[TR] Robinson Mountain - SE Ridge 8/4/2014

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Robinson Mountain - SE Ridge

 

Date: 8/4/2014

 

Trip Report:

For three years straight I've been thwarted on my plans to climb the classic NE buttress of Goode. This year was the ultimate bitch-slap - warm temps and gorgeous weather in-town for weeks on end, with 30-40% chance of thunderstorms and possibly significant, localized precip in the N Cascades. My two partners for the trip and I discussed backup options and they settled on the ambitious itinerary of Mesahchie, Kimtah, Katsuk and Cosho in place of our 4-day of Goode and Storm King. I hem and haw and deliberate and bail. I spent two days at home catching up on neglected house work then pack for a solo outing - my first of this nature as an overnight.

 

I left town fairly late and arrive at Mazama around 11 am. It's fucking hot - around 95. Good call, buddy. I hate the heat. After a quick stop for some supplies in the store, I continue on to the trail head a few miles down the road, park, and start up.

 

Poor tree!

 

Eye candy from the first section of trail:

 

I move as quickly as I can without risking heat stroke. The grade is pretty chill and the views are actually nicer than I expected as I head up the trail.

 

A couple of miles in I round a corner face-to-face with a horse. I step to the right, uphill and am told to go to the other side of the trail which is below them. There are two fellows on horseback - rangers. They ask where I am going and get confused. "You're going to the pass?". "Nope - I cross the creek on the bridge ahead then head up along Beauty Creek, then uphill to climb Robinson". Blank stares. Now I feel real warm and fuzzy about the solo trip since the rangers don't even know where I'm fucking going.

 

At the creek I stop and fill up on water, and chug some. Every pore of my skin is seeping sweat, even just standing there. Maybe I'll find relief as I gain elevation? I locate the climber's trail in a few feet. It starts off rocky and fucking steep. No relief yet. Later the trail does moderate and is a pretty nice and easy-to-follow trail. I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

As advertised in my beta, the trail drops to a creek and is very schwacky, then comes out into open space and kind of dies out. Here you turn uphill and follow near the creek you just cross, which originates over a thousand feet above at the tarn where I'll camp below the SE ridge of Robinson. It's steep as shit but mostly open.

 

Purty view down from whence I've come:

 

Old fucker selfie:

 

Then you hit some wooded sections that require some smart navigation to avoid schwacking and I manage this better on the way out then in...

 

Anyways, after 4000 foot gain on the day in 90+ degree temps average I arrive at the tarn. I set up camp quickly, eat, and crash. I see t-storms brewing E, and hear the thunder, but I have blue bird skies. So far, so good.

 

I awaken at dawn to perfect skies, turn to the scree slope hell that awaits and embrace the suck...

 

Come get some!

 

Looking back before hitting scree:

 

Fortunately I've been on worse slopes, including Big Craggy and Abernathy just weeks before, so this one seems like a joy by comparison. I'm on the ridge quickly.

 

View down to camp from top of scree-slog:

 

The ridge walk is mostly very nice - one of the best ridge runs I've been on. It's cooler up here and I have shit to look at. Very nice indeed.

 

 

My route descriptions talks about a sketchy class 3 section before the final slope to the summit. I'm trying to figure out where that might be with each hump I hike up and dip I descend. Then I see the summit ahead... oh, I guess they meant that class 3 that I just did. :-)

 

Basin below ridge - more impressive in real life:

 

Summit salute:

 

I savor the summit views and retrace my steps to camp. It's now unbearably hot and around noon. I can hardly motivate myself to pack up and move sloth-like around, refilling water, drinking, packing my shit up. Finally I resign myself to the suffering ahead and head down.

 

The hellish temps and steep terrain do not disappoint.

 

And neither does the 22 oz Stone IPA, still in ice water, awaiting me at my vehicle.

 

Gear Notes:

Beer in car.

 

Approach Notes:

Dry, hot, steep.

[JasonG]

Cool area! Thanks for reminding my why I only go to those east side peaks in the spring and fall, hellish sounds right.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Cool area! Thanks for reminding my why I only go to those east side peaks in the spring and fall, hellish sounds right.

 

This one was a scorcher for sure. IN the fall is better, I agree. Just did Windy 2 weeks ago and it was a bit cooler :-)