Preference on Mt Maude?

[goatboy]

Wondering if anyone has recent conditions report for the NF of Maude. Normally would think of this as an earlier season route but given the season we're having, I imagine it's in good shape right now.

 

Also debating between camping at the Maude/7FJ Col and descending back to that camp, or camping at Ice Lakes and descending what has been described as an easier descent back to that camp.

 

Anyone with experience doing either or both of these strategies, please weigh in.

 

Thanks!

[JoshK]

It's definitely a very easy descent back to Ice Lakes. I haven't descended to the Maude/7FJ Col though, so I'm not sure how it would compare in terms of difficulty. I can recommend Ice Lakes as a pretty cool place to see, however. The "beach" above the lakes is comprised of a bunch of pumice stones from an old eruption and is pretty unique from any other area of the Cascades I've been in. LeRoy Basin is very cool too, so it'll be hard to go wrong either way.

[goatboy]

Excellent, thanks JoshK!

[goatboy]

Has anyone been into Maude lately? Any report on current conditions up there (i.e. snow coverage on North Face)?

[bvl]

Tomorrow morning I'll post a pic of the NF taken Sunday

[bvl]

I am working at Holden Village for the next year, so I climbed buckskin on Sunday.

 

Here is the NF of Maude and 7fj from the summit.

 

[

 

I am looking to link up copper, fernow, 7 fingered jack, and Maude if you could fill me in on the transition from 7fj to maude that would be great.

[jshamster]

"if you could fill me in on the transition from 7fj to maude that would be great."

 

 

 

easy ridge, 3rd or 4th class....maybe.

 

did the n. face of maude a few years back in september. there was 'bout 20 or so feet of mud climbing, the rest decent neve/late season snice. the traverse in from 7fjack col to the n. face was the worst part. lots of hiding under roofs to avoid rockfall. went fast.

 

cheers.

jimbo

[kukuzka1]

when i did it in 04 the decent down to leroy basin was casual but some hard steep snow[55]in places and the hike in is nice and not to long. car to basin 2-3 hr, basin to summit 3+, hrs down/out 4 hrs. the decent down the col to get to the n. face is in some steep, dont fall terrain. [it was mid june with a hard freeze overnight so conditions were optimal]

[jordansahls]

Years back when I climbed the NF we approached from the maude/7FJ col. I had a similar experience to jshamster. Mud, loose rock, and more than a few projectiles. Also, the traverse spit us out 1/3 of the way up the route, so you miss the beginning. If you want a more "complete" climb go to the lake.

[kukuzka1]

yes you start higher but you dont miss much. more of the same snow slogging. the only interesting part is the top couple hundred feet of 60 degree slope. I think the leroy approach is good with a strait foward descent