picked a good route in and it is to bad that you did not make the summit. I went that way in 1999 and yes the map does not show that huge cut in the ridge on Challenger Arm. We did the same thing and had to drop down and around. That trip was on of my best week long trips. Challenger, Fury and Luna.

Better go back and try it again!

[Spliffy]

I thought the Nelson guide did a poor job of describing the route.

 

I am SHOCKED!! Good try, though.

[BreezyD]

Devil's club ... . I'd rather drink bleach.

 

Every time out is a lesson learned though, ya?

[iain]

I'd take devil's club over going uphill through slide alder.

[Dru]

"Devils' Club? I'd join" - Cam C.

[mvs]

Sorry to hear these tales!

 

You know that Beaver Pass shelter? We headed into the woods right there, going west and a little south. That pass is wide, so we went gently down to the low point, then climbed up through fairly open forest (big dead trees, patches of d. club easily walked around). Eventually a "trail" emerged, and we had very little bushwhacking. What we did have was shortly before popping out on rocks and heather.

 

On Wiley Ridge we got suckered with the idea of a low crossing onto Challenger Glacier, believing we didn't need to climb up above Wiley Lake (or even reach Wiley Lake). But that does seem the easiest way.

[eternalX]

Sorry to hear these tales!

 

You know that Beaver Pass shelter? We headed into the woods right there, going west and a little south. That pass is wide, so we went gently down to the low point, then climbed up through fairly open forest (big dead trees, patches of d. club easily walked around). Eventually a "trail" emerged, and we had very little bushwhacking. What we did have was shortly before popping out on rocks and heather.

 

On Wiley Ridge we got suckered with the idea of a low crossing onto Challenger Glacier, believing we didn't need to climb up above Wiley Lake (or even reach Wiley Lake). But that does seem the easiest way.

 

Going in near the shelter seems like a good idea. Wish we would've known that.