Forum Index > Trip Reports > Gunsight Peak ~ August 2-4, 2020
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Fletcher
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics
Location: kirkland
Fletcher
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PostThu 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
stay safe
Stehekin River at High Bridge
Stehekin River at High Bridge
GPW
GPW
Agnes
Agnes
#prayforfootnut
#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
SF Agnes crossing
typical terrain upslope
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
Mount Lyall and Needle Peak - some rarely done summits
the traverse to camp
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
Gunsight
Sinister and Dome
Sinister and Dome
Traverse above the Chikamin with Sentinel and Old Guard
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
the middle peak is the highest
moat crossing
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
looking down from the top of the crux
Blizzard Peaks
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
Jake coming up
the brown dike
the brown dike
Gunsight rock
Gunsight rock
pretty exposed
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 summit
the ridge
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
Gunsight summitshot
Agnes
Agnes
Goode
Goode
Sinister and Dome
Sinister and Dome
Sentinal and Old Guard with many more
Sentinal and Old Guard with many more
Jake on the ridge
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
rap 1
downclimbing
downclimbing
rap 4
rap 4
headed for beers in Stehekin
headed for beers in Stehekin
Sinister and Dome with improving weather
Sinister and Dome with improving weather
Jake with Sinister
Jake with Sinister
what a cannonhole
what a cannonhole
Agnes Mountain
Agnes Mountain
Blue Lake
Blue Lake
Bonanza and friends
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

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raising3hikers
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Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, Wa
raising3hikers
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 7:34 pm 
Yeah, nice to see your TR. Way to make it happen guys! Brings back very happy memories climbing that one with my son

Eric Eames
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Jake Robinson
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Joined: 02 Aug 2016
Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
Jake Robinson
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 7:40 pm 
Heck of a summer you are having up.gif

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Gimpilator
infinity/21M



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, WA
Gimpilator
infinity/21M
PostThu Aug 06, 2020 7:43 pm 
Super badass. Enjoyed the video too. But what about 2021? At this rate, you'll have no hard WA peaks left.

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Matt Lemke
High on the Outdoors



Joined: 15 Jul 2010
Posts: 2052 | TRs | Pics
Location: Grand Junction
Matt Lemke
High on the Outdoors
PostThu 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 smile.gif

The Pacific coast to the Great Plains = my playground!!! SummitPost Profile See my website at: http://www.lemkeclimbs.com
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Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...



Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics
Location: On the Summit
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
PostThu 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. up.gif up.gif

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cascadetraverser
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Joined: 16 Sep 2007
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cascadetraverser
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 9:59 pm 
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!

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