Anyone done Sheep Gap Mt.?

[climbaround]

I was up in Gothic Basin for the last couple days and made a feeble attempt on Sheep Gap Mountain and it's northern peak. The picture in Becky's guide (#2 pg 65) makes the traverse over there from the basin look casual, when in fact it was very steep heather cut by cliffy gullies. I followed some bad beta from a friend and climbed to the ridge seeking easier going (which was true for .25 miles). In the end though I found myself cliffed out and had to back track most of the way back to the basin.

 

View north to Gothic Pk. from my turn around point

 

My feet were starting to hurt from all the heather sidehilling, so I wimped out and headed home at that point (good thing too - that damn trail finished the job on em).

 

North Sheep Gap from Gothic Basin

 

Has anyone on CC.com actually climbed any of the Sheep Gap peaks? From this recon it looked like dropping all the way down into the basin, then climbing to Weeden Pass on big talus would be much easier than traversing the steep slope as Becky shows in the book.

 

The trailhead (Barlow Pass) is an easy drive from Everett. For those seeking a seldom visited challenge on rough terrain, the traverse of Sheep Gap's three peaks car-car fits the bill!

 

Panorama of Sheep Gap's three peaks from my turn around point on the ridge

 

(go to the gallery to view larger images)

Edited August 29, 2007 by climbaround

[Stefan]

Here you go:

 

Went out yesterday with Don B., and Mike C. to do Sheep Gap (5819) and North Sheep Gap (5683).

 

 

 

We started at 8:40 from Barlow Pass on our bikes and rode them to the large washout now on the Monte Cristo road. I could not remember how far past this washout is the Weeden Creek trail, so we carried the bikes passed this washout. The trail is about 200 meters past this washout…so my recommendation is to not take the bike past the washout….but still take the bike. We started out under cloudy skies, but by around 1:00ish we had mostly sunny skies.

 

 

 

We followed the trail and snow started in earnest around 3400 feet. At some point in time, after crossing the first major stream we lost the tracks from one set of other people and started heading up ourselves in the snow. The snow was fine but became more mushy as we got higher with less trees. We alternated between putting on snowshoes and no snowshoes for certain areas—traversing was a pain because of severe slippage with the snowshoes on.

 

 

 

Eventually we made it to the 5021closed contour north of Weden Lake. We started traversing above the basin trying to stay at 5000 feet. Unfortunately this did not work out due to rock ribs we were going to encounter and we eventually had to drop down. From the basin it was easy up to Weden Pass (5120+). It was around 1:30 at this time and Don B. had a previous commitment with his daughter so he just opted to head up North Sheep Gap and then head home. Mike C., and myself continued to Sheep Gap.

 

 

 

From Weden Pass you can immediately drop down and then do a traverse to the col north of Sheep Gap or you can find a SW downsloping ramp which I found at 5120 feet. This downsloping ramp (which was in snow when we were there) saves you about 200 feet in elevation over dropping directly down from Weden Pass. Here is how to find the downsloping ramp:

 

1) go to Weden Pass

 

2) go directly west up and over the first minor bump directly west of the summit (maybe about 100 meters)—this bump is probably about 15 feet high

 

3) after going up and over the bump head SSW to a large tree next to a cliff (estimated at 5120 feet)

 

4) from the large tree you can look SW for the rocky/snow ramp heading down towards Sheep Gap

 

 

 

We descended maybe 150-200 feet and then went up to the col directly north of Sheep Gap and at the base of the north ridge. At this time, the north ridge did not look doable to me—too much exposure with wet sloughing snow on the route. So I looked for another option. I looked at the northwest face. This had very steep snow all the way to a col between the summit and the SW subsummit. We went up to the col with some minor tree pullups and then took a downsloping section of snow to the summit around a corner on the northwest face. I believe this is a first ascent of this peak on this route..but not sure. I do not recommend this route without snow because we were on snow covered on slab rock. The maximum climbing was one short section of class 4. We reached the rocky summit but the actual true summit was covered in snow. We did two rappels on the entire route.

 

 

 

We retraced our steps back, went up easily to North Sheep Gap and then took the steps home following in Don B.’s footsteps. Back to car at 9:10. 12.5 hours round trip and about 5400 feet of gain.

 

 

 

Map attached.

 

 

 

Can also see trip report here:

 

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7959695&highlight=sheep+gap

 

Stefan

 

 

Edited August 29, 2007 by Stefan

[climbaround]

Thanks for the report Stefan,

 

Sounds like you were early enough to have good snow coverage. I might go back next year in the spring or early summer. I was up there in June to ski Gothic and Delcampo in a day which was much easier than this last attempt. TR here .