[TR] Lemah and Chikamin - Standards 6/30/2013

[JasonG]

Trip: Lemah and Chikamin - Standards

 

Date: 6/30/2013

 

Trip Report:

Aside from Leor's TR, there isn't much in the database for Lemah and only a little more for Chikamin. Though not climbing per se, both peaks have a great deal of alpine flavor and are in a rugged neck of the woods for the Alpine lakes. My verdict is that they are both worth a visit for the peak bagger, though maybe not the way that we linked them.

 

It started with Zak, my brother, sending out an email invite this spring to his annual climbing trip. I've tried to make it on several of these trips over the years, but it had been a couple years, so this year I was glad when the date and destination allowed me to join Zak, Brad, and Justin. We were bound for Spectacle Lake for a couple nights to link up Lemah and Chikamin. We began the journey with a muggy and buggy hike up the Cooper River, past Pete lake and up to Spectacle Lake. A lack of a couple bridges made for some stream crossing shenanigans, greatly aided by alternative footwear. We arrived at a mostly empty Spectacle lake in about 5.5 hours or so, only finding patchy snow along the way.

 

The next day we were away by 0500 and soon were 'schwacking around the Lake towards the low saddle SE of the summit. This was somewhat unpleasant, but certainly not terrible. Once at the saddle we continue up the ridge until an easy snow ramp lead north down into the basin on the east side of Lemah. Easy snow led up to a nasty moat that stretched all the way across, about 600' or so below the summit. We found a way onto the rock on the north side, but it involved some 4th class and steep snow (with a bad consequence fall) so Brad and Justin waited while Zak and I continued carefully to the top. The final bit was easy class 3 if you wrapped around to the NW corner of the final rocks. No register.

 

We made it back down to Brad and Justin and traversed below Lemah II and I on our way to a steep snow gully that led over the shoulder of Lemah I. This was a bit steeper and firmer than it looked from below, but went just fine, and soon we were looking down a steep talus and meadow slope to the pass above Chikamin lake. A wild little cirque! At this point the heat and long day began to wear on the team, but we pressed on to the north ridge of Chikamin. This proved to be a bit steeper and looser than we were expecting, so we wrapped around the SW side of the peak to gain the regular route ~150' below the summit. Steep snow and class 3 was the theme on the traverse around, but the summit was mostly class 2 with a short bit of solid and fun class 3. The views were grand as usual, and it was fun to stand on a peak that I had looked at so many times driving by on I-90.

 

But it was getting late and we had unknown terrain between us and camp. We began the descent by dropping SE to Glacier Lake and traversing around it's north side. This was mostly on snow and went fast. We crossed the outlet of the lake (KEY!) and worked our way skier's right down and towards Spectacle lake. This section was pretty brushy, but snow again helped us. Then we got to the lake and spent about a half hour or more in some pretty bad brush and steep terrain, finally finding a fisherman trail that we followed around to our camp on the peninsula. It was a long day, more than 14 hours camp to camp with many breaks. Luckily we had Crown Royal waiting for us.

 

On day three we got a lazy start, but were prompted to move out in the morning as it became obvious that it was going to be very hot. Justin's heels had gotten destroyed the day before and he didn't exactly know how the hike out and stream crossings would go. Waking up in the middle of the night with his heels sticking to his sleeping bag didn't inspire confidence either. Amazingly though, with enough leukotape and gauze, Justin powered out in impressive style, and about 5 hours after leaving we were changing into cotton (bliss!) and barreling into Roslyn for burgers and beer. Until 2014 and the next Zak trip, here are some photos:

 

Chikamin and Lemah from Pete Lake:

 

Impressive waterfall on the trail below Spectacle Lake:

 

Spectacle Lake! Chikamin on the middle/left and Lemah on the right (in cloud)

 

Lemah II and III:

 

Chimney Rock and Summit Chief from the saddle:

 

Approaching Lemah. We went up the obvious snow to the left of the summit, although you can't see the nasty spanning moat low down:

 

Likely unclimbed spires on Lemah II:

 

Zak on the final scramble up Lemah:

 

Steep snow gully on the south side of Lemah II:

 

Slogging around Chikamin lake:

 

Descending Chikamin, Spectacle Lake is visible on the right:

 

Short, solid, class 3 step below the summit:

 

Glacial scouring is evident all around Spectacle lake:

 

Fording a very cold Lemah Creek on the return:

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe, helmet, crampons (maybe). Stream shoes/crocs. Whiskey

 

Approach Notes:

Good trail to Spectacle Lake.

[ivan]

yer gear notes seem awful deficient on the booze front

[curtveld]

Once again, Jason makes another semi-obscure area look like the freakin Pickets! Gorgeous.

[JasonG]

Thanks! I read somewhere that they call this area the Snoqualmie Pickets- for good reason, it's a rugged area! I added some captions and a couple more photos...

 

Yes Ivan, as always, whiskey was the key to our success. Thanks for pointing out the omission, I've fixed it.

 

I should also add that for those mainly interested in bagging either peak independently, there are quicker ways than we went. The Lemah snow finger looks fast and interesting, and Chikamin is pretty quick from the PCT or other trails on the SE side of it. BUT Spectacle lake is a pretty spectacular spot, and worth a visit on its own. So, I guess to combine all three in one trip, as we did, isn't a bad way to go either.

[therunningdog]

Nice write up, buddy! That is a beautiful, rugged area and you captured it well - as usual.

 

So, a .357 didn't make the gear list? Those are good to have for those Kittias County tweekers, plus it mixes will with whiskey.

[ZakG]

I've finally realized my life-long goal of being mentioned in a TR on CC. Thanks Jason! And let the record show that every step that was kicked in snow on this trip was kicked by Jason. Without him I think we would have had an 18 hour round trip on the summit day.

 

I also want to thank Brad for forgetting all of his food. Our last-minute stop at Safeway in Cle Elum allowed us to double our whiskey rations. Where would we have been without it?

[Matt Lemke]

Our last-minute stop at Safeway in Cle Elum allowed us to double our whiskey rations. Where would we have been without it?

 

That's an illegal sale in my Colorado world lol

 

Awesome pics Jason. Chikamin was my very first summit and your pics brought back memories

[sepultura]

Sweet! Looks like fun, that sure is an awesome spot.

Save a few fall summits for me Jason! (and whiskey)

[JasonG]

Oh, I'm saving some of the Hunter just for you! Yep, there will be plenty of summits for you when you return, stay safe up there!

[JensHolsten]

Very nice! Looks like a cool area

[mountainsloth]

awesome! i have been staring at those peaks for years. both look like great early summer climbs!

great photos as always.