[McPilchuck]

Eldorado Peak Paragon 8-9-03 Stark, with blue-hued glaciers above Marble Creek, the rugged-vertical peaks of Backbone Ridge on beautiful Eldorado Peak (8,868 feet) loomed in our face: Dorado Needle (8,440'), Marble Needle (8,401'), and Early Morning Spire (8,200') were magnificent and The Triad (7,520') a precipitous three-peaked massif rose to the heavens. The view to the Cascade Pass area was just about as impressive: with Mount Torment (8,120'), Boston Peak (8,894'), Sahale Peak (8,680'), and Johannesburg Mtn. (8,200') towering above the forested valley of the North Fork Cascade River. Even Hidden Lake Peak (7,088') and Mount Formidable (8,325') to the Southeast rose impressively and seemed full of aloofness as mountains go. The cold-blue lakes of Hidden looked inviting. And to our north, Mt. Baker of course loomed above all others. In awe, we (Mark Boyle and I) stood atop a 7,000 foot vista on a knife blade-like rocky ridge on the shoulder of The Triad. And as we contemplated the spectacular view in front of us, we were humbled by our thoughts of just how powerful and raw the wild land of the North Cascades really is. To our backs lay the route we had traversed: up the Hidden Lakes Trail a few miles, off-trail ascending a small pass well in bloom with wildflowers (est. 5,500') directly north of Sibley Creek Pass, attaining a rocky spur rib in the Marble Creek drainage southwest of the, The Triad, and finally ascending the knife blade-like ridge above the snowfield and glacier directly below. "No slip here in places!" Hours previously, I had attained the 6,148 foot point to the left of the pass (while Mark stayed at the pass for photo opts of marmots), but now that seemed almost insignificant for it seemed far below and only like that of a hill. The day had been one of mixed weather...starting off with rain and a cloudy full-sky while we had had breakfast in Arlington at around 7:00AM, turning to partly cloudy and sun, then to full sun and hot later in the day. And when up high with little shade between 6-7,000 feet, the sun was relentless boring down upon us...sweating profusely and receiving a sun burn to boot upon the face, though after many mountain treks on snowfields this summer my face had been burned and tanned already. The mountain breeze that rolled up the valley floor and over the ridges felt heavenly. No where did we see the physical presence of another human until we circumvented the main trail (descending from different route and down Sibley Pass) shortly before evening settled in. And as we did so, uttering to our boots to take us safely down, we kept commenting to one another about how "awesome and spectacular" the scenery had been...we felt as if we had been on the moon aloof from the rest of the universe...in the face and on the SW edge of Eldorado . . . McPil

[Slugman]

Now that's a trip report!

[McPilchuck]

Hey thanks Slug, it was grand! McPil

[#19]

Nice Trip. Eldorado looks like K2 from that vantage, IMO.

[McPilchuck]

Paps, Looks very familar, very! A great shot of Eldo BTW. Can't wait till I get my photos back, and yes, I am still using the 35mm Contax/Zeiss lens so am not digital yet...putting them on a CD then uploading them. At any rate, awesome stuff... McPil

[Uncle TimTom]

A nice shot indeed, and a good trip report as well.

[McPilchuck]

Here is a photo taken in the face of Eldorado near the, The Triad, in the last heather, by good friend Mark Boyle. http://www.alpinequest.com/eldoradoparagon.htm McPil

[3fngrs]

Very nice photo and trip report McPil!!!

[McPilchuck]

and a shot of Little Devil to boot: http://www.alpinequest.com/fromeldo.jpg http://www.alpinequest.com/eldoradoview.jpg She's as light as any fairy; she's as pretty as a peach; She's mistress of the witchcraft to beguile; There's sunshine in her manner, there's music in her speech, And there's concentrated honey in her smile. (excerpt from: The Man from Eldorado...by Robert W. Service) McPil