[TR] Logan - Fremont Glacier 7/30/2016

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Logan - Fremont Glacier

 

Date: 7/30/2016

 

Trip Report:

 

I've always wanted to climb Logan, but I've never wanted to dedicate 4 days to this remote peak. I tried it once, unsuccessfully: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=885143. Since then, I've not had the heart to try the Douglas again, and I've held out hope that the road from Stehekin would be extended past High Bridge - but, alas.

 

I had hoped to climb Buckner last weekend but with my view of the route from afar on the Inspiration Glacier recently (http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1150251) I thought it might be a bit melted out and Logan came to mind. Seeing as how I still didn't want to dedicate 4 days to the climb, and I'm in decent shape now... I said fuck it and went for it in 3 days.

 

On day 1 we hiked in to Thunder Basin Stock Camp. Yes, you heard that right. That's all we could get at the Marblemount RS and we were lucky they let us stay there. The hike was long, hot, and painful. We left the trail head at 10:15 and were in the middle of the hottest part of the day. I don't do well in the heat and it showed. Cars to camp took 10 hours.

 

We set alarms for ~5am and continued up the trail. The trail is easy to follow up to the flat spot at about 5800' and totally snow free. We found the climber's trail traversing up towards point 7760 (and 8248) and it was easy to follow up to the sandy gully.

 

Buckner - next time, bitch!

 

View of the traverse (on descent):

 

We crossed several streams en route. Most were easy but two were a bit nasty. The first required us to do a brief excursion up hill to a safer spot. It involved some delicious 3rd class dirt with a veggie belay. The second was into and out of a deep gash in the hill side. The trail was thin and exposed here. Don't fall or you will get a lot of metal in your ankles for your trouble.

 

We encountered a snow patch or three as we headed towards point 7760, and avoided those we could. Eventually we hit snow, and the toe of the Fremont glacier. The glacier itself is smooth as a baby's butt. We had hauled all the accoutrements for glacier travel this far, so we roped up for shits and giggles and headed up to the low point in the ridge.

 

 

Here we discovered that the hogsback was purely vestigial, and moated badly with poor run out. So, we unroped. Logical, LOL. We carefully climbed it, gingerly stepping where the snow was thinnest and ascended a heinous gully with kitty litter over shit-rock.

 

The hogsback (on descent):

 

A cool motherfucking swale near the top of the Fremont:

 

This slope mellowed but remained shitty to the notch.

From here we crossed to the E side and the ledges were quite reasonable and as advertised, class 3.

 

 

We hit one 4th class move, which made us scratch our heads and pucker our sphincters. It was not so bad in retrospect.

 

 

We then ascended talus (little snow here!) to a notch and then climb a very nice class 3-4 bit to the summit.

 

 

Unfortunately we only found a cairn and no register, so I have no idea what kind of traffic Logan has been seeing. Views were spectacular - a 360 degree mountain porn money shot. I had brought a light rack and we had our ropes from the glacier but never used them on the rock.

 

 

 

We savored the summit then headed down without incident.

 

Thanks to copious breaks up and down, we got to camp right at dusk.

 

Here is one view we were treated to:

 

The hike out was uneventful. The cool temps were a sharp but pleasant contrast to the sauna we waded through two days earlier.

[olyclimber]

Awesome! Way to get after it man.

[billyd]

Great report and pics.

[JasonG]

Sweet, I think Logan has one of the best views in the range. Glad you had good conditions and views since that is a long way to go to get shut down!

 

I have to say you're certainly knocking them off this year.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Sweet, I think Logan has one of the best views in the range. Glad you had good conditions and views since that is a long way to go to get shut down!

 

I agree on all points. I have to say that this year I was at the best camp site (Itswoot) and the best summit for views!

 

I have to say you're certainly knocking them off this year.

 

I'm not getting any younger. Time to GIFD!

[canela]

Awesome, and crazy entertaining. I love it.

 

What is the peak in the foreground, center, in the first summit (panorama) photo?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

What is the peak in the foreground, center, in the first summit (panorama) photo?

 

Not sure. Ragged Ridge is in the background. The peak you are referring to may be Arriva? Someone else might know for sure.

[wayne]

Thunder peak I believe. Some punk took the summit register and sprayed about it about a decade ago. He got flamed pretty good over it too.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Thunder peak I believe. Some punk took the summit register and sprayed about it about a decade ago. He got flamed pretty good over it too.

 

There was no register on Logan either

[canela]

Damn, I can't find anything about it other than on Peakbagger, but seems to fit the photo. Looks incredible!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Damn, I can't find anything about it other than on Peakbagger, but seems to fit the photo. Looks incredible!

 

It's not done often, but you can find beta on it. Why, you interested?

 

The Douglas or Banded glaciers are a bit more adventurous but totally doable.

 

 

[skjos]

This is what I remember Logan looking like in 2009, with a summit register:

 

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMN2DoFSWn7ArUjlJIuehkgIA_G0oHriLxUiCU/photo/AF1QipOqWNxOqtTtEXdftNz-UY8VDSmPPJHWSCWCfX0

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

This is what I remember Logan looking like in 2009, with a summit register:

 

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMN2DoFSWn7ArUjlJIuehkgIA_G0oHriLxUiCU/photo/AF1QipOqWNxOqtTtEXdftNz-UY8VDSmPPJHWSCWCfX0

 

That link fails. Google 404 error

[skjos]

How about this link to the whole Logan album:

 

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMN2DoFSWn7ArUjlJIuehkgIA_G0oHriLxUiCU

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

How about this link to the whole Logan album:

 

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMN2DoFSWn7ArUjlJIuehkgIA_G0oHriLxUiCU

 

Nope

[skjos]

This oughta do it:

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by skjos

[Off_White]

Nice trip and pictures! I'd missed your earlier Douglas Glacier TR. I've been into Thunder Peak (Wayne's id is correct) a couple of times that way, and we always broke the approach into two days: leave the trailhead in the afternoon and climb to Easy Pass with the open slopes all in the shade, then down to camp at Fischer Creek. Down valley and up into the cirque the next day, which later in the season presents some vegetative difficulties, and then up above the cirque walls to camp up high. Hiking out in one day is fine, especially with a stop for a quick hot meal at Fischer Creek before the hump back up to Easy Pass. It isn't a quick trip anyway you slice it though, but a really great Cascades outing.

 

Easy Pass is wonderful place, not unlike Cascade Pass but without the people. Late fall larch season up there is beautiful.

[JasonG]

Thanks Off, I'll have to add that route to my list, and I like your strategy.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

This oughta do it:

 

 

Yep, that's what we climbed and called the summit.

 

There's a cairn on top

There's no register that we could find.

 

I was surprised that some call this last bit class 4. It seemed like regular old class 3 to me

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Thanks Off, I'll have to add that route to my list, and I like your strategy.

 

it's such a beautiful area. I may need to repeat by a different route (douglas or banded)

[skjos]

I'd give it a class 3/4. It was steep like class 4, but no real pucker factor making it feel more like class 3.

 

The register (in 2009) was in a small brass cylinder about 2" in diameter, and 6" long. Some tweaker probably stole it.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I'd give it a class 3/4. It was steep like class 4, but no real pucker factor making it feel more like class 3.

 

The register (in 2009) was in a small brass cylinder about 2" in diameter, and 6" long. Some tweaker probably stole it.

 

I was disappointed. I had hoped Choss Dog Millionaires had left one of their playing cards up there. After that 3 day sausage party even a tiny pic of female flesh would have been most welcome!

[Off_White]

Thanks Off, I'll have to add that route to my list, and I like your strategy.

 

Having been through the cirque headwall a couple times, I'd steer you towards the brushy ramp on the far right. It's by far the easiest penetration of the cliff band, and while we found a happy scrambling route up I think we did one rappel on the way down. The brush is deep but neither thorny nor recalcitrant slide alder, so it's pretty straight forward. This puts you up on the right side of Thunder Peak, just contour around the toe of the NE Buttress on that peak to access the Douglas Glacier. I think there is a far left alternative too, though I've never been that way.

 

As an aside, that NE Buttress on Thunder is a good objective. The FA actually went to Lowell Skoog, but we made two forays onto it. First time around with light rack and mountain boots, we got to the first tower rap and realized we weren't equipped. Second time we got to the next rap and shattered rock ahead dissuaded us, so we bailed to the Douglas and retreated. Lowell says the upper wall isn't so bad, and the whole route is probably IV 5.8 or 5.9. Totally misreported in the Green Beckey as the SW Buttress with no info. I doubt the route has seen a second ascent, anyone who wants more beta should PM me and I'm sure I can get you up the thing, it's a pretty great objective.

 

 

Ignore the man smoking while playing air guitar on his ice axe wearing an inflatable dinosaur, the NE Buttress of Thunder Peak is the left hand skyline.

 

FYI, we called it the Bolo Buttress since we wore Bolo Ties for the entire time on both outings.

 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Off_White

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Thanks Off, I'll have to add that route to my list, and I like your strategy.

 

Having been through the cirque headwall a couple times, I'd steer you towards the brushy ramp on the far right. It's by far the easiest penetration of the cliff band, and while we found a happy scrambling route up I think we did one rappel on the way down. The brush is deep but neither thorny nor recalcitrant slide alder, so it's pretty straight forward. This puts you up on the right side of Thunder Peak, just contour around the toe of the NE Buttress on that peak to access the Douglas Glacier. I think there is a far left alternative too, though I've never been that way.

 

As an aside, that NE Buttress on Thunder is a good objective. The FA actually went to Lowell Skoog, but we made two forays onto it. First time around with light rack and mountain boots, we got to the first tower rap and realized we weren't equipped. Second time we got to the next rap and shattered rock ahead dissuaded us, so we bailed to the Douglas and retreated. Lowell says the upper wall isn't so bad, and the whole route is probably IV 5.8 or 5.9. Totally misreported in the Green Beckey as the SW Buttress with no info. I doubt the route has seen a second ascent, anyone who wants more beta should PM me and I'm sure I can get you up the thing, it's a pretty great objective.

 

 

Ignore the man smoking while playing air guitar on his ice axe wearing an inflatable dinosaur, the NE Buttress of Thunder Peak is the left hand skyline.

 

FYI, we called it the Bolo Buttress since we wore Bolo Ties for the entire time on both outings.

 

glory days

[Off_White]

Death or glory

Just another story