Getting into White Chuck Mtn???

[dberdinka]

Does anyone have any recent (i.e. last year or two) experience getting into White Chuck Mtn just outside of Darrington?

 

The maps just show a confusing jumble of logging roads. Looking for specifics on how to get to the "new" TH inparticular.

 

Thanks!

 

DB

[suckbm]

PM Jesse at UW climber. I went there with him in december but slept while he drove. There is no distinctive TH. We had to make our own path to get to the base and the road numbers they give you in the becky book are wrong.

[klenke]

Uh, look down the first page of the N. Cascades Forum. The TR thread is right there. Mattp was up there a couple months ago.

[dberdinka]

Uh, look down the first page of the N. Cascades Forum. The TR thread is right there. Mattp was up there a couple months ago.

 

Mattps advice was to follow my nose......looking for something a little more specific, but I'll check!

[Juan]

I'll bet your nose is as good as any on here. I think I found the base in the fog 11 years ago in May. We didn't climb anything, but I do recall thinking we were right there.

 

Give us a TR.

 

Sharp

[mattp]

Darin, I think I also told you to approach via Dan Creek from Darrington rather than the (maybe) more direct road up the hill from the White Chuck.

 

In my recent TR I wrote:

The approach listed in the Beckey guide is out-dated. New roads reach very high on a satellite ridge NW of the Mountain, and though Mark's Jimmy only took us to about 4,000 feet, we were treated to a snowmobile track all the way up to 5,000 feet, and about a mile and a half northwest of the summit. The correct spur is an extension of road # 2435 that runs up an unnamed creek valley just southwest of the upper headwaters of Decline Creek, and ends up on a ridge above Conn Creek. You should have no trouble identifying it – if today is any indication. While we were climbing, it looked as if half the population of Snohomish County had been up there with every manner of snowmobile, quad, jeep and skis.

That's really all I think you need to know, but if you really need the blow-by-blow try this:

 

1. Head out of Darrington toward the Ranger Station. Turn right on the Sauk Prairie Road, about a quarter mile from Darrington's civic center convenience mart.

2. After a mile and a half or so, turn right onto the Dan Creek Road, # 2400 I think it is. Stay on the main stem.

3. After maybe eight or ten miles, the road bends left and crosses Dan Creek (its not much of a creek at this point, and kinda swampy). Turn left. (I think there is a warning sign on the road to the right, saying it is closed ahead.)

4. After maybe a half mile, turn right, uphill. I think it is the 2430. Stay on the main road, passing a couple of spurs to the right.

5. After maybe 4 miles, turn right (again, uphill). This is the 2435 if I am not mistaken.

6. 4 miles up this road, you will "top out" on a crest above Conn Creek. Proceed along the crest and take a right fork, ending up high on a satellite ridge NW of the NW Peak of White Chuck.

7. Follow a trail that is mostly on the south sisde of the crest of the ridge headed toward White Chuck. Round below the NW Peak, and drop into the basin below the SW face. Climb on.

8. Bring a map that shows the logging roads and follow your nose.

[dberdinka]

Thanks Matt.

[plexus]

Yup, Matt's directions are what I used when I went up there. I remember the correct road is a number off of what the Green Beckey guide says. Super easy and super quick that way. If you make a right too soon onto I think is 2436, you'll end up west of the peak and lower down.

 

The Beckey guide was saying 4-5 hours to the summit by the NW Route. It was a few years ago, but I don't remember it being nearly that long. It's much closer and less elevation gain than Vesper Peak and that's what he says for that peak.

[Alpine_Tom]

Smoot's book has an accurate map of the approach roads. If you can drive all the way to the trailhead, the summit by the easy route is just a couple of hours.