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ozzy
The hard way



Joined: 30 Jul 2015
Posts: 475 | TRs | Pics
Location: University place, wa
ozzy
The hard way
PostFri 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! hockeygrin.gif I mean come on, I can't go all year without at least one Bulger...right!? moon.gif 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. rocker.gif 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! cheers.gif We decided on maximizing our time in the alpine so a bivy it would be!! banana.gif 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! eek.gif 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! eek.gif 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!! rocker.gif The diminishing glacier and all the moraine complete with a tarn and creek! Wowwww! wave.gif 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. humpy.gif 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! breakdance.gif 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. cheers.gif
7fj
7fj
the tarn route from ridge
the tarn route from ridge
at the tarn
at the tarn
Bryan coming down from ridge, it's hard to find him lol
Bryan coming down from ridge, it's hard to find him lol
it was tempting to bivy here
it was tempting to bivy here
Genius, dumbbell, greenwood
Genius, dumbbell, greenwood
first proper views of fernow
first proper views of fernow
Gloomy basin, our bivy spot is the basin up higher towards that waterfall
Gloomy basin, our bivy spot is the basin up higher towards that waterfall
Gloomy glacier
Gloomy glacier
ooh flowers
ooh flowers
Beautiful terrain up here
Beautiful terrain up here
yours truly
yours truly
making our way to camp
making our way to camp
This basin is so rad
This basin is so rad
oh buddy
oh buddy
Yewwwww
Yewwwww
The bivy site is in the larches left of center
The bivy site is in the larches left of center
oh damn
oh damn
water supply
water supply
looking back to camp
looking back to camp
last light on fernow
last light on fernow
camp stuff
camp stuff
Sunset on genius ridge
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. agree.gif 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! rocker.gif We were riding high at this point and chilled out for an hour or so to soak in the scene. wave.gif We even found Jake, Aaron, and Geyer in the register too. This called for mandatory drink! Cheers, another shot for Jake. cheers.gif 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
start of the morning scramble
live by two poles, die by two poles!!
live by two poles, die by two poles!!
1000ft of nice rambling on stuff like this
1000ft of nice rambling on stuff like this
upper choss slopes with awesome views at least
upper choss slopes with awesome views at least
N face of Maude
N face of Maude
Bryan finishing up the summit block
Bryan finishing up the summit block
Bonanza and co
Bonanza and co
Copper and beyond
Copper and beyond
lingerer
lingerer
cheers
cheers
amazing views
amazing views
dayum
dayum
7fj and Rainier off in the distance
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. dizzy.gif 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! drink.gif
that N face
that N face
the chockstone
the chockstone
Snowfield up top looking towards dumbbell lk
Snowfield up top looking towards dumbbell lk
gp making a presence
gp making a presence
gloomy basin down low
gloomy basin down low
looking back up the scramble
looking back up the scramble
basin views
basin views
heading up the 7fj ridge/notch
heading up the 7fj ridge/notch
at the notch
at the notch
tarn again
tarn again
looking back at this big range
looking back at this big range
cool tarn shot
cool tarn shot
B dawg
B dawg
had to put this one up lol! Why is he making that face... must be in pain!
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
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awilsondc
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Joined: 03 Apr 2016
Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
awilsondc
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PostFri Sep 10, 2021 7:40 am 
Sweet bivy gentlemen! rocker.gif Glad to see you getting out into that area. So much goodness up there! Cheers fellas, and cheers to Jake! cheers.gif

ozzy
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Fletcher
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics
Location: kirkland
Fletcher
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PostFri Sep 10, 2021 7:44 am 
Nice! I really really enjoyed that route when I did it.

ozzy
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neek
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Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Posts: 2329 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA
neek
Member
PostFri 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
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Off Route Randy
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Joined: 29 Jan 2021
Posts: 26 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma
Off Route Randy
Member
PostWed Sep 15, 2021 1:28 pm 
Definitely had a branch stab me in the ass on that last photo... Sick peak buddy!

ozzy
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Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...



Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics
Location: On the Summit
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
PostFri Sep 17, 2021 6:49 pm 
Great effort! Well done! up.gif up.gif Isn't that chockstone the coolest feature on that extremely cool route? Welcome to the Mount Fernow family of champions!

ozzy
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