Lemahs and Chimney Rock (question)

[max]

I'm wondering if anyone has anything wise to say about the rock peaks in the Lemah/Chimney Rock area. I'm particularly interested in how early you went in, approach time, and general worth of these peaks.

Also, I remeber reading an article in... ok, I admit it, Reader's Digest about a rescue of some msort on Chimney Rock. I know some of the players are present. Anyone know where that article is, online?

Thanksdave

[philfort]

The rescue is detailed in PEter Potterfield's book, In The Zone, I think it's called. A pretty good read.

[MounTAIN_Woman]

Chimney Rock is an awesome climb, and not as bad as its reputation. The rescue story is well told in a book by Peter Potterfield ("Stories of Survival" or something like that). My partner and I did it in three days - one approach day, one full climbing day, and one exit day.

There is a moat that forms at the base of the climb, making accessing the gully difficult. When we accessed the climb, some snow had collapsed into the moat, making a nice platform to work off. We climbed it in July.

I posted a trip report on the WTA website (www.wta.org) from our successful climb and the unsuccessful attempt the year before.

[chucK]

Climbed Chimney Rock by the North Face (not the East Face like everybody does). Went in through Middle Fork road and camped right next to the glacier N of Chimney Rock (one night). I think it was August. Fun time, righteous meadow sniffing, but not much of a rock climb. One good pitch (a chimney!) after a bunch of traversing ones.

Climbed the middle peaks of Lemah and Three Queens from a camp at Spectacle Lake a long time ago. Both were fun, 3rd or 4th class. Don't remember what time of year.

[Jens]

This seemed like a nice place to get away from other climbers. I climbed the East face of Chimney rock several summers ago. The rock is poor but the whole package is cool. The sport climber in me drooled at the massive overhanging west face of Chimney rock.It is to bad this place isn't more accesibile in the spring for ski moutanineering. It would be really cool.

My climb was done car to car in a day and I remember cartwheeling like a klutz down through the woods as I stepped on a bees nest and getting stung.

Question: Is the Chimney glacier the closest real glacier to Seattle as a CROW flies? It has got be closer than the moutnain loop stuff.I'll be willing to bet yes.

This area deserves more climbers in my humble opinion.

[robertm]

Awesome job going car to car. Question: The mountaineers guide says that it is 14 hours to high camp. I know to take their numbers with a grain of salt but I actually found their estimates to be fairly accurate on my way back to Dome Peak. (would have been crushed to do that trip in 2 days).

How long did it take you to get to the base of the climb from the car and then on the climb?

thanks

[roger_johnson]

Many years ago I made a concerted effor to climb all the routes on Chimney. My favorite was the East face direct. From Pete lake, up to the large, broad ridge south of the glacier, down off the ridge onto the glacier, up the icefall and onto the face below the summit, follow obvious weakness to top. (sound like Becky?) Day one to bivy below icefall, day two, to top and out. Rock quality was fine. Not clean Yos. granite but for the central Cascades, it was good. Pro was 3/4 angles and KBs.(pre-clean era) Used a lot of slings on horns and flakes I think I recall...

[Gary_Yngve]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jens:

Question: Is the Chimney glacier the closest real glacier to Seattle as a CROW flies? It has got be closer than the moutnain loop stuff.I'll be willing to bet yes.

---

There is the Columbia Glacier above Blanca Lake between Monte Cristo, Columbia, and Kyes.

It's 15-20 mi NE of Index.

[philfort]

Using TOPO!:From Seattle:-48.8 miles to the glacier between Chimney Rock and Overcoat

-51.1 miles to the glacier on Hinman

-51.8 miles to the glacier on Columbia Pk

-51.6 miles to the Carbon glacier on Rainier

...then... just as I was about to develop a theory about the origins of Seattle...

-39.7 miles to the 'glacier' on n side of Constance!

But that's just a white blob on a map. Is it a 'real' glacier? I have no idea, never been there. How about

-47.8 miles to the glacier on Mt Anderson.

there, that's more consitent with the theory I'm developing.

YMMV

[The_IBEX]

45.47 Mi - Hardscrabble Glacier east side of Big Snow Mtn.

[philfort]

Mt Constance glacier:

Hardscrabble... glacier?

[ 03-24-2002: Message edited by: philfort ]