[TR] Pickets - Luna Peak and adventure in unnamed

[Steph_Abegg]

Trip: Pickets - Luna Peak and adventure in unnamed drainage just north of Access Creek -

 

Date: 8/21/2007 - 8/24/2007

 

Trip Report:

 

View from the summit of Luna Peak.

 

I just got back from my second attempt at a complete north to south Pickets traverse. Unfortunately, this attempt too did not go as planned, since my partner was getting quite beat up by the Pickets thus far and he decided he wanted to bail (NB. The Pickets really are as rugged as they say...).

 

The brief story of our trip is that we planned to ascend Access Creek but due to bad visability and bad assumptions and lack of map for the approach, we ended up ascending the unnamed drainage to the north of Access Creek. The bushwacking actually wasn't that bad, but when we got up to the ridge and the clouds cleared we realized our mistake, and had to spend half a day dropping down into the real Access Creek headwaters, where we camped. I climbed Luna the next day, before we headed out via Access Creek.

 

I have posted a trip report and photos here:

http://sabegg.googlepages.com/luna

 

-Steph

Edited August 26, 2007 by Steph_Abegg

[wayne]

Dang Steph! They are tough and I got it handed to me too this year, Both traverses I succeded on in years past, took at least 1 attempt, the single routes you can get lucky on but living high up there is sketchy and you are vulerable to bad weather and bad bails, Keep after it and find somebody tough! Try picking a better summer as well:)

[Steph_Abegg]

Yep, the Pickets are tough and commiting - just the kind of stuff I love to do! Just got to find someone of similar mind (and schedule). Next summer perhaps....

[TeleRoss]

A+ for effort....

stop going with suckers if you want to get anything done in the Pickets.

ps

what you have labeled in your panorama as Himmelhorn is actually the Rake...Himmelhorn is over by Twin Needles..hence, the Ottohorn-Himmelhorn Col

[Steph_Abegg]

what you have labeled in your panorama as Himmelhorn is actually the Rake...Himmelhorn is over by Twin Needles..hence, the Ottohorn-Himmelhorn Col

Thanks Ross - did I get it right this time? Perhaps I'd know the peak names if I ever got as far as the Southern Pickets... =)

Edited August 26, 2007 by Steph_Abegg

[Lisa_D]

Third time might be the charm for you and the Pickets (and for me and Shuksan). This summer is cursed for weather!

 

Steph, we need to go to Wyoming to escape this North Cascades rain. (check your email for more on that)

[nurserock]

Lovely photos, including those on your website. Evocative of my own spanking in the northern Pickets years ago. (Maybe I do need to try that again...)

 

But on the subject of labeling, I think you have the West Peak of Fury marked as Swiss Peak, and that Swiss is that lowrider under the P of Phantom Peak. Check out for example page 117 in the 2nd edition of the Beckey guide.

[Steph_Abegg]

I think I finally got the labelling right now....although in my Beckey guide Crooked Thumb and Ghost Peak are switched in one of the photos, so I'm not sure which is correct....