[Fletcher]

Riley and I got American Border Peak last week. I found it to be a mostly enjoyable mountain experience on mostly unenjoyable terrain We left Burlington at 5am last Thursday and were heading out from the Twin Lakes TH towards High Pass shortly before 7. In no time at all, we were passing through High Pass and grabbing water at Gargett Mine before the long sidehilling traverse below Mount Larrabee. This traverse is notorious for being really sh##ty. While the terrain is tedious, it is also pretty short. You pass through three distinct "basins" before climbing up to American Border's south ridge.

The Pleiades from the hike to High Pass

Baker from High Pass

The first basin heads out from the end of the trail at the mine, to a forested rib below Larrabee. This first stretch included the most hazardous sidehilling terrain for us. There was a 200 yard stretch of hard packed scree and dirt, with bushes growing out of it, but bushes that were not hardy enough for dependable veggie belay. The section that we went through was sustained in steepness below that a fall would not be good. The danger here could have been mitigated by dropping down a couple hundred feet.

crappy sidehilling

After a short schwack around the forested rib, the second basin is much more pleasant than the first. We did a rising traverse through here, from 5600 feet to the obvious 6300 ft notch that gives access through a cliffy section to the third basin. Some fun choss climbing to the 6300 ft notch, just a warmup for whats to come.

6300 ft notch and first view of American Border Peak

more sidehilling

6300 ft notch

right below the notch

ABP

From the notch, we dropped 200 feet of choss to a large talus bowl, which we traversed for a few hundred yards, before working our way up 700 ft, crossing a few heathery ribs to the wide 6800 foot saddle below the south ridge of American Border Peak.

cool spires we traversed underneath

Redoubt and smoke from the 6800 ft saddle

Slesse and smoke

From here, we climbed up the ridge 150 feet until being forced out onto the "Red Face". This section looks imposing from below, but is quite ledgey and straightforward. We worked out way up toward "The Nose", encountering one short class 3+ step. More choss above the step brought us to yet another notch, that grants access to the exposed scree traverse and narrow snow filled gully. The gully still had a large snow patch which we could scramble around on the right side. There were a few drips of water coming out of the snow, which we planned on taking advantage of on our way back down. Some fun hard packed dirt scrambling above the snow patch brought us to yet ANOTHER notch.

The Red Face

Riley working across the face

go across here

some serious relief below here

the gully

gettin it

From this notch, a very narrow and very exposed ledge system works across American Border's east face, 50 yards or so, until access is granted to the crux 5.4 pitch. We decided to belay this section because of the exposure, although pro was basically nonexistent. Below the pitch, I found a secure feeling boulder wedged between solid rock on both sides and set up our belay here. The chimney pitch was fun and easy. I clipped a few pitons here and there and placed 2 cams at a few of the more climbey sections. After removing my pack to climb up through the tunnel move, I set up a belay and brought Riley up.

airy legdes

exposure

looking down from partway up the chimney pitch

looking through the tunnel

Above the pitch, we climbed up a steep and exposed class 3+ gulley of loose rock and sand on slabs. This section is fairly intense and insecure. This gully tops out once again on ABP's south ridge at a grand bivy spot. From here, we worked up the ridge on class 2 terrain, over a few false summits, to the exposed class 3+ finish and American Border Glory. The air was clear and the views were amazing, although it looked quite hazy and smokey to the east. We could see the Bear Creek Fire burning below Redoubt, as well as several large fires burning to our NE in Canada.

the keyhole at the top of the pitch

kinda gnar

Olympus!!

American Border summit

Riley on the summit

Baker and Tomyhoi

Larrabee and Shuksan

Slesse and Rexford among others, with border swath and Bear Creek Fire

Bear Creek Fire

Canada

Canada

the border

Slesse and Rexford again

summitshot (Riley had already started heading down)

clearing air in the Pickets

We had a nice lunch on the summit and hung out for 20 minutes before heading back down. The downclimb down the dirty gulley was a little hairy. Then we rapped the crux chimney in 2 rappels. From there, we scrambled across the exposed ledges unroped, and rapelled down to the bottom of the snow in the gully. We spent some time here replenishing our water supply and then descended to the Red Face and back to the 6800 ft saddle.

sketchy downclimbing

on rappel

Larrabee framed

Riley rapping

the ledges

the gully

Slesse again

From the saddle, we dropped back down into the talus bowl, and enjoyed more choss climbing up to the 6300 ft notch. From there, we made our way back across the 2 final stretches of sidehilling, and the glorious water and trail back at the mine.

the cool spires again

Riley enjoying the day

From High Pass, it was a short jaunt back to the car. Great day, great peak! Feels good to have American Border in the bag! ~10ish miles ~5000ish gain ~12ish hours ~170/200 WA T200s ~85/144 WA P2Ks

[Gimpilator]

Great job climbing it safely guys. Terrific photos and description. I timed out on that route. It's one of the dirtiest chossy peaks in the state. Congratulations.

[Sepultura]

Nice Job guys! ABP is the full deal and most certainly on the Repulsive 69 list.

[raising3hikers]

[Bluebird]

woo, what a day!

[ozzy]

Dayyyuummm! Y'all make it look too easy! That is one gnarly choss pile...looks way fun in a sick twisted way! Hopefully I find myself up there one day. Thanks for the report and keep up the awesome year as usual!

[Redwic]

Great job! If you were the Ric Flair of mountaineering, your would be the Notcher Boy.

[zephyr]