recommended routes

[expectdelays]

Greetings from Vermont!

My partner and I are doing a 2 week bike/hike/climbing trip the first two weeks of August and I'm looking for some input and advice...classic lines to get on. We're planning to depart Seattle on mountain bikes (with slicks) and head toward Leavenworth via Route 2 (where we'll pick up the rack and rope that we ship out to Leavenworth from Vermont...will we want it before then??). At that point, I'm thinking of heading in to do, perhaps, the serpentine arete, or maybe the east face of colchuck (sp?)...something moderate, fun, even just 4th class or simul-climbing easy 5th...problem is, with rack and rope on bikes already, crampons and ice axes are left in the gear closet, so that probably means these routres are off? (The approach and descent on the serpentine and the descent off colchuck seem to require these...)...Eventually, we're heading back to Seattle via the John Wayne trail and/or I-90, with a stop near the pass to backpack into the Alpine Lakes and maybe get a look at Chimney or scramble up the Lemahs, or something closer like Chair? Any input or feedback or ideas are most appreciated...that is, other than affirming that doing a big bike trip with rope and rack is ridiculous...

thanks!

[PeterC]

Sounds like an interesting trip! I think that in order to bike back through snoqualmie pass you'll also need to ride over Blewitt pass. And I wouldn't recommend riding the Ironhorse trail - I tried to ride it to Vantage 2 summers ago and found it to be mostly deep loose gravel. We finally bailed onto the road at Ellensburg after my friend broke a spoke on his new Stumpjumper. If you do ride the trail, however, you'll ride right through the Exit 38/Deception crags climbing area!

[larrythellama]

that late in th e year the need for crampons on the snow creek glacier(the one the east side of d-tail) is easily doable with out crampons or an axe. i've done it in running shoes and i'm sure alot of other people have as well.

 

and you can practically ride to the lemahs from cle elum. just watch out for the horse people.

[jonthomp]

I second the vote on not needing crampons and generally not needing an axe or boots. For most routes down running shoes are fine. A good option if it concerns you is ship the crampons and put them on your running shoes if needed. I did this on the N. ridge of Stuart (a climb you should put on your hit list) and it worked fine for both the snow to get to the route and snow coming off.

 

Hit some of the multipitch stuff while in Leavenworth as well. Outerspace on Snow Creek Wall, the Regular Route on Careno Crag.

 

Deception Crags are okay though World Wall 1 at Little Si is a more interesting cliff while riding back over the pass.

 

Sounds like a fun trip with bikes and all.

[mattp]

The West Ridge of Prusik Peak is moderate and very enjoyable climb and you won't even set foot on snow at that time of year. With flexibility about the permits, you can probably get a "walk in" permit to camp somewhere up there nearby if you start on a weekday.

[Dru]

The West Ridge of Prusik Peak is moderate

 

Not according to Catbirdseat, it's really 5.9

[ScottP]

For most routes down running shoes are fine

 

Does Feathered Friends make these?

[expectdelays]

Thanks for the input...we're definately hoping to stick to the Iron Horse Trail but willing and able to bail if the gravel hasn't set up! I'm definately aware that there's some other passes to surmount, too, but just avoiding that topic for now...and I was hoping to hear that I might get away sans crampons, great! I guess i didn't think of approaching the Lemahs from Cle Elum, only from the other side...good to know...will look into it. N ridge of Stuart seemed like a gem except for the traffic (of which I'll just creat more), and I'm doing all the leading, so I'm aiming for something shorter and less psychologically daunting...as for fown running shoes, I'm down.