[TR] Mt. Fury and Mt. Challenger - Access Creek 7/25/2010

[Whatcomboy]

Trip: Mt. Fury and Mt. Challenger - Access Creek

 

Date: 7/25/2010

 

Trip Report:

Norman and I headed up Access Creek for another trip to the Pickets with a good weather forecast. There is a good log crossing just past Access Creek. Easy going with manageable slide alder as you get to the basin at approx. 4300 ft. Snow starts right away as you climb to the ridge and cross to Luna Col. Big cornices at the Col and no running water found. The next morning we didn't get an early start as we headed over to Mt. Fury. The ugly looking ledge at the start is easy and wide. Crossed over and took a steep gully down and long traverse to the southeast glacier. Potterfield and Nelson route helped. Dumped the packs and continued up the glacier with a few steep sections and found the summit register. Only one other party had signed it this year. We must be slow because we got back to the top of the ledge in the dark. With headlamps on, we made it back to camp and met another group who had boiling water for us. Thanks guys. That night stormed with high winds. The next morning, we left in heavy clouds and poor visibility down to Luna Lake and up to Challenger Aim. The other group was waiting to see if it would clear up a little to go for Fury. We dug in that night on the glacier in high winds figuring on no chance at Challenger. Wrong! Morning was clear and calm. The bergschrund is wide and solid. You could drive a truck over it. There is a very steep arête we protected with 2 pickets and up to the summit. Short rap off summit block and back to camp and over to Perfect Pass for one night. Found good running water. Grind out to Easy Ridge and Hannegen Pass Trail Head. My daughter left a map in the car leading to 2 cold beers in the stream. Nice ending to a great trip.

 

*Having trouble uploading pics. Will try again later.

[jverschuyl]

sounds like success to me! what was the timeframe for making it out easy ridge? How was the descent from perfect pass to the west side of the impasse?

[aramv14]

My name is Aaron and I'm a member of the other party you met on the Luna-Fury ridge. I don't think we actually met since I definitely wasn't coming out of the mid if I could help it when you came back in that night ;-)

Congrats on getting up Challenger! We finally wandered up the ridge for Fury around 11am that day but got chased off on the glacier by falling ice caused by steady rain. YIKES! Rallied for an evening run up Luna. The next morning we awoke to a sea of clouds! Truly spectacular! Out Access that day. Photos and TR to come soon. Glad you guys had a fun and safe trip!

[Norman]

Nick:

Great trip with you and that other team at Luna Col was very generous with fuel...they really were helpful. Sorry to them for the weather issues. We were wondering about you. We took four trips in the get Challenger finally, so be persistent.

[aramv14]

Glad we could help with the fuel. I was more than happy not to carry it down access! Congrats on finally bagging challenger! That must have been really special to finally get up it. Bad weather happens, especially in the Pickets. I'll most certainly be back. Fury is too special a mountain not to return to.

[Norman]

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/643217/Success-on-Challenger.html

 

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/643065/Traverse-from-Ross-Lake-to-Mt-Baker-Hwy.html

 

Here are my trip reports for our two peaks. Thanks again for the fuel, you don't know how many times we have talked about the luck of meeting you guys with extra fuel to give.