[TR] Logan- Douglas Glacier 5/28/2005

[obsydian]

Climb: Logan-Douglas Glacier

 

Date of Climb: 5/28/2005

 

Trip Report:

Did seldom climbed Douglas Glacier route on Mt. Logan over Memorial Day weekend via Easy Pass, fortunate to have perfect weather. Could not find much beta on route, so looked at the map and went for it.

 

Day 1: Obtained permit at 7am, started hiking up to Easy Pass about 9am, beautiful views from the pass, could see Mt Logan and Douglas Glacier. Descended to about 4,000', turned South, crossed Fisher Creek and followed the drainage towards Mt. Logan, see map:

Had a terrible bushwhack to the lower basin, but on the way out found a reasonable approach. When you pass some very large (30') rocks, keep right, cross a tributary and stay on the stream, sometimes hiking in streambed, sometimes on the bank, stay left of the stream, there is an old dry overflow stream up the left hand side of the waterfall:

Eventually came to lower basin, camped at about 4,600' by large rock, found some small tent sites, great view of the basin and Douglas Glacier, route will be way to the left and then a traverse to the right, 10 miles, 3,500' gain, 2,500 loss, a 10 hour day.

Day 2: Started climbing at 5:30am, head upstream until on left side of rock bands, climb scree and then snow to glacier, traverse across upper glacier, staying high to avoid sluffs off lower cliff bands. There is a headwall, 60 degrees, 30' high at the Col, could need ice screws later season if got icy, but able to kick steps with no problem.

Summit block is very exposed scrambling, not for the faint of heart!

Reached summit about 1:30pm, great weather, beautiful panoramic views, great view of Mt Goode's north side.

Back to camp by 5:30pm, 4,500' gain and loss, 12 hour day.

 

Day 3: Left camp at 7am, back up and over Easy Pass, took long break, then down to cars at 3pm, 10 miles, 2,500' and 3,500' loss, for an 8 hour day.

 

This was a great climb, is a great route, would highly recommend, is actually the shortest route into Logan now that the road and bridges are out, just involves some routefinding and brush to the lower basin (one other route report describes going up sharply to the left at the large rock, following the left fork of the creek, this looked very steep and appeared the route would go too far left, am glad we stuck to more direct lower basin approach), a great 3 day climb, 24 miles 10,500' gain.

 

Gear Notes:

Took pickets, didn't use.

[John Frieh]

Great route!

 

"terrible" is an understatement for that schwack.

[klenke]

Thanks for the beta, especially the possible brush bypass.

[thelawgoddess]

nice with the pics!

[Jake]

Nice! Any guesses on how the glacier is in late season? Too broken up?

[fourteenfour]

nice work!