MT. CHALLENGER

[JERRY_SANCHEZ]

HELLO EVERYONE

SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS BUT I WORKED IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE BEEN UP MT. CHALLENGER LATELY OR AROUND THAT AREA. MY BUDDY AND I PLAN ON CLIMBING IT NEXT WEEKEND. WE TRIED TO APPROACH FROM EASY RIDGE BUT COULD NOT FIND A WAY AROUND THE DEEP CANYON-LIKE RAVINE THAT WE HAD TO GET AROUND TO GET TO PERFECT PASS. SOMEONE MENTION THAT THERE IS A BETTER APPROACH FROM WHATCOM PASS BY GOING AROUND (NOT OVER) HANAGEN PEAK. ANOTHER APPROACH IS COMING FROM THE EAST FROM BEAVER CREEK BUT HEARD THE BUSHWHACK IS A NIGHTMARE. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[forrest_m]

Jerry - the deep canyon like ravine is known as the "imperfect impasse" also known as the most bizarre geological feature in washington. (Any geologists out there who can explain what happened here?) For those who don't know it, imagine that someone ran a giant router down the side of the mountain, making a square-sided trench 100 feet across and 75 feet deep that runs maybe 1500 vertical feet down the steep slope.

It is not as hard to pass as it looks. Scramble up the (climbers) left margin to right where it merges with the cliffs of whatcom peak. A set of small ledges traverses across the wall into the bottom of the slot, low fifth class. Five or six years ago, there were two fixed pins on this traverse, and roping up may be a good idea, since it's often wet. There are many routes up the other side. The best is slightly uphill again, look for rap slings on the far lip and climb up a slot/chimney directly below them, 5.5 or so. There is an easier but more exposed ramp about 200 feet downhill that exits onto the bare slabs (there's usually a small waterfall over there, too). Early season snow makes this whole thing easier.

Getting across the impasse is a bit of a nuisance, but believe it or not, this really is the easiest way into challenger.

BTW, do not camp right on the other side (the perfect pass side) of the impasse! The first time I went in there (on a Labor Day weekend!!!), in the middle of the night there was a huge avalanche (hanging glacier collapse?) somewhere way high up on Whatcom Peak that scoured that whole side of impasse with a 10-minute blast of debris that partially filled the impasse with snow and left 30-40 foot piles of snow all the way up the east margin. I don't know if this was a once-a-century freak occurance or what, but if you want to camp below perfect pass, make sure you get half a mile or so past the impasse!

[pete_a]

Jerry,

I just got back last night from climbing Challenger. My buddy and I approached from the Big Beaver trail. Its a pretty straightforward approach except for about four to five hours of hell bushwacking from Beaver Pass gaining the ridge that continues west to Challenger. We had planned to do a couple more climbs while in the area, but were more than satisfied to just get Challenger. The glacier is in good shape, there is a snowbridge crossing the bergschrund, but it looks pretty thick and end-running the schrund looks quite doable too. Feel free to drop me an email if you'd like some more beta about this approach. We ran into two teams while up there that were traversing the easy ridge approach to the big beaver trail. At least one person we talked with writes in to this site, so they might write in and you can get some recent beta on the 'imperfect impasse'. Good luck, its a great climb with incredible views.

Pete

peter_alderson@hotmail.com

[David_Parker]

Jerry, Just got back as part of the traverse party. We concluded the better appraoch is from Hannegan. We also sort of wished we had gone OVER Whatcom from Whatcom Pass and easy walk down to Perfect Pass. It looks really good right now.

Drop down off easy ridge and head for the base of a large butress coming off Whatcom. This is the high traverse and after crossing some small, indistinct gullys you'll end up at a bench with a tree above a significant gully. Up and left is a ramp which you may wish to rope up for. There is a rusty old 1/4 " bolt to mark you're on route. It's only about 50 ft and then you drop into the gully (all snow right now) and continue up and across another 25 ft. Then traverse onto the slabs on the other side and work up and right to where the waterfall is just about to pour over the drop. Continue up and right to snow and follow snow, heather, scree and loose rock to Perfect Pass.

The alternative is to drop much lower (maybe another 600 ft) than the base of the butress and climb easier slopes up to where the high traverse meets.

The glacier is a piece of cake right now.

Dave