Cannon Mountain Access

[MountaingirlBC]

I read on summitpost.org that it's possible to do Cannon via Coney Lake. The way it was worded made it sound like you could approach from the other side of Coney Lake as opposed to going through the Enchantments. Does anyone have any info on this route? It would be great if we could come up via Asgard and then out through Coney Lake to make a bit of a loop. (not in one day obviously... we have 5 days up there)

[Snafflehunter]

Take the abandoned logging road (blocked by three or four large boulders) out of the Stuart Lake TH instead of going up the trail -- road trends ENE and is marked on the USGS map. Follow this road about a mile or so until you come to a large washout (well before the marked end of the road on the map). Start heading up the hill and generally stay on or near a rather prominent ridge until you top out on the NE Ridge of Cannon (~7800'+), approximately 1 mile NE of Cannon's summit. From here you can either drop ~500' to Coney Lake and regain the Druid Plateau, or traverse high on the ridge directly towards the summit of Cannon. I don't think you'll save that much time (if any) if you stay on the ridge. I chose to drop to the Lake, and it took about 45 minutes to reach the summit from there. This approach is highly recommended versus going all the way through the Enchantment plateau. It makes for a nice loop going out Aasgard Pass and ending up at the same TH.

 

Continue on through Prusik Pass to get to the Enchantment Plateau, or climb a dirty gully on the N Face of Enchantment Pk like I did (not advisable).

[MountaingirlBC]

Awesome! I am loving this site! It's like having a direct line to the climbing gods

[klenke]

Addenda to Snafflehunter's comments:

It is a hump-and-a-half to go this way but it *is* the most direct.

Here is a route description on summitpost. In addition, look for my pictures (Klenke) on that page as I went that way. Or don't look if you don't want my pics to give it away.

 

I ascended up the steep slope directly from the trailhead instead of taking the abandonded road. Actually, I walked up the old road a couple hundred yards first. The lower few hundred feet was brushy but manageable. After that it's largely open forest north of the creek that drains to just south of the trailhead (see map below). I came to the spur ridge where the old forest fire boundary was. There is one short brushy bit (very large alders) at the flattish area where you cross the wilderness boundary. After that you take one of several gully options through sparse trees to the alpine above. Cross the alpine slopes slightly rightward to gain the aforementioned saddle.

 

From the saddle I descended halfway to the lake then curled rightward into an alcove below the N. Face cliffs. I did this to avoid the ridge continuance from the saddle because it looked iffy. My way beyond the alcove (some snow in there) was Class 3 but with a few bits of scrambling Class 4 especially to get off the snow. None of it was particularly hard.

 

On return, you can descend out toward Elf Ridge to the NE and go down a steep gully (might be partially snow-filled) . You can see this gully from the saddle.

 

You don't have to go all the way down to the lake. You can begin contouring a 100 feet above it or so on boulders.

 

Give yourself 5-7 hours to go up and 3-5 to go down.

 

TAKE CRAMPONS AND ICE AXE.

 

[ncascademtns]

Any way you go, Cannon gives you excellent views of the Enchantments. We did the abandon logging road route up and then exited off the northwest side and connected with the Stuart Lake trail.

[MountaingirlBC]

So you just bushwhacked back to the trail on the the way back? How was that? Which route would you recommend for the way back? We'll have our overnight packs so I don't much fancy doing the tago with slide alder but a shortcut would be nice.

[ncascademtns]

Oh, sorry MountaingirlBC. We did it as an early spring snowshoe trip. Anything goes and everywhere goes on SS trips. Although I think you could make it down the way we did it. Just exit the summit on the west side and follow the drainage down to the trail. Adds adventure to your trip. If you don't feel like heading back down to the trailhead, head up to Colchuck or Stuart Lake. All in all, Cannon's a great peak to stand on, but of course every mountain in the Cascades is worth standing on.

Have Fun

[klenke]

Mountaingirl: the brush is not that bad. Plus, if you're going to be going down that way, you'll be with the "grain" of whatever brush you find. Most of the terrain is open. But this is coming from the King of Klenke's Element, so take my advice for what it's worth.

[Freeman]

MountaingirlBC, a couple more thoughts. The route described by Shafflehunter is a great way to access Cannon Mtn and Coney Lake. Stay to the right of the Cannon Mtn Couloir and it's pretty reasonable. A cool option from Coney Lake is to cross the Rat Lakes between Earl and Mesa, go up a little valley which will drop you into Temple Canyon, Nada Lk and a nice traverse of the Rat Lakes. We do this in the fall as a day hike (to avoid the permit hassle). You could camp in the Rat Lakes for a couple of days (be sure to wander up to Edward's Mesa).

 

Another possible way to exit the Rat Lakes is via Toketie Lake and Creek which dumps you out on the Snow Lake trail. After the fires this route is dusty and ugly, and probably not the best. You can also go down either Hook or Rat Creek (whick is cliffy and brushy), or of course, go over Prusik Pass and back thru the upper Enchantments. So many wonderful possibilities....

 

Cannon Mtn Couloir is one of the great ski runs - usually done as soon as the road is open to the Stuart Lk trailhead and avy conditions are stable.