[Malachai Constant]

First real Trip Report in years. After many tries we obtained a reservation for a permit for this hike in the spring lottery for August 15. We had been up Easy Ridge and Copper Ridge several times but had not been to the pass since 1987 when we did the Picket Traverse. Then on July 28 the Bear Creek fire broke out. Soon we received an email from NCNP asking if we wanted to cancel. Thanks to posts here and elsewhere we figured the fire was small and smoke was abating the park has not altered their post. On Sunday we headed north under smokey skies to Hannigan TH. Smoke thinned and the road is in good shape. The first mile had been recently brushed and repaired. Many trail runners were going down as we went up. It turns out an “Adventure Running Company” is offering supported runs to Copper Mountain Lookout and back 22 miles. The bugs were near nonexistent as we looked back from whence we came.

After a couple hours we arrived at Hannigan Pass where we saw Ruth Peak where the glacier has suffered much mass wasting. Making the climb a ice climb where you could get by without a rope or crampons in years past.

After a lunch break we descended to Boundary Camp where we were alone. We followed the Chilliwack River for about 10 miles to Graybeal Camp. Along the way we saw many Chicken of the woods mushrooms but only two people. The highlights included the cable car crossing and a new bridges over Brush Creek.

Graybeal Camp had been flooded and largely destroyed by brush creek and a large fire on Red Face mountain. The vist from camp was nice and we spent the rest of the day by the creek. During the night it rained hard and we awoke to a stream next to our camp, another camp was an island.

Tuesday we climbed up to Whatcom Camp just below the pass. The trail was very brushy and required scrambling at Tap Toe Creek. It is a great Camp with views and easy access to Whatcom Pass, Tapto Lake, and Whatcom Climbing route. We walked up twice. There we saw the damage to the Challenger Glacier and climbing access. Late that afternoon we talked to two hikers who had hiked up from Hannigan TH to spend the night at TapToe Lake and hike to Ross Resort the next day.

On the 18th we hiked 13 miles back to Boundary Camp with a lot of wet brush requiring rain pants and parkas. Along the way we met 4 rangers who inspected our permit. Next morning hiked up to Copper Ridge and Camp at Egg Lake. With views of Silesla Valley and incoming clouds. We skipped the lookout as we had been there before and huckleberries were delicious especially in a daiquiri.

Yesterday we hiked out with our food mostly gone except for a Bavarian Taco and crackers. At the car again we met the guys who had drove back for their second car from Ross LAKE.

Total 44 mi.

[Backpacker Joe]

Nice work Mal. Thanks for the pics.

[yukon222]

[Brushbuffalo]

I'm surprised the black flies weren't a bother. They were dormant until about noon, then their little bloodthirsty engines revved up to full speed.

[Malachai Constant]

Everybody was polite. If you were the person doing the sweep we spoke with you.

[seawallrunner]

Beautiful images MC! “Late that afternoon we talked to two hikers who had hiked up from Hannigan TH to spend the night at TapToe Lake and hike to Ross Resort the next day.” Goodness gracious that’s two LONG days for them. They were undoubtedly traveling very light and very fast on their feet. When I camped at Whatcom camp, a few years ago, it took us two days to get there and we started from Little Beav camp on Ross Lake. There’s also a pretty hairy descent from Whatcom pass down to Little Beaver creek, I’m sure that slowed them down a bit.

[Foist]

We were up at Whatcom Pass and Middle Lakes a year ago, and one big difference I can see is that hole in the glacier toward the left side is way bigger now than it was last year on Labor Day.

[Malachai Constant]

Yes we spoke with a climbing Ranger, she said a year ago they climbed Challenger on snow and the major crux was the bergshrund. Now the schrund is gone and most of the route is bare ice, late September conditions at best.

[Bluebird]

Interesting about Challenger. @Hot.Choss and I climbed it on July 18th and had perfect conditions with zero bergshrund issues. It's been an interesting summer for snow conditions.