East Ridge of Viennese Approach

[bcboy]

Has anyone else here used an approach from upper statlu lake that ascends through the trees to the right of the 2 options described in "Alpine Select"? I've descended this route from the lowest point of scree/rock below peak 6500 and it was fairly straightforward, although there was a fair bit of waist high brush. The route runs pretty much parallel to the route Kevin McLane describes but climbs the trees to the east. On ascend you would hike up the big outwash gully/creekbed from the upper lake and head left into the trees just past the gully that "Alpine Select" describes.

 

If you've used it as an ascent let me know what you thought of it.

[Don_Serl]

yup, done that. agreed; not too bad travel: kinda bushy, but typical chehalis. the only negative compared to the other suggested lines is that this brings you out into the meadows east of Pk 6500; if that's where u want to go, fine (for complete E ridge, say, or if u plan to camp high). if you're headed for the S face of viennese, the lefthand options probably are a bit quicker.

cheers, don

[bcboy]

we actually started our descent from below viennese, west of 6500. we started out descending talus and then went into the trees and headed down. i don't think we were very far east of the "Alpine Select" access route, but I imagine it would still be a longer approach.