[TR] Mt Washington - Route 2 5/5/2007

[Off_White]

Trip: Mt Washington - Route 2

 

Date: 5/5/2007

 

Trip Report:

If you live in the Olympia area, your closest taste of the alpine world is Mt Washington, 56 miles from my door in Tenino and even closer if you live in Olympia. I headed out for an early season outing.

 

Route 2 heads up the next drainage to the left of the standard Big Creek route, and gets only a fraction of the traffic. I had a fine and lonely day, with no other people or footseps. I did this route last year about a month later, my first time up it, and was struck by the beauty of the basin cradled between the SE and E

ridges. Today however was a different day, and a combination of whiteout, snow, and occasional brief clearings changed both the nature of the routefinding and the breadth of the views. Here are a few photos:

 

This is a good two thirds of the way up, one of my weather windows. The route ascends to the base of the rock wall in the left third and makes a turn up a steep hidden snow ramp.

 

Closer to it, you can get an idea of the ramp and angle

 

Variable snow conditions led to some postholing. Really wished I'd brought gaiters, but made do with this hippy gaiter concoction: medical tape and bandanas to strap my pant cuffs to my boots. Okay going up, but not up to the rigors of plunge stepping.

 

In a whiteout, lower part of the route visible behind me

 

looking over at the upper SE ridge from high on the snow ramp

 

On hitting the summit ridge just below the top you can look over to the regular route and Mt Ellinor. I liked the line of this corniced ridge.

 

summit self portrait

 

Looking out the East Ridge from the summit. The route ascends in the murk over the right edge.

 

Looking down the NE Face. Approached from the Jefferson Creek road, this one is on my list for one of these days. Nicely filled in right now.

 

All in all, a great day out in the mountains

 

Gear Notes:

Axe, crampons, wished I had gaiters

 

Approach Notes:

Park at Route 1 parking, rockslide partially blocks the road as of 5-5-07. Walk down road past waterfalls, out to outside bend in road. Find rough trail that leaves road, ascend open timber, turning rocky. Bear right to cross minor ridge.

[Fairweather]

Nice Trip. Give me a call one of these days before you head out. Where is the snow line in the SE Olympics these days? Looked a little chilly up there. Oh yea - nice improv gaiters!

[pindude]

Nice TR and photos, thanks for sharing. Especially like the wood axe with the off-white tape.

[Drederek]

WTG Off. I looked down that route about 10 mo's ago and I'd definitely like it 'nicely filled in'. I'm up for day peaks over there if you ever want company.

[chesterboo]

Nice Off. Have you done the route mentioned in the new guide book that seems to be a variation of route 1. I think it is called suprise coulier or something?

[Off_White]

The nice thing about an early season solo outing is you don't have to apologize for your glacial pace to anyone: I'm a little self conscious about acting like a drag anchor. On the bright side, I'm better off than I was a year ago, nonetheless it took me 4-1/2 hours up. Spent some of that time standing around gawping at the floaters on my eyeballs in the whiteout while waiting for a glimpse of where I was going, still, I'm sure I wouldn't have beat the guidebook time of 4 hours.

 

Chesterboo: haven't done that variation on route one, just the regular big creek route, this one, the highly recommended SE Buttress, and one time wandering around by myself in scary terrain looking for the Great Groove over on the NE side.

[GJA]

Off White; Thanks for the motivation! Following your lead, I drove out to Mt. Washington on Thursday, May 10, intending first to do Ellinor, then deciding (because of snow on upper road and number of vehicles parked) to follow your route on Washington. It was later in the day than I wanted to start (took hours to finish obligations before leaving town). Beautiful, blue skies and views upward and of Ellinor and Eastward. Reached the ramp in 3 1/2 hours from the road, but by now was late in the day and I was plunging to my crotch every few steps. Conditions seemed to suggest a retreat at that point, but what incredible views, and the sense of the solitary silence of the mountain. The only steps I found were likely yours. Returned to the car satisfied with my first outing of the year, even though I didn't touch the summit. The last time I was on Washington was February, 1984. I won't wait that long for the next time.

 

Gear note: After seeing your photo of "gaiters" I remembered to bring my ORs.