[TR] Olympic National Park - Mt. Bretherton 9//2009

[NWClimberDude]

Trip: Olympic National Park - Mt. Bretherton

 

Date: 9/12/2009 - 9/13/09

 

Trip Report:

What a day for a climb in the Olympics! Warm temps and clear sky prevail for the trip. My cousin and I backpacked the 3900 vert up to Upper Lena Lake on Saturday and hung out by the lake and caught a bunch of trout when we got there. My cousin did not feel like climbing Sunday morning, so I set off for a solo up Bretherton, elevation 5960 ft. The elevation isn't that impressive, but starting from 700ft. it is a great climb. I began the 1400 vert from the lake as I set out from Upper Lena Lake about 7am, and traversed around the west side of the lake. I headed up toward the false summit, traversing left (east) of the impass. From there, the route is obvious to the false summit following the notch toward the southwest. From the false summit, I downclimbed a bit, then traversed the ridge toward the summit, downclimbed toward the west around a short cliff band and headed up to the summit, I made it there at about 9am. I found a summit register placed there by the Mountaineers out of Seattle. I signed that and soaked in the views. Great views in all directions, Mt. Constance, Mt. Mystery, Mt. Jupiter, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, to name a few. I decided to take a differenet route down, which was pretty exposed and rather airy feeling. I started out by going down the same way, but before I got to the false summit, I headed down(southeast) in the only notch that isn't a cliff. Pretty sketch way down, but I wanted to see what's left of Bretherton glacier and get pictures of Milk Lake.

 

Gear Notes:

Should have had a helmet.

 

Approach Notes:

3900 vert up to Upper Lena Lake, about 2000 of that is in the last 1.5 miles. Fun with a full pack. Bring a fishing pole to the lake.

[olyclimber]

what was left of the glacier? any pics?