Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
ozzy The hard way
Joined: 30 Jul 2015 Posts: 476 | TRs | Pics Location: University place, wa |
|
ozzy
The hard way
|
Fri Sep 10, 2021 3:04 am
|
|
|
It was hard to believe I hadn't been above 8000ft all year so Bryan decided to go ahead and change that! I mean come on, I can't go all year without at least one Bulger...right!? We had been in the little giant pass area the week before and the fernow group reigned supreme to the north...we knew we needed to get up there! I was particularly interested in fernow after seeing Geyer's tr a few years ago when him, Aaron, and Jake daytripped it! It looked like a badass route so I was sold and Bryan was easily persuaded as usual lol. It even made more sense to do it because it was a year to the date that we lost Jake...another peak inspired by him! Cheers bro!
We decided on maximizing our time in the alpine so a bivy it would be!! Doing it in a day would probably wreck me anyway lol! The plan was to basically get as close to the peak as possible and bivy. Then wake early, summit, then head out. We both had never been to the area so the stoke was high! We arrived at the Phelps creek th at 830am and were on the move at 9. We made quick work to Leroy basin arriving at 1130am. Awesome place, 7fj and Maude look big from here! From here we worked our way up heather/talus slopes to a saddle in the west ridge of 7fj, around 7600ft. The views from here were awesome, a completely different world! I love cresting ridges, it's like opening a present! Here we dropped to the tarn and down around the north side where we lost more elevation in route to gloomy basin. All in all you lose about 1000ft to gloomy basin. But holy sh## man!!! Gloomy basin is pretty badass!! The diminishing glacier and all the moraine complete with a tarn and creek! Wowwww! What a prehistoric place! On the way over we had spied a nice basin about 300ft above the gloomy basin around 6900ft! It was a basin above the basin lol. We filtered water here before the final push to camp. There is plenty of water on route btw. I never had to carry more than a liter. We found a nice goat ledge to access the upper basin and good lord it was a grand venue! The waterfall coming off the west flank of fernow actual and the grand bivy spot to be just to the south! Man...it was at this time and place we knew it was the right call to bivy this beast! We made it around 5pm at a casual pace of course. We had plenty of time to set up camp and found an already existing bivy spot for two! It was meant to be. We had a beautiful view of the waterfall and the first 1200ft of the scramble, it looked kind of rowdy lol. It was a nice camp surrounded by larches and the vibe was righteous! Whiskey and vodka were had as we enjoyed the sunset and star show that followed.
7fj the tarn route from ridge at the tarn Bryan coming down from ridge, it's hard to find him lol it was tempting to bivy here Genius, dumbbell, greenwood first proper views of fernow Gloomy basin, our bivy spot is the basin up higher towards that waterfall Gloomy glacier ooh flowers Beautiful terrain up here yours truly making our way to camp This basin is so rad oh buddy Yewwwww The bivy site is in the larches left of center oh damn water supply looking back to camp last light on fernow camp stuff Sunset on genius ridge
We were planning on going up around 4am the next day but the wind was whipping and it was a bit chilly. The both of us weren't ready to leave the bivies at this point lol, so we slept in til 7am and were moving by 730. There was about a solid 1000ft of scrambling, class 3, that led to some crappy traversing up top. Once up top by the permanent snowfield we located the chockstone in the south ridge. We squeezed under that and corkscrewed around the east side of the summit to finish with a nice little climb. Oooowweeeee!! What a view from up there! These 9000ft peaks have some commanding views indeed! We were riding high at this point and chilled out for an hour or so to soak in the scene. We even found Jake, Aaron, and Geyer in the register too. This called for mandatory drink! Cheers, another shot for Jake. Arrival time was 10am. We chatted with a couple other climbers that arrived 30mins after, then we reluctantly left the peak after they did.
start of the morning scramble live by two poles, die by two poles!! 1000ft of nice rambling on stuff like this upper choss slopes with awesome views at least N face of Maude Bryan finishing up the summit block Bonanza and co Copper and beyond lingerer cheers amazing views dayum 7fj and Rainier off in the distance
We made it back to camp around noon and were packed up and ready to head out by 1230pm. On the way back we didn't want to go back by the tarn on the way back up to the notch in 7fj's west ridge. There was a more direct high route to bypass the tarn, to the east of it. The two guys we talked to on the summit said they had taken it so we thought how bad could it be! The slopes down low were the worst. You start out on some sh##ty hard pack that is almost impossible to get traction on. After 50ft of that it eases a bit but is still loose crap. We made it up to the notch and took a breather, stoked that it was all down hill from here. It was a quick jaunt back to the car from here. I was pretty amped getting this one even though it's not really an obscure one. The area is super badass and I'm surprised this was both our first forays into the place! I thought it was probably one of my favorite scrambles as far as bulgers go, lots of choss in between though. Also looks like a killer place for larch season too! Another week, another sweeeet peak! Thanks Bryan for walking the hills with me again and cheers to all!
that N face the chockstone Snowfield up top looking towards dumbbell lk gp making a presence gloomy basin down low looking back up the scramble basin views heading up the 7fj ridge/notch at the notch tarn again looking back at this big range cool tarn shot B dawg had to put this one up lol! Why is he making that face... must be in pain!
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
NBL, RAW-dad, JasonK806, Off Route Randy, Mark Hadland, rstoddard24, Nancyann, Eric Gilbertson, fffej50, rubywrangler, jstern, RichP, GaliWalker, reststep geyer, awilsondc
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
NBL, RAW-dad, JasonK806, Off Route Randy, Mark Hadland, rstoddard24, Nancyann, Eric Gilbertson, fffej50, rubywrangler, jstern, RichP, GaliWalker, reststep geyer, awilsondc
|
Back to top |
|
|
awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1324 | TRs | Pics
|
ozzy
|
Back to top |
|
|
Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
|
Fletcher
Member
|
Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:44 am
|
|
|
Nice! I really really enjoyed that route when I did it.
ozzy
ozzy
|
Back to top |
|
|
neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2336 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
|
neek
Member
|
Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:13 am
|
|
|
cool man sounds like I just missed ya on the phelps trail. gotta go back for those peaks soon!
ozzy
ozzy
|
Back to top |
|
|
Off Route Randy Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2021 Posts: 26 | TRs | Pics Location: Tacoma |
Definitely had a branch stab me in the ass on that last photo... Sick peak buddy!
ozzy
ozzy
|
Back to top |
|
|
Blowdown Sawin' Logs ...
Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics Location: On the Summit |
|
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
|
Fri Sep 17, 2021 6:49 pm
|
|
|
ozzy
|
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).
|