Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
Jake Robinson Member
Joined: 02 Aug 2016 Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
|
I've wanted to do North Star for years because of its view of Bonanza and position near Cloudy Pass, and was thrilled when Selena agreed to try it with me this weekend. We knew that conditions could be tricky and figured that if we couldn't get to North Star, we could probably at least make it to Spider Gap and Upper Lyman Lake.
We left the TH at 9 AM Saturday with heavy packs - snowshoes, boots, crampons, ice axes, and winter camping gear. The creek crossings on the Phelps Creek Trail were mostly frozen and proved tricky. Patchy snow started below Spider Meadow and the postholing began in earnest at about 6000', just below the flat area at the base of the Spider Glacier.
Creek crossing on the Phelps Creek trail Spider Meadow Trail up to Spider Gap
We donned snowshoes at the base of the Spider Glacier and snowshoed up to the gap. Good snowshoeing from the gap about halfway down to Upper Lyman Lake, then frozen choss and postholing after that. Many f-bombs were dropped as we postholed our way around the lake (we found a better way on the return). We briefly switched to snowshoes below the upper lake and then back to postholing as we made our way down to the lower lake.
Red Mountain above the Spider Glacier Snowshoeing up to Spider Gap Spider Gap Upper Lyman Upper Lyman with Sitting Bull, Cloudy, and North Star above Cloudy, North Star, Bonanza Lower Lyman Lake, Chiwawa
More postholing and snowshoeing led us to the meadows below Cloudy Pass. We found a nice flat campsite with running water at ~6600' SE of Cloudy Peak. It had been a long day of postholing, I was spent.
Snowshoeing to Cloudy Pass Cloudy Pass Chiwawa above meadows Greenwood, Dumbell Lower Lyman Lake from near where we camped Evening colors on Bonanza Dusk at camp with Dumbell and Greenwood
The next morning, we left camp at 5 AM and tried to make the route work in the dark. Luckily, the traverse over to North Star is all easy - pretty much anything goes. Mostly gentle ramps and low-angle traverses. We generally made an ascending traverse east on snowshoes, and pretty soon we found ourselves below the summit block. We climbed a short gully to the notch just SW of the summit, ditched the snowshoes, and scrambled icy boulders to the summit. We topped out exactly at sunrise, down to the minute.
Figuring out the route in the dark Climbing the gully Almost to the notch SW ridge of North Star with Fortress, Glacier Peak And boulders to the top Summit Needle, Anonymity Towers, Dark, and Bonanza West Peak Bonanza
On the way down I opted for crampons and Selena stuck with snowshoes; both were about equally effective. We had camp packed up and were headed back to the car by 9:45 AM. It took about 7 hours to get back to the trailhead from where we camped - getting back up and over Spider Gap was a slog, but we managed to choose a better route around the lakes that minimized postholing.
The conditions made this a tough trip, but all the postholing was worth it for the views and solitude. I never expected to make it to such a place in November, we got really lucky with this weather window and I'm glad we took advantage of it.
Headed down Hiking back with Bonanza Clouds rolling in below Fortress Near Cloudy Pass Back up to Upper Lyman One of many gear transitions Spider Glacier Seven Fingered Jack and Maude
|
Back to top |
|
|
neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2336 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
|
neek
Member
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 8:51 am
|
|
|
That looks...cold. I haven't ever seen that area in November, thanks for post(hole)ing.
|
Back to top |
|
|
RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5633 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
|
RichP
Member
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 8:56 am
|
|
|
A rare treat indeed to get that far in in November.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bluebird suffering optional
Joined: 22 Jan 2014 Posts: 199 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
|
Bluebird
suffering optional
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:00 am
|
|
|
A fantastically beautiful, remote trip for November. We only saw one party on the trail the whole trip... pretty amazing for a 30 mile, 8500+ gain route in a typically popular area. Probaby because it was such hard work past the Meadows <3
My additions: Stream crossings on Phelps Creek were definitely hazardous. It was warmer on Sunday than Saturday and that made it even more tricky. Poles and creativity helped. This includes Leroy Creek-- the first (closest to TH) braid was actually worse than the wider main creek section. Not frozen enough to walk on top, but not enough rocks/not icy logs to make it easy going. Spider Meadow was really muddy. Really muddy. There were a lot of frozen waterfall, etc. on various cliffs. One of them broke off right above us on the trail section towards the Spider "Glacier", throwing ice cubes down right in front of us. Worth being aware of, yikes! Someone must have hiked most of the way to upper Lyman from Holden-- there were some postholes in the snow, but not all the way to the lake. Looks like you could reach Lyman Lake from Holden with minimal snow. Quite a few trail sections were icy, sometimes not obviously so until stepping on them. North Star route- it really helped our success that Jake scouted out and found a campsite option closer to the open traverse section. Getting to where we camped in the dark would have been hard, the options are steep side hilling with some minor scrambling or bushwhacking through thick trees. Both are short, but in the dark.... I believe our campsite only 1.5 mile from the summit made success as possible as it was!
Day 1 was about 5000 gain, 13+ miles. Day 2 was about 3700 gain, 17+ miles. Thanks for breaking trail over 3/4 of the way, Jake! (Me: Sure I can break trail ~breaks trail for a while~ Jake: I think it's more efficient if I break trail...... (yeah, it is more efficient)) A hefty trip in the snow. Here are my photos
+ near upper Lyman Lake
Lyman Lake is partially frozen I finally catch up to Jake on the North Star summit. The rocks were rime ice and it took me a few minutes to find a good route up. sunrise a postholey descent in crampons with gorgeous view of the Lyman Lakes, all the peaks and a bit of cloud near Cloudy Pass, how apt <3 approaching cloudy pass en route to upper Lyman lake again. You can see the faint mark in the snow where the actual trail route is. the flats of upper Lyman Lake below us lots of icy cliffs above Jake what's left of the Spider's glacial ice, with a fresh layer of 2019 snow on top
|
Back to top |
|
|
MangyMarmot Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2012 Posts: 474 | TRs | Pics
|
Awesome trip! Great potos.
|
Back to top |
|
|
geyer Member
Joined: 23 May 2017 Posts: 463 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
|
geyer
Member
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:10 am
|
|
|
What a place to be in November! The sunrise summit must have been awesome
|
Back to top |
|
|
Michael Lewis Taking a nap
Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 629 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood, WA (for now) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Backpacker Joe Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics Location: Cle Elum |
That looks Turbo cold. LOL. Great trip.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
|
Back to top |
|
|
~*CutebutChossy69*~ bluebagprincess
Joined: 08 Jul 2019 Posts: 58 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
Stunning photos. Nice work getting back there this time of year. Great TR to get a sense of current conditions for those of us who refuse to believe peakbagging szn is over :P Thx for sharing!
Choss is a girl's best friend
Choss is a girl's best friend
|
Back to top |
|
|
OutOfOffice Member
Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 91 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
|
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 2:47 pm
|
|
|
Incredible story! That took a lot of heart. Incredible pictures too! Thanks for sharing.
|
Back to top |
|
|
cascadetraverser Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 1407 | TRs | Pics
|
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Another amazing trip in adverse conditions. I am really amazed how far and deep in the Cascades you got this time of year.
Well done!
|
Back to top |
|
|
Gwen LO Girl-of-the-Month
Joined: 14 Feb 2010 Posts: 1673 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Gwen
LO Girl-of-the-Month
|
Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:46 pm
|
|
|
Pure magic!
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bluebird suffering optional
Joined: 22 Jan 2014 Posts: 199 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
|
Bluebird
suffering optional
|
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:55 pm
|
|
|
Thanks for the compliments, ya'll. It was a fabulous trip! I'm glad Jake suggested it.
FYI: Peakbagging season is never over Just time to switch to winter summits! <3
|
Back to top |
|
|
~*CutebutChossy69*~ bluebagprincess
Joined: 08 Jul 2019 Posts: 58 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
Bluebird wrote: | FYI: Peakbagging season is never over Just time to switch to winter summits! <3 |
Yaaaaaas that's the spirit!
Choss is a girl's best friend
Choss is a girl's best friend
|
Back to top |
|
|
|