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kloria Member
Joined: 19 Aug 2019 Posts: 16 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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kloria
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Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:18 pm
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Dates: July 18-19, 2019
Distance: 18.4 miles
Ascent: 5,800'
I originally had a nice, descriptive trip report typed out until my computer crashed and all my work was erased. I now feel defeated and have no desire to re-type everything.
This past weekend, the old lady and I, took off from Mineral Creek to scramble Chikamin Peak and see the many waterfalls that were expected to be flowing around Glacier Lake. After about 1.8 miles from the TH, the trail becomes annoyingly brushy. It's not that bad, but its also terrible... you know? If I had to do it all over again I'd wear pants or gaiters to make it a bit more enjoyable. The brush lasts for about 2.5-3 miles.
Crossing the Mineral Creek Trail Foliage Trail Insects Cue Guns N' Roses Welcome to the Jungle!
We ate lunch at Park Lakes and went on our way towards Chikamin Pass. Just before descending we passed a group of three who said they were turning back because the snow slope to dip down into Glacier Lake was too steep. We took a peek and felt fine with it. We glissaded the first patch of snow with our hiking poles, staying towards the skiers right. Once on a heather slope, we scrambled down approximately 50% of the descent on dry ground then glissaded the remainder to the bottom.
Nearing Chikamin Pass Descending into Glacier Lake Area
It was an easy walk on intermittent snow to Glacier Lake. We were careful to avoid any potential streams under the surface.
First views of Glacier Lake
We paused to take in the views then continued around the lake. We had hoped of summiting Chikamin in the morning so we walked fully around the lake and found a great spot to pitch the tent on a large flat rock with views above the falls.
Beautiful Spot! Making our way around the lake Awesome Boulder Hopping Passing through little cave Looking for a camp Lemah from our campsite Dinner and a view Melting Lake
The next morning we woke up around 5:30am, had our coffee, and started up the climbers trail towards Chikamin Peak. We each had only our boots and single hiking pole each. The snow was soft and we felt comfortable on the snow fields we had to pass over. Our goal was to stick to dry ground as much as possible. Only a few sections of snow needed to be crossed to link the dry patches of rock/grass together.
Morning light Four Brothers Ascending towards Chikamin Shelter on Chikamin Ridge Looking South from the summit Lemah One and Chikamin Lake Stuart Relaxing before heading back down Red rock Representative of what the majority of the route looked like for us Small scramble section to get up onto the big slabs/ main slope Good view showing what the route mostly looks like Icebergs in a no name lake Heading home No name lake
On our way back, at the no name lake, we spotted a single hiker coming towards us and a group of three heading back towards Glacier Lake. I briefly described the route to the guy and he said that the group of three were turning back because the route looked like it had too much steep snow .
Packing up I have 12 of these photos all framed exactly the same way... cool Hiking out Scrambling back up to Chikamin Pass
Overall it was a great outing. Lane wished she brought micro spikes for the snow sections up to Chikamin but I didnt think they were necessary. Mosquitoes were a pain. More photos here,
https://kyleloria.smugmug.com/Outdoor/Adventures/Chikamin-Peak-Glacier-Lake/
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olderthanIusedtobe Member
Joined: 05 Sep 2011 Posts: 7687 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
Such a cool area around there.
I'm not sure if it's your no name lake, but I've seen reference to something that is at least unofficially known as Chicka-Bro (cuz it's between Chickamin and Four Brothers ).
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Bosterson Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2019 Posts: 291 | TRs | Pics Location: Portland |
Nice! It's nuts to see so much snow piled up on Glacier Lake at this time in the year - when I went in June 2015 (a crazy dry year), there was zero snow anywhere!
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
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timberghost Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 1316 | TRs | Pics
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Nice trip did you go swimming
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fourteen410 Member
Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 2622 | TRs | Pics
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Nice! I love that area. The brush on the Mineral Creek trail really makes you work for the prize
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pula58 Member
Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 587 | TRs | Pics
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pula58
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Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:34 pm
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Nice photos!
My wife and I made our way back from Chikamin in the rain, and boy did we get soaked in that brushy section of the mineral creek trail!
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neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2329 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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neek
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Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:56 pm
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kloria wrote: | Melting Lake |
this is really cool full size.
olderthanIusedtobe wrote: | I'm not sure if it's your no name lake, but I've seen reference to something that is at least unofficially known as Chicka-Bro (cuz it's between Chickamin and Four Brothers hockeygrin.gif ). |
that's the worst informal lake name i've ever heard!
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fourteen410 Member
Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 2622 | TRs | Pics
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pula58 wrote: | My wife and I made our way back from Chikamin in the rain, and boy did we get soaked in that brushy section of the mineral creek trail! |
I didn't think there was a way to make the mineral creek trail experience worse, but now I realize there is! It might have been hot, buggy, and brushy when I was there, but at least it was dry.
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pipedream Member
Joined: 14 Oct 2012 Posts: 227 | TRs | Pics Location: Formerly Seattle |
Somebody really ought to ski that couloir skier's right of the Four Brothers down to Glacier Lake
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cascadetraverser Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 1407 | TRs | Pics
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My brother Glenn (Glenoid ) and I climbed this one when I was a teen ager in the `70s and it looks just about the same. Thanks for the memories and its nice to see a post from there.
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glenoid Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 Posts: 306 | TRs | Pics
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glenoid
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Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:59 am
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All I remember is finding a green rain jacket and a pair of white BVD"s on top. Of course, the trip up was quite nice. Went via Spectacle (empty back then). The Mineral trail seems a bit more interesting except for the brushwacking section....
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Mike Collins Member
Joined: 18 Dec 2001 Posts: 3086 | TRs | Pics
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Jeff wrote: | Where is Chikamin Pass? |
I thought the reference was to the unnamed pass that brings the hiker from the Mineral Creek drainage into the Gold Creek drainage from what is at that locale the PCT. You are right that there is no Chikamin Pass. I have climbed Chikamin three times and haven't seen Chikamin Pass yet.
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SeanSullivan86 Member
Joined: 25 Jul 2009 Posts: 681 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
It seems to be a pretty common name in trip reports, as well as in the CAG, and PCT data book.
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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
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Kyle!!! Killer photos my man, nice job! This is such a great area, glad you got to spend a couple days up there. Something is missing from your report though. No mention of killer blood thirsty hordes of mosquitoes?! Must not have been that traumatic...
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kloria Member
Joined: 19 Aug 2019 Posts: 16 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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kloria
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Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:18 pm
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Bosterson wrote: | Nice! It's nuts to see so much snow piled up on Glacier Lake at this time in the year - when I went in June 2015 (a crazy dry year), there was zero snow anywhere!
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Cool to see, thanks for sharing. It's definitely nice to see the lingering snow. It also kept about 8 people off the route to Chikamin and/or down to Glacier Lake.
timberghost wrote: | Nice trip did you go swimming |
Not this time around. Was contemplating a plunge with the icebergs at the no name lake though.
neek wrote: | this is really cool full size. |
I spent an extended period of time staring at the spidery cracks in the ice.
pipedream wrote: | Somebody really ought to ski that couloir skier's right of the Four Brothers down to Glacier Lake biggrin.gif |
Bold idea and definitely doable. You could take it all the way to the lake for a "pond" skim.
cascadetraverser wrote: | My brother Glenn (Glenoid wink.gif ) and I climbed this one when I was a teen ager in the `70s and it looks just about the same. Thanks for the memories and its nice to see a post from there. |
Glad I could jog some memories! Cool thing to be doing in your teens. I was too busy picking my favorite song for my Myspace page.
Jeff wrote: | Where is Chikamin Pass? I don't see it on any maps. |
I was referring to the pass you go over right when you leave the PCT and dip into the Gold Creek drainage.
awilsondc wrote: | Kyle!!! Killer photos my man, nice job! This is such a great area, glad you got to spend a couple days up there. Something is missing from your report though. No mention of killer blood thirsty hordes of mosquitoes?! Must not have been that traumatic... lol.gif |
Thanks Aaron! The skeeters have left me with a twitch like flick of my right hand. I figure it best to try and not think about them.
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