[Alden Ryno]

52 miles, 12,400' gain. Mileage is greater by 1-2 miles than RT from Thunder Creek TH to Logan summit and back.

Notable mile markers (per my GPS): Tricouni Camp: 8 miles. Junction Camp: 10.5 miles. Skagit Queen Camp: 13.5 miles. Thunder Basin Stock Camp (crossing): 17.5 miles. Park Creek Pass turnoff: 20 miles. Camp below Freemont Glacier: 21.5 miles. Logan Summit: 23 miles. Logan has been looming over my conscious since abandoning it last Fourth of July weekend when I tackles Goode and Storm King. I knew that I'd regret it, but I just didn't want to commit an extra day (even though I was permitted to do so). Then I began toying with the idea of coupling two of my orphans; Logan and Cosho. However, as this year, the viability of the Douglas Glacier and Banded Glacier routes waned. Add in the fact that I bagged Cosho in August during a 21 hour sopping wet and I was out of any options of than the Freemont Glacier route, which I really abhorred the idea of simply for the ridiculously long approach. Perfect weather and rearranged plans for the weekend left me with two days for a shot at Logan. Being this late in the season, the Freemont route was the only truly viable (solo) option. As much as I had wanted to try the Douglas route and a little, my least favorite option became the one I was to do. I arrived to the Colonial Creek Campground at 0415 Friday with a nearly full parking lot! I was on the move a few minutes before 0500 knowing it was gonna be a heck of a day with my plan.

McAllister Camp river bend at 0700

I crossed the first bridge at 0530, the second at 0600, and the third at 0620. I wish I had mile markers, but I forgot to check my GPS; I prefer not to see my mileage with long approaches. I reached the Tricouni camp around 0705 and 6.9 miles. While there are numerous ups and downs, they're not of much significance and the forested trail really is beautiful. Moss covered much of entire forest grounds until near Skagit Queen. I reached Junction camp and the Fisher Creek trail at 0845 and ~10.5 miles. I took a modest break and headed for the first extended downhill (just after the first extended uphill) and eventually to the Skagit Queen Camp. Around 1000 and 13.5 miles in, I took another break at Skagit Queen and swapped trailrunners. With actual gain coming up, I wanted my more sturdy Jackals over more loose and padded Periguines. I've "retired" the Jackals (July 4th-Sept 9th, ~400 miles, much off-trail) since their tread is practically gone and they have holes growing around the toe box. However, they still function quite well. From Skagit Queen, I gained the "headwall" of the Thunder Creek Valley. Until reaching the open canopy sections in the Thunder Creek Valley, the trail was wide and brush free.

Thunder Creek crossing on the way in

I would've figured that it'd be the same (brush-free trail), but CuteButChossy's logan report noted it was brushy, so at least I wasn't surprised to be getting wet ass pants. The brush wasn't bad, however, I was surprised at how wet it was around noon. I forded Thunder Creek at 1225 and took another extended break. This time I let both my socks and shirt dry out in some patches of sun on the ground. I was behind schedule. I figured that I would be turning off the trail below Park Creek Pass between 1100 and 1200, but it wouldn't be until 1400; this would put me in a difficult time spot later on.

Autumn colors at Thunder Basin Hiker Camp

Inove with fall

I passed the lovely looking Thunder Basin hiker camp at 1320 and took lots of pictures. Fall colors were in full force and I could seen larches turnt up above.

I can't not show off fall colors

At 20 miles and at 1400, I hopped off of the maintained trail. The climbers trail was great and evident (or cainrs in rocky sections) for the majority of the traverse to where I could camp around 7,400'. No surprises nor much to report.

Looking back at the first third of the traverse

Looking ahead to the second half of the traverse

I reached camp at 1615 and I deliberated; go or wait. I had time to go but would be coming back in the dark for some of the return (1845 sunset) but knew I could likely make the summit by sunset. My fear was getting off the scramble and off of the Glacier before dark, likely some 30-40 minutes post sunset. I decided to give it a shot since I'm restless as all hell. I began the ascent at 1645 and made decent time to the glacier. The terrain really dictates the path with larger rock faces diverting me left out of camp, then holding a left trend to the glacier. There was a decent bit of fresh snow. Although, it was avoidable to the glacier. How many times can I say glacier without naming the glacier? I gained the Freemont Glacier at 1720 with 80 minutes to sunset. Here is where I f### myself. In a hurry, I began crossing the Glacier on the most gentle spots, probing along the way. Because of the time crunch, I just went along what I figured was the best path immediately ahead of me not looking at my farther surroundings. By the time I made it safely to 8,300' and saw a hogsback, I checked my GPS. I was on the wrong damn lobe of the glacier. Well, there went my attempt for today. I reversed track and crossed onto the other lobe to scope it out as I went down and realized that if I had looked up at my surroundings, then it was obvious which highpoint was a) farther away and b) thus the true summit... Not the one I was aiming for. I gained an extra 1,100' of elevation and got to know the lower half of the route better for my next attempt in the morning. I sent some inReach messages and called it a night

After realizing I had done derped

Scoping where I should have gone

Not mad at this!

Only fresh snow not in the glacier

South to Forbidden

Sunset at camp

Day 2 I awoke at 0630 with light beginning to fill the sky and nearly 45 minutes before sunrise. Moving by 0715, I rarely retraced my foot steps from the night before. I opted for more stable rock and less scree along with third class scrambling up some of the rocky cliffs in lieu of battling the loose slopes. The reuslt was reaching the Glacier in 30 minutes from camp and setting off soon thereafter. With a fresh layer of snow, the added grip was nice, however, more cracks were covered. Luckily, there new snow was only a few inches and rarely entirely covered substantial cracks and left easy to see depressions on the less large gobblers. I weaved my way up and even when the Glacier flattened xthere were still noticeable cracks all around; nothing crazy, just easily seen divets.

dawn light

...Buckner....oooWeee

I gained the rock and left my glacier gear at 0835. The Hogsback went right up to the rock and a lil bitty tongue overlapped the rock for maybe a foot; nature is perfect. The most elsewhere was enough to gobble me and swallow me, though it only parted about 3 or 4 feet from the rock.

went through roughly middle of the image, trending left around a 60 degree angle from perpendicular

snow abutting rock, thankfully

I followed a crack in the rock, seen from afar, that converged with the standard, earlier season route. This was perhaps class 3+ or 4 for some peeps, depending on comfort level. The rock held well and was jagged providing ample grip.

rock scramble/climb up

thank you for the step, nature

nice, obvious ledge to the ridge

I skirted along the north side of the ridge for practically all of the traverse and ascent to the summit. I saw the third class option around the summit yet was unable to commit to getting to it due to loose snow in a small gully that I would have had to cross.

haze

En route to summit/false summit

The "downclimb" from the false summit was trivial, in my opinion; one or two moves, not even 20'?

Summit Panorama, stitched by Google

Looking back and down to the final summit scramble

Douglas Glacier looked rough

Top of Banded Glacier

I reached the summit at 0900 and spent nearly an hour there before retracing much of the same route back to the snow.

Closer look at initial climb off of snow

While I put on my crampons and gaiters I turned my phone off of airplane mode and called my parents; something I normally do on summits. I noticed that I had service here on the way up (did a quick check) and chatted with them as I transistioned and began to walk back into the glacier. I largely took the same route down with a bit less weaving. Much of the steeper and crevassed/cracked sections were thankfully still shaded and remained firm.

Views from camp

I casually got back to camp and passed a party of two a bit below the Glacier on their way up. I gave them a few details, such as the hogsback touching the rock, and went on my way. The clear skies and autumn colors were such a great treat! The traverse back to the Thunder Creek trail near Park Creek Pass actually seemed to further on the way back. Perhaps I was less concerned about getting to my destination by a particular time. Regardless, I enjoyed it all.

Once back on proper trail I took another snack break and prepared for the next 7ish miles down to Skagit Queen. I crossed Thunder Creek at the stock camp, except a bit farther down the creek (there's an obvious footpath on the FAR side of the trail, but difficult to see while coming in). This crossing is more mellow, which didn't matter much for me but may be a good option earlier in the year.

What the "earlier" Creek crossing looks like on the way in

I was back to Skagit Queen at bit before 1600 and took about 15 minutes before my final section of extended gain (after a bit more loss) to Junction Camp at Fisher Creek. I eventually made it to Tricouni Camp at 1815 for the night. I wandered in to find a campsite (all vacant) and to search for nearby water access. None. Despite being at the confluence of Thunder and Fisher Creeks, there were cliffs preventing water access. Tired, wet, and peeved (and laughing at myself), I wandered a bit past the camp to the Fisher Creek Bridge and thought I'd just camp there... But my moral compass said "NOOOOO LNT," so I semi-reluctantly wander back yet again to a Tricouni camp and sat down at 1840, minutes before sunset. Just as I was taking off my wet ass pantaloons, something stung my finger! I never saw it but sat there buck naked and decided it best to not move. Historically, I've been allergic to yellow jackets, but I didn't see what this was. Bees and wasps haven't elicited a reaction by me, so I was split. Additionally, I had no Benadryl (antihistamines, dumbass...). So I wrapped my finger in a BZK (Benzalkonium) wipe in the hopes it's have some effect in the case of yellow jacket. My alcohol wipes were dried out... Time for a first aid kit resupply... My finger began to swell but it didn't spread to my hand. I did use a knife to excavate what may have been a stinger. No idea if that helped or hurt. Slept well, though!

sun getting low on day 2

Last bridge before the end!

pretty

Day 3 I woke at 0715, when I had hoped to get going in the morning. I made breakfast in no hurry and packed things away. I took my jacket off and something sting me in the hamstring! What the f**k! Again, no sight of what it was but I hightailed it about 20 feet away, my gear sitting where I had camped. Like a scared child, I jumped around in the hopes of not getting restung as I grabbed my gear in three separate shuttle runs. I'm sure that I looked a total bafoon, but I didn't get sting; worth it. On the move at 0815, I covered the next 8 miles swiftly and was back to the car a few minutes after 1030. Due to a campground parking closure, there was an extra one-third mile on each end of the trip from car to TH. I'm very glad to have this peak behind me. While I loved it, I still think I should have gone for it last July. Logan by itself is an extremely worthy trip. 90/100, 85 solo.

[Fletcher]

Badass.

[Stefan]

You are badass. You put me to shame! I did 34 miles this weekend....and I was tired! 52 for you. Holy canneloni.

[~*CutebutChossy69*~]

[MangyMarmot]

Cool trip, man. Congrats. That's a big one.

[awilsondc]

Great trip Alden! That summit panorama is absolutely incredible viewed full screen. Another strong effort! Good stuff as usual.