Mt. Maude - Entiat Icefall

[dbb]

What: Entiat Icefall on Mt. Maude

Who: Dave, Mike, Len

When: August 1999

Len and the Icefall.

The Entiat Icefall is a challenging route with true alpine style. Approach Icy Lakes via the Phelps and Leroy Creek trails (unmarked but there), and camp below the South

Ridge route at bivi ledges. You can also approach from the Entiat river, but that is much longer.

Cross talus slopes above Icy Lake to reach the notch that allows access to the Entiat Glacier. Rope up and descend to find a short crossing

through abalition zone on the receding glacier. This crossing is a bit trickier than Beckey's picture shows. Skirt below the rock spurr and head up towards the Icefall.

Working rightward under the main headwall, continue through big crevasses with short vertical steps. Above are gentiler 35 degree ice slopes to the base of the rock. It is usually not possible to climb directly to the E ridge notch because of massive overhanging 'schrunds at the head of the glacier. Generally aim for the middle "hill" of about three dips and hills on the right side of the glacier, about mid-face of what you can see.

 

Mike Mixon leads off onto the rock.

There are several ramps to start off with on this 900 foot portion of 4th and low 5th class rock. Pick the line of least resistance leading slightly toward the ridge crest. The rock is generally crumbly, and protection is scarce. There is an interesting step-across at the top of the Yoder couloir, but up high on the ridge it is mostly 3rd class.

The upper sections can actually be step kicking in early season, but the best time to climb for ice in the icefall is August-later season.

Finally a short walk leads to the heavily carin'd summit. Give 5 to 7.5 hours to here from the camps above Icy Lakes. Descending the South ridge took 30 minutes max! Great glissades on the way down as well.

Recomended gear for late season climbs would be a one 1/2 rope, four ice screws, and a small rock rack of about 8-10 pieces to one inch. Some small cams will fit where nothing else exists too. Bring two tools, or one regular axe and a second tool.

[This message has been edited by dbb (edited 12-06-2000).]

[dberdinka]

Couple more photos at

/www.wwu.edu/~berdind/alpine/frame.html

Phew! Guess I need a better domain name

[none_dup1]

Great report! This looks much different than it did over 4th of July weekend this year when Chris Weidner, Bob Davis, and I climbed it. A "moderate" snow climb at that point in time, though Bob and I were hoping for some ice practice. As it turned out, we didn't need any snow or ice protection. In fact, one could do this whole route when we did it without a rope. I suspect more people would want to rope up on the rock than the snow. I wanted the rope on the rock, but this was more a function of still suffering from a sinus infection that day and feeling really shaky, plus being a husband, father of two, etc. etc. Chris basically ran up the ridge unroped, but then again he is young and brave and strong and climbs 5.13.

After the snow portion, it was no problem to reach the low point on the rock ridge (with Marmot Pyramid not far to climber's left). The big 'schrund was easily passable at that point in time, but obviously is not later in the year when you have to get on the rock lower down and to the right as pictured in this report. That gave us a little bit more rock climbing on the ridge itself, where the rock was actually quite good and about the same rating as you found. We didn't use anything bigger than 1". The ridge reminded us of the north ridge of Forbidden, though there is less vertical to cover and slightly easier rock climbing overall.

In any event, this could be a long day climb from the car (the north face is often done as such) or if you want to camp/bivi, you can find a spot at the well-used campsites in Leroy Basin (lots of spots and quite popular), higher up in the basin as we did (flat spots here and there, but mostly snow- covered in early July), or over at Ice Lakes or on the way to them. While beautiful and removed, a lake camp didn't seem to us to make the most sense given the approach we used, but I'm sure lots of folks stay there anyway. It's gorgeous, and the start of the climb is closer at hand. We took the traditional approach via Ice Lakes, but more people will probably come at it (and the north face) from the Seven-Fingered Jack/Maude col with the recent publication of Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield's new book.

In any event, it's obviously worth a return trip later in the season. This was our "fall back" July 1-2 when weather farther west and north turned sour. We were snowed on a bit Sat. night and it was well below freezing, but the weather cooperated Sunday and we climbed in our base layers once the sun came out.

I wonder if our little picture of Charlton Heston is still in the Maude summit register? Remember: "Shoot first, ask questions later."

John Sharp

[This message has been edited by MrGoodTime (edited 12-07-2000).]

[This message has been edited by MrGoodTime (edited 12-07-2000).]

[nolanr]

I was up there in mid-October (sorry, I only did a walk up on the south ridge) and didn't see Charlton Heston.

[none_dup1]

Rats. He must have wandered off with George Kennedy in search of a new disaster movie. Or perhaps he's gone back to WA DC in hopes of filling a Bush cabinet post.

We'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the update!

[nolanr]

Maybe Mr. Heston merely set his sights on other alpine destinations like Seven Fingered Jack or Fernow, or even better yet Bonanza Peak. Or he could be wintering down in Entiat Meadows. If you do see him again, watch out, he's probably carrying a loaded firearm.