therunningdog Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Trip: Northern Pickets - Little Beaver-Whatcom-Challenger-Luna-Big Beaver Date: 7/16/2008 Trip Report: Just a quick report on the conditions in the N. Pickets. Trail to Whatcom Pass on Little Beaver trail is mostly cleared, smooth sailing except for one big avalanche deposit just before the trail steepens. We walked around Whatcom Peak on the east side. It was very easy and took about 2 hours from Whatcom Pass to Perfect Pass. The scramble of Whatcom from the south side is quick...30 minutes RT. There were some ski tracks up there and also up on Challenger. Nice work, whoever that was! Challenger Glacier is in good shape between Perfect Pass and camp on N side of Challenger. The snowbridge across the bergschrund below Challenger summit is still pretty beefy, but I think it will be getting pretty thin in about two weeks. Getting to the summit of Challenger was easy. Take 2-3 slings or draws. The traverse of Luna Cirque was pretty straightforward. Drop over the shoulder at about the same elevation as the camp for Challenger, and then pick your way down and right. We didnt down all the way to Lousy Lake, but be careful of rockfall on your way to Luna Lake. From Luna Col, head around the shoulder you can see from the col and take the gully that is called the "2nd gully". It was super easy getting down this way and you can plunge step all the way down to the bushwhacking section of the trip. Getting down Access Creek wasnt that bad. Read older reports and follow them. There is a 12" diameter log just downstream(2 minute walk) of the Acess Creek/Big Beaver confluence. You have to scooch across on your butt, but at least it's there. We stashed 12 PBRs in Ross Lake on the way in at Big Beaver. We only found 6 of them 4 days later, though. Fess up! Gear Notes: Glacier gear, coupla slings for Challenger. Approach Notes: Long and hot. Quote
Tony_Bentley Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Wow! You did all that in a day and it was all easy by the sounds of it. Sweet! Quote
Off_White Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 Nice work. Thanks for the beer. Eh, just kidding, but at least the rascals left you a six. Got any pics from your outing? Pictures of the Pickets are always welcome. Quote
AllYouCanEat Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 (edited) Must've been those skiers who jacked the beer. They deserved it Awesome work. Love that area. Cool to hear some skiers got up in there. I'd love to hear more about that since I haven't heard of anyone going to challenger/whatcom with skis since I went back there in 2003 or so. It was one of my best ski trips ever. What an area!!! Edited July 22, 2008 by AllYouCanEat Quote
therunningdog Posted July 22, 2008 Author Posted July 22, 2008 There are some photos located....HERE! http://picasaweb.google.com/halder.tim/NorthernPicketsJuly2008/ Quote
Ishmael Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 nice. Sorry about the beer... sad to be 6 short... Quote
cartman Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Thanks for the beta, we'll be going in that way Aug. 3. What elevation approximately were you at for camping/dropping off the shoulder to get down Luna Cirque? Any bug issues? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.