[TR] Twin Sisters Range - Hayden & Peak 6136' 8/10/2016

[dberdinka]

Trip: Twin Sisters Range - Hayden & Peak 6136'

 

Date: 8/10/2016

 

Trip Report:

In the last couple weeks I made separate trips with my friends Matt and Dave to explore the potential behind the Green Creek Glacier, in the deep west-facing cirque formed by Hayden, Little Sister and Peak 6136'. We found some really spectacular climbs on ridiculously good stone. What they lack in length they make up for in being densely concentrated. Link-ups are derigor if you're going to make the effort to get back in here.

 

The Green Creek Valley is definitely not as wild as it once was. On both trips I encountered familiar faces. Which is great! But.....pick up after yourself! It was super depressing to encounter your shit paper fluttering about on the approach along with bits of micro trash both high and low in the valley. Undoubtedly human impacts will only become more obvious but at the very least there doesn't need to be garbage strewn about.

 

Approach

 

Hayden Peak is remote. From the Green Creek Glacier the easiest way to get there is to pass between Little Sister and Cinderella Peaks and then traverse through several bowls on the west side.

 

A more direct and interesting approach can be made by climbing over the top of one of the minor peaks above the glacier. The Green Creek Needle sits on the southern aspect of an attractive pyramid of rock (which I hence proclaim as Ribbon Point). The northeast aspect of Ribbon Point has several dihedrals separating long strips of slabs. These slabs are stupidly solid, clean and extremely easy. A bit of a shrund problem may exist, followed by some dirty 3rd class up a gully to reach them. From there it's 3 or so pitches of 5.0 to the summit. (Matt and I climbed the same aspect on the next peaklet north but it was not as good).

 

An easy down climb on the west side and a traverse leads to a saddle in Hayden's east ridge in maybe twenty minutes. This approach will only work once snow melts off the slabs which doesn't seem to typically occur until mid-July. Earlier in season you could climb Green Creek Needle, rappel off the back side and then go up the south ridge of Ribbon Pt at 3rd/4th class.

 

Ribbon Point approach to Hayden

 

Best 5.0 in the universe on Ribbon Point

 

Hayden Peak - NE Pillar

 

Hayden has a really beautiful spur of rock dropping of the east ridge into the basin between Hayden and Skookum. I climbed it twice with both Matt and Dave it was so good. Four pitches of progressively harder rock leads to the tiny summit of a prominent pinnacle on the east ridge. A short rappel leads to a spectacular, exposed 4th class scramble through a series of towers to a longer rappel (75') that intersects the normal east ridge route. From here exposed 3rd class scrambling with route finding issues on more great rock leads to the summit. On the crux pitch either climb the wide crack on the right (5.7) until you can move left across the face (5.9) into a great layback corner. Or start with the short chimney on the left and then climb back up and right across the face (5.7r - micronuts for gear) to the same 5.9 moves into the corner. Awesome.

 

To get off Hayden retrace your steps to the last rappel the work down ledges to the east then west. If it's not easy scrambling you're doing it wrong.

 

 

Matt near the top of first (5.4) pitch

 

Dave starting up the pitch of 5.7

 

Looking up at the crux

 

Looking down

 

Matt scrambling through the exposed 4th class towers

 

Looking at Hayden from Ribbon Peak. The NE spur is out of sight but tops out on the solitary pinnacle at center-right before following the ridgeline to the summit.

 

 

 

Peak 6136' - North Face

 

Dave and I were on a day trip and bailed out after Hayden. Matt and I had hiked in the day before and had time for another route. Peak 6136' is just a high point on the broad west shoulder of Little Sister. It's 500' north face is one of the steeper in the range and is obviously composed of excellent rock. Matt and I climbed a very direct line to the summit via series of frequently steep and splitter cracks.

 

We scrambled into the alcove below the grey slab in the center of the face. Matt started up the obvious left trending arch for 15' then traversed a ledge to a finger crack. When the crack intersected the arch he pulled the bulge and continued up a 140' of intermittent finger cracks on great stone, belaying when the angle kicked back. The second pitch followed the obvious, steep cracks in a left facing corner with several overhanging bulges that caused me a fair bit of grief. A short chimney led to ledges (belay on the second at a good crack). For the third pitch Matt headed straight up the face above the belay with tricky gear before pulling through another budge and following an easy but very exposed arete to a large ledge just below the summit. From the narrow top it's an easy walk off towards Little Sister.

 

 

 

 

Matt starts up first pitch slab.

 

Pulling out of chimney on second pitch.

 

Topping out. Matt approves.

 

Walk off of Peak 6136'

 

 

Heading down the glacier

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Doubles to 2.5". Include small offset nuts and extra small-medium stoppers.

 

Approach Notes:

Green Creek Valley. 5 hrs to base of Ribbon Point. Good camping exists in pockets of grass around 4500'. Beyond that flat, dry sites become more improbable.

[BootsandPants]

Very cool, thanks for the inspiration. I've been wanting to go back and explore that area for quite some time now and it's back at the top of the list!

[Trent]

Thanks for the TR and beta; I now have some new routes on the tick list!

[JasonG]

Awesome Darin, thanks for continuing to lead the way and share the beta for the rest of us to draft off of. Much appreciated!

[kukuzka1]

cool, the rock looks really good, kinda like Ingalls peaks good stuff

[Jason4]

Thanks for pioneering new routes in the Twins!

 

I was in that area on Saturday and found lots of new flagging on the way in, some of it hanging on trees right next to the existing blazes, excessive especially since the trail is so easy to follow in most places. It's marking a less direct trail from the last creek crossing (Hildebrandt or Wiseman?) to the big old cedars than is necessary. I picked up flagging that was laying on the ground on the way in and ended up with a full pocket. I'm happy to see people enjoying the area but want to repeat what Darin said about picking up after ourselves and leaving the area clean for the next party to enjoy.