Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
|
Fletcher
Member
|
Thu Aug 06, 2020 7:15 pm
|
|
|
Gunsight and Agnes were on the menu for this week. We ended up getting one but orphaning the other. Jake and I caught the express boat out of Fields Point on Sunday morning, and arrived in Stehekin around 11am. We promptly caught the Stehekin Valley Ranch bus to High Bridge and started hiking the PCT south at 12:30. The switchbacks uphill from the Agnes Creek Bridge were very hot.
stay safe Stehekin River at High Bridge GPW Agnes #prayforfootnut
During the hike to Swamp Creek, we weighed the pros and cons of staying down low for one night or continuing on to high camp that evening. We rolled into Swamp Creek Camp before 5:00 but ultimately decided to stay there, rest, and climb to high camp in cooler weather in the morning.
Up and hiking before 6, we hiked for 30 minutes to just past the confluence of the South Fork Agnes and Spruce Creeks. We quickly found easy logs crossing both creeks, only a 90 second walk from one another. After that, we picked a decent looking line and started hiking uphill.
SF Agnes crossing typical terrain upslope
We picked a good line upslope and had very little brush. It was humid and the bugs were out in force. Around 5500 feet we traversed climbers left and gained another 1000 ft over the next mile or so to a camp just SE of the Icy-Spruce Creek Pass.
Mount Lyall and Needle Peak - some rarely done summits the traverse to camp
We set up camp in a nice larch basin and took a 90 minute break before setting out for Gunsight. Up to Pt 7070 from camp and then down to a saddle just above Blue Lake. Blue Lake was still 90 percent frozen on 8/3. Then onto almost continuous snow up to the col just south of South Gunsight.
Gunsight Sinister and Dome Traverse above the Chikamin with Sentinel and Old Guard
The main concern going into this trip was what kind of shape the transition from snow to rock would be. There are reports of a gaping moat turning people around. As I approached the base of the route it looked promising. Turns out it was an easy step across to the base of the rock. Nice!
the middle peak is the highest moat crossing
After getting off the snow, we climbed some low 5th for 15 feet to the wide ledge that leads to the route crux. At the ledge, there is a convenient small cave to stash gear safely from rock fall. We stashed our packs and boots there and I lead out towards the crux. The crux 5.6 pitch goes up the obvious corner of black rock at the end of the ledge. There is good pro at the base of the harder moves, but nothing great to protect the toughest climbing. The stretch of real rock climbing is short though.
looking down from the top of the crux Blizzard Peaks
After the crux, we unroped and scrambled around an airy corner to class 3 terrain for maybe 200 feet up toward the notch between the north and main peaks. As you near the notch you'll find the district "brown dike" mentioned in other reports.
Jake coming up the brown dike Gunsight rock pretty exposed
From just below the notch, we roped up again, and I lead out on an exposed ledge for a short distance before climbing straight up to the ridge crest. There was more 5th class climbing here but nothing difficult. Once on the ridge crest, you are close to the top. The climbing is fun and wildly exposed.
the summit the ridge
We summited late, around 5pm, so we didnt hang out long. We downclimbed the ridge and then rappelled twice to get back to scramble terrain.
Gunsight summitshot Agnes Goode Sinister and Dome Sentinal and Old Guard with many more Jake on the ridge
We then scrambled back down a couple hundred feet and rounded back around the corner. One more rappel down the crux and one more short one to the snow and it was just a hike back to camp.
rap 1 downclimbing rap 4 headed for beers in Stehekin Sinister and Dome with improving weather Jake with Sinister what a cannonhole Agnes Mountain Blue Lake Bonanza and friends
We got back to camp at 8:30. Dinner was inhaled that night. We slept in the next morning and woke up to more heat and bugs with the scent of smoke in the air. Agnes Mountain was the plan for the day but a long summer of slogging was wearing on our motivation. Over coffee, we decided beers in Stehekin that night sounded better than climbing another peak this time. We made it to the PCT by noon and High Bridge at 3. Many beers were enjoyed in Stehekin that evening and we caught the boat back to Chelan a day early.
~27 miles
~10,000 feet of gain
|
Back to top |
|
|
raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Yeah, nice to see your TR. Way to make it happen guys! Brings back very happy memories climbing that one with my son
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jake Robinson Member
Joined: 02 Aug 2016 Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
|
Heck of a summer you are having
|
Back to top |
|
|
Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Super badass. Enjoyed the video too. But what about 2021? At this rate, you'll have no hard WA peaks left.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Matt Lemke High on the Outdoors
Joined: 15 Jul 2010 Posts: 2052 | TRs | Pics Location: Grand Junction |
|
Matt Lemke
High on the Outdoors
|
Thu Aug 06, 2020 7:57 pm
|
|
|
Well done fletcher! Last summer I had a very harrowing experience I did not post about on Gunsight while trying a new route, and I should probably be dead. I was super lucky though. It was because of that I havent been climbing quite as much this year.
Seems like the route you went is pretty good though! Excellent photos
|
Back to top |
|
|
Blowdown Sawin' Logs ...
Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics Location: On the Summit |
|
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
|
Thu Aug 06, 2020 8:15 pm
|
|
|
Sometimes the proof of a good mountaineer is knowing when to get the heck off the mountain.
Agnes? Or beers in Stehekin?
After bagging Gunsight, I think you guys made an excellent choice!
Great work gentlemen, on the climb, TR, and video.
|
Back to top |
|
|
cascadetraverser Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 1407 | TRs | Pics
|
Haha! Fun report. Beers in Stehekin on that dock, looking over the lake, after a grand mountain trip may just be, one of the best places to finish, ever!
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate NWHikers.net earns from qualifying purchases when you use our link(s).
|