AlpineK Posted July 11, 2010 Posted July 11, 2010 Trip: Glacier Peak - Cool-Gerdine Glacier Date: 7/8/2010 Trip Report: Glacier Peak has been on my mind for awhile. It's one thing to be picky about which aspect or route you ski on a mountain, but when you've never skied any route on a mountain that's worse. Glacier was my only unskied volcano. Around Memorial Day friends and I talked about Glacier Peak, but the weather gods didn't want to play along. Since then I've been watching conditions. Eventually I saw a solid forecast of good weather, so I figured now was the time. On the afternoon of July 6th I took off for the North Sauk parking lot. I got to the trailhead with daylight to spare, so I hiked to a camping site up the river. The next morning I got up early and started the long slog up the trail towards White Mountain. It sure was hot on Wednesday. Eventually I made it to a notch on the north ridge of White Mountain. Siestas sure add to your hiking time I'd heard that there were good camp sites further towards White Chuck mountain, but I figured I'd just make a long summit day, so I set up my camp and took another nap. Thursday was another nice day I awoke at first light and started skiing. Glacier in the morning [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjBeXTKnI/AAAAAAAAAlc/ZcAkGPtQkJ4/20-Glacier-morning-IMG_3000.gif[/img] The White Chuck, "glacier," is a slog, but eventually you get to Glacier Gap [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjBTq3xdI/AAAAAAAAAlg/JVo5dSQDeS4/s912/9-Glacier-glacier_gap_Panor.gif[/img] Gerdine Glacier under Disappointment Peak [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjBezzvSI/AAAAAAAAAlk/gFzYVBMGSu4/15-Tracks-Under-Disapointme.gif[/img] I ran into a group of four climbers descending from the top. We exchanged greetings and moved on. Eventually I skied on to the Cool Glacier then up the summit tower. Conditions were good and ski crampons were sufficient for the last steep bit. Summit camp [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjBpT1rWI/AAAAAAAAAlo/xnFdNspVUqA/12-summit2--IMG_2979.gif[/img] After a brief rest I was downward bound. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjBw53vII/AAAAAAAAAls/Fycn9b9TfEw/13-Top-Down-IMG_2980.gif[/img] Here's a video I took [video:youtube] (The video is doubled, so actually 4 minutes) I made it back to camp at 2 PM and hid from the heat. While I was out one of the local marmots decided the salt on one of my pack shoulder and waist strap was yummy. I spent the rest of the day figuring out how to jury rig my pack for my trip out. Nice evening view [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjUl1EaRI/AAAAAAAAAl0/tAzzKpMdreU/s912/18-Glacier-Evening_Panorama.gif[/img] The next day the snow was hard enough that the traverse to White pass went smoothly. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjUtLhqEI/AAAAAAAAAl4/_wG1OHncv9Q/21-Traverse-IMG_3002.gif[/img] (I put a red dot at the camp/ridge crossing) From there it was back to walking View of Sloan Peak [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TDjjU4tI_II/AAAAAAAAAl8/tZy_xC6m6XQ/23-Sloan-IMG_3005.gif[/img] After a long trek with gear I sure was happy to see the parking lot. Fun times! Gear Notes: Watch out for marmots! Approach Notes: Right now there is patchy snow up to White pass and solid snow beyond. Quote
lunger Posted July 11, 2010 Posted July 11, 2010 nice trip, K. looks like you caught good ski conditions. Quote
AlpineK Posted July 11, 2010 Author Posted July 11, 2010 Thanks E. I liked the Liberty Ridge ski TR you were part of. LR is still on my list. Quote
JoshK Posted July 11, 2010 Posted July 11, 2010 Nice job! I love Glacier Peak, despite the walk it requires. Quote
letsroll Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 WOW..nice trip. Only hiked that peak once before and what a great place to be. Quote
Beck Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) nice one, Kurt. love that trip. lots of skiing for miles around, great place to go with skis in the summer. Steve Barnett & I tooled up Glacier and down that route there a few years ago, still have a roll of slide film from that trip. Edited July 12, 2010 by Beck Quote
Telemack Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 Nice job, long tour. We are headed in to Glacier the 25th and I'm confused about road & TH access. Is the White Chuck River access closed/damaged? We were thinking of the Boulder Basin-Sitkum Glacier route. How do we get to that? And what aspect of the peak did you ski? Cheers Quote
AlpineK Posted July 12, 2010 Author Posted July 12, 2010 I went in via the North Sauk Google Map The road in is just fine. I've heard the White Chuck river road is close to being finished, but the trail to Kennedy is still a mess. Quote
mountainsloth Posted July 14, 2010 Posted July 14, 2010 nice work! I didn't ski the route, but this was my first real climb in Washington and it inspired me to move here. Quote
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