[Team Gummy Bear]

After spending several years in a plastic bag at the North Bend Texaco station, Team Gummy Bear was finally ready for their first big climb... But where to go?! Hawkins Mtn sounded like a fine destination... After hitching a ride from a fellow NWhiker and his friend, Team GB reached the TH and were off!!! The switchbacks were moderate and dusty, not to mention very "horsey"... Team GB didn't really mind though, as they shifted from side to side in a blue Arc'Teryx pack... Gallagher Head Lake was reached with minimal difficulty, and the East Peak of Hawkins (aka the Thimble) was clearly in sight... Team GB was furious to see a regular old Chevy pickup parked at the lake; They had approached via the Cle Elum lake side, on a road this is showed (on GT maps) to be gated and washed out.... Pure rage and angry words filled the air for a few minutes after this... We had added about 10 miles (RT)and over 3000' gain to our hike when we could have been lazy and slept in for a few precious hours.... Anyway, Team GB traversed in a NW direction and gained the huge talus basin that sits "inside" Hawkins Mtn... The Thimble was our first objective.... We climbed E to chossy talus crap up to the gap N of the Thimble and started to puzzle the final scramble out.... One member went for the direct ascent from the gap, and the other members of Team GB did a corkscrew scramble around the back (E) side and found an easy Class 3 scramble to the top... So, on your approach, from the Hawkins Basin, go to the Right (S) gap if you want to scramble the Thimble... Both routes are a go from the basin.... After tucking the Thimble in, Team GB scrambled the ridge (high Class 2, low Class 3) to attain the true summit (W Peak) which sits about 100' higher than the Thimble.... Both man-made and natural rockfall were common and I was kicking myself for not bringing my helmet, although the other members of Team GB didn't seem to care.... The true summit was an easy walk up and has several "scramble free" routes.... Myself and my friend walked up, while Team GB decided to go unroped up the NW arete; A truly brave ascent!! (See attachment)... One team member fell, but was unhurt.... During the stay on the W Peak, we found our food supplies to be scarce and canibalism was our only option; But who to eat!? I sized up all of the Team members, and it was obvious the pretty little green, red, orange, clear and yellow climbers would be the first to go!!! Numerous members of Team GB were eaten and I must say they were quite delicious!! The remaining two members (including myself) opted for a direct descent via scree slopes and De Roux creek, passing several tedious switchbacks and shaving some important mileage off our return trip..... My final thoughts?! 1. If you have a regular heighth 4x4 w/ decent tires, DRIVE up to Gallagher Head Lake and have a nice, easy, sub 2000' climb..... 2. W Hawkins (the true summit) would be a fantastic spring climb (or winter with stable snow)... All the chossy talus would be covered and the going would be ALOT easier..... E Hawkins (The Thimble) would also be great, though the final summit scramble (25' of Class 3) may be dicey.... 3. Invite Team GB on your next trip; They make great climbing partners and also suffice for a snack when you are in a pinch....

gummy

[MtnGoat]

great trip report, hawkins is a nice peak. Really nice in the fall. Was Deroux logged out this year? As for GT maps vs current conditions, always some doubt! FYI, The road is maintained in jeep condition by volunteer labor, one of the few such lakes accessible in the entire state for 4x4 folks. Road is average 4x4 difficulty with some fairly rocky stretches in the last half.

[Randy]

Too funny. De Roux logged out? Not the last time I was there.

[Mike Collins]

I approached Hawkins from the Cle Elum side also and remember passing the waist high logs of a cabin near a mining adit. What was left of a stove was also on the ground. It had evolved into an ant incubator with thousands of eggs beneath. Was this the route which you took? Via Big Boulder Creek?

[Randy]

We approached Hawkins from the east via De Roux Creek - the same route (and then some) that was used for Esmerelda.

[MtnGoat]

are we talking about the same "logged out"? I didn't mean clearcut, I meant has the trail been cleared, as in logged out? the last time i was on it it was deadfall city near the top, must have been a bad winter previously.

[Randy]

[polarbear]

This trip report has been eating at me. It illustrates what happens when you skimp on the 10 essentials. Yes, members of your team become the 10th essential. If the gummies had brought extra food, maybe they wouldn't have become the summit snack. Note that none of the gummies were packing anything--no pack, no nothing, and they were probably wearing cotton to boot. Look how sunburned (er, rather, well-done) the trailing gummy is. He was probably tired of getting rocks kicked down on him. Were they able to register at the summit, or were they eaten first? That would be truly callous. The next group up should look for telltale colored marks on the register. This story needs a happy ending.