Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mount Deception/ Royal and Upper Royal Basin ONP
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wreamer
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Joined: 13 Apr 2008
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Location: Missoula
wreamer
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PostSun Jul 04, 2010 10:09 pm 
3 of us headed up to climb mount Deception this past weekend. Day one... We headed up late in the morning and hiked up to the upper basin. We hit some snow just after the lower meadow and then constant snow from Boulder Shelter. We were somewhat concerned what snow conditions would be like and if rock fall was going to be an issue...(more on that later). We set up camp, had dinner, and packed for the climb in the morning.
Day 2. Got up to unexpectedly cold and frosty conditions. had breakfast and headed up the right side of the main drainage on hard snow...perfect for quick walking with crampons. got to the low spot in the ridge and descended onto the glacier on the other side as described in the climbers guide. The normal route up the "steep but short snow shoot" was capped by large cornices as seen in the pictures below. We proceeded around gilhoolie tower and up the back side of the mountain to the top. the route up was great. Views of the needles were great and views to the west were in and out of the clouds. Mystery was hidden frown.gif After a short and mostly sunny break we headed back down...still using the crampons on the hard snow. upon reaching the ridge before heading back down into upper royal basin, we found the sun had created "less than ideal" snow conditions. they were bad enough to get out the rope and setup belays for the steep top section. After a tedious and unsettling descent, we reached camp, ate dinner, and went to bed.
Day 3... We got up to warmer temps than Sat. morning, packed up camp and headed down to the car...
Great trip!

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." -Thomas Jefferson-
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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostSun Jul 04, 2010 10:13 pm 
Great report. For some reason the pics are taking FOREVER to load. Nice work.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish



Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics!
bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostSun Jul 04, 2010 10:35 pm 
wow! another upper royal basin TR up.gif i was expecting more snow but it looks pretty good to the lake. looks like fun was had by all! love photo 1245, 1246 looks dang cold! 1207....shooting star with the water drops up.gif oh heck, your photos are stunning! thanks

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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raising3hikers
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Joined: 21 Sep 2007
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Location: Edmonds, Wa
raising3hikers
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PostMon Jul 05, 2010 12:00 pm 
Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for the timely report up.gif I've been curious about the snow pack there because I'm trying to plan a trip there soon. How much snow is in the upper basin?

Eric Eames
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Hikingqueen
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Hikingqueen
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PostMon Jul 05, 2010 6:09 pm 
looks like fun, but no naked hikers this time?..great pics! up.gif

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Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
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Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostMon Jul 05, 2010 7:23 pm 
An economy of words. Nice pictures! up.gif

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Dane
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Joined: 14 Mar 2006
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Location: Seattle
Dane
Other
PostMon Jul 05, 2010 7:43 pm 
Congrats on the summit! The sunrise on Deception is always dramatic. That route is no fun when the snow is gone paranoid.gif

Without judgement what would we do? We would be forced to look at ourselves... -Death
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



Joined: 13 Feb 2007
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Location: Stuck in the middle
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostMon Jul 05, 2010 9:51 pm 
Fun to read about this area again. We went directly for the summit ridge on the E side after getting to the top of the big snow field. We came back via Gilhooley Tower as we ran the ridge to Martin. Point is, I don't know why the "standard" route crosses the ridge and heads up via that notch by the Tower. It's by far steeper and harder than many of the routes possible just by sticking to the east side all the way up.

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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking



Joined: 28 Mar 2007
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Location: 77 miles from Seattle!
EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
PostMon Jul 05, 2010 11:47 pm 
Awesome TR and photos!

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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nostawk
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Joined: 07 Jul 2010
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nostawk
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PostWed Jul 07, 2010 9:35 am 
I just got back from deception yesterday. It's amazing how much less snow is there is now compared to your pictures. I think I followed your tracks up the chute. I didn't make the summit. I had no crampons and wasn't comfortable doing that last really steep part of the chute. Nice pics!

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silence
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silence
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PostWed Jul 07, 2010 2:06 pm 
way to go .. i asked my climbing pal if he wanted to do it this past weekend too .. but i never heard back??? good thing .. i don't like the looks of gilhooley tower .. great tr and pix -- thx!

PHOTOS FILMS Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostThu Jul 08, 2010 8:14 am 
silence wrote:
i don't like the looks of gilhooley tower
Here's how to handle that ole scary tower: [img]http://[/img]

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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