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Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
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Fletcher
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:16 pm
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A party of 8 nwhikers summited Mount Blum yesterday. We had been talking about a winter ascent of Blum for sometime. So stoked we finally made it happen! At 3:30 am on Sunday, Selena, Dave, Eric, Reed, JakeA, JakeR, Kyle, and I were setting out down the Baker River Trail. A few minutes later, we took a right at the bridge, and 100 yards later we entered the woods.
We really nailed the route finding lower down on the route and were able to find the Blum Lakes climbers trail with ease. We ascended the climbers trail by headlamp, all stoked for the day ahead! Around 2800 ft, we put our snowshoes on and made great time up the steep ridge to 4800 ft, where we traversed to Blum Lakes. What a frigid and beautiful morning in the North Cascades.
finally light out and almost to Blum Lakes, first Blum sighting Hagan Mountain Jake R crossing Lower Blum Lake
We took a short snack break at Middle Blum Lake, but quickly got going again just because of the cold. We were all looking forward to finally getting into the sun. We ascended a nice gully from Middle to Upper Blum Lake then ascended more moderately steep slopes and had some route decisions to make.
Baker coming into view one more getting closer happy peakbaggers
Initially, we thought it might be cool to climb Cocaine Couloir, which would grant efficient access to the summit area, but we decided that it looked too steep to make sense.
Cocaine Coulior and Blum summit
To gain Blum's gentle south ridge, we had to find a route to get above a steep headwall above Upper Blum Lake. We tried a few different options, but turned around because of bullet ice or sketchy terrain with bad runout. Third try was a charm and we found a nice route with good steep snow and a few fun icy class 3+ moves that gave way to easy terrain that continued to the summit.
first view of the Pickets. getting close climbers coming up Blum almost there
We all topped out around 12:45. The cornice up there warned caution and the wind made for a frigid summit stay. We hung out for a few minutes before descending a couple hundred feet for lunch.
Blum summitshot Baker and Shuksan North Cascades and the Blum summit cornice looking towards Glacier
We had a long descent ahead, and reluctantly began our drop off the upper mountain. The steep step took some face-in downclimbing, then we had some plunge stepping and glissading down to the middle lake where we re-donned snowshoes.
the steep step climbers coming down the step cool peak
I had a ferry to catch back to the San Juans, so after a quick break, Kyle, Eric and I took off to begin the descent. A couple hours of sloppy descent later, we were back at the Baker River. Everyone else was back at the car within an hour later.
sloppy descent
Awesome to have Blum in the bag. A nice last peak to get before the apocalypse
~10.5 miles
~7800 ft of gain
Now I Fly
Now I Fly
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iron Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:21 pm
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good stuff.
biggest cornices i've ever seen were on blum (>50ft wide).
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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
What a great day to be in the North cascades! Fun trip with a strong group, I'll add some pics later.
Ps much thanks to kyle for finding a nice way up though the rocks and snow!
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Jake Robinson Member
Joined: 02 Aug 2016 Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
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Blum in the morning Happy to be in the North Cascades! Cocaine Couloir was a no-go today Baker and Shuksan The crux Selena hiking up Blum's south ridge Hagan Mountain Flether and Jake nearing the summit Team coming up in the wind Just below the summit Eric giving the summit cornice a lot of room Eric departing the summit, framed between the Northern and Southern Pickets Heading down Hiking down the south ridge The south ridge Jake downclimbing the step Jake and Baker Back at lower Blum Lake The terrible snow transition section of the Blum Lakes "trail" Downclimbing the trail Done.
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Nancyann Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2013 Posts: 2314 | TRs | Pics Location: Sultan Basin |
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Nancyann
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:17 pm
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Looks like a very fine collection of nwhikers out enjoying life to the fullest.
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Tom Admin
Joined: 15 Dec 2001 Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
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Tom
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:18 pm
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reststep Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 4757 | TRs | Pics
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reststep
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:24 pm
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Thanks for the report and pictures.
Looks like you picked a great day to be up there.
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5628 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:25 pm
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Good to see more trip reports in these difficult (and crazy) times.
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kitya Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:03 pm
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Fletcher wrote: | climbers coming down the step |
Wow! This looks crazy steep, so scary!!! You rock
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Stefan Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 5085 | TRs | Pics
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Stefan
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:14 pm
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cascadetraverser Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 1407 | TRs | Pics
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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Here's my favorite pics from the trip
finally, some North Cascade sun snow plastered upper lake headwall mountain views Northern Picketts view S over towards Bacon the crew heading up the ridge more peaks to see Hagan sub pks from the lower lake
Eric Eames
Now I Fly
Eric Eames
Now I Fly
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reststep Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 4757 | TRs | Pics
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reststep
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:20 pm
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raising3hikers wrote: | snow plastered upper lake headwall |
It is amazing that the snow stays on a headwall like that. Did you see any kind of avalanche activity at all?
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
reststep wrote: | It is amazing that the snow stays on a headwall like that. Did you see any kind of avalanche activity at all? |
we didn't see any signs of recent avalanche activity, we were a little concerned about possible winds slabs but that wasn't an issue either.
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Tom Admin
Joined: 15 Dec 2001 Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
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Tom
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Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:06 pm
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Just love the scenery up there, so photogenic.
I asked my wife what she saw in this one. I though she would spot the sleeping giant's head to the right. She said, yes, the horse in the middle.
raising3hikers wrote: | mountain views |
Really love the backdrop in this one. I'd say calendar worthy, alas the horizon is tilted but still quite breathtaking.
raising3hikers wrote: | the crew heading up the ridge |
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