Forum Index > Trip Reports > kyes peak - 2010-07-15
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 12:34 am 
super short (sorry, need sleep and have to pack for ptarmigan traverse) teamed up with hollywood and jb. followed smoot's route, which i believe is the standard route, up blanca lake trail, to virgin lake, up north-trending ridge, to last saddle before pt 6845, down towards blanca lake, traverse level, find bootpath, go up a little, find more snow, rising traverse, cross over broad, flat ridge, walk snow covered ridge, throw in some 2/3 class scrambling to get to summit. awesome day. blanca lake is completely melted out. waterfall at inlet is flowing strong and loud. snow just before virgin lake in its usual holding areas that seem to always melt out late. i surmise trail down to blanca is snow-free, but did not verify. snow conditions generally good-to-excellent. no bugs during the day. some came out during evening hours. some biting, not all. they will be soon though. lots of water available on the route, just need to find snowmelt. found water on trail ~200ft before dropping into virgin lake basin. general route description: if it feels wrong, it probably is. back track and find the right way up.
first site of blanca
first site of blanca
skirting
skirting
easier trail
easier trail
columbia glacier and kyes peak (right)
columbia glacier and kyes peak (right)
always breathtaking
always breathtaking
almost looks fake
almost looks fake
seeing a new side of blanca
seeing a new side of blanca
beginning traverse after saddle
beginning traverse after saddle
still green
still green
looking at what lies ahead
looking at what lies ahead
hollywood bein' hollywood
hollywood bein' hollywood
glowing
glowing
rising traverse at this point
rising traverse at this point
little class 2/3 downclimb to get to snow
little class 2/3 downclimb to get to snow
more traversing
more traversing
goes from big to small in a hurry
goes from big to small in a hurry
little climbers
little climbers
ascending snow ramp to flat ridge
ascending snow ramp to flat ridge
good spot to fill up water
good spot to fill up water
a beautiful setting
a beautiful setting
streaky rocks, or just wet?
streaky rocks, or just wet?
stylin'
stylin'
regaining the snow
regaining the snow
in sight now
in sight now
hollywood's sighting in his axe
hollywood's sighting in his axe
storm ridge beyond
storm ridge beyond
getting cloudy
getting cloudy
red
red
hanging on tite
hanging on tite
white chuck, pugh, sloan
white chuck, pugh, sloan
three fingers, whitehorse
three fingers, whitehorse
summit time
summit time
coming down from the top
coming down from the top
flying onto the snow
flying onto the snow
columbia glacier and the never ending question of will the saddle connect to columbia peak
columbia glacier and the never ending question of will the saddle connect to columbia peak
heading toward pt 7025
heading toward pt 7025
life is trying
life is trying
staring at the monument
staring at the monument
there's snowhere to go
there's snowhere to go
descending
descending
hued valleys
hued valleys
traversing back
traversing back
wind + sun
wind + sun
impressive slide path on storm ridge
impressive slide path on storm ridge

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
beaudaddy
Coast To Cascades



Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Posts: 401 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tulalip, WA
beaudaddy
Coast To Cascades
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 12:45 am 
Amazing!!! I want to do this one soon? Great Pics. How long did it take you guys from TH to Summit? Just curious. smile.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 6:37 am 
Very nice Iron! up.gif up.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Rigafari
Member
Member


Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 98 | TRs | Pics
Rigafari
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 10:16 am 
Nice...hiked this one the day before. It took a little over 8 hours round trip for us.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 10:20 am 
up.gif Damn concise, great pics !

Living in the Anthropocene
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Hulksmash
Cleaning up.



Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 7113 | TRs | Pics
Location: Arlington
Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 10:29 am 
Those pics sure make it hard to wait till August to go camp there. banghead.gif

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Man-inna-hillz
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Aug 2005
Posts: 286 | TRs | Pics
Location: Berkeley, CA
Man-inna-hillz
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 11:51 am 
beaudaddy wrote:
Amazing!!! I want to do this one soon? How long did it take you guys from TH to Summit? Just curious.
Also curious...I hear tell of epics. Can a reasonably fit climber/scrambler do this from trailhad to trailhead in 14 hours or less?

The God of language forgives all crimes. -W.H. Auden
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 12:51 pm 
i assume a reasonably fit person could get it done in <14hrs. we took about 11, but had a leisurely pace and several breaks to enjoy the scenery.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 1:03 pm 
Great work as usual. Nice pics too.

"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
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 1:44 pm 
Nice trip. One of my fav mountains.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
cartman
Member
Member


Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics
Location: Fremont
cartman
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 5:28 pm 
Way to rest up for the Ptarmigan. Aren't you supposed to be gone for that already? Nice pics. We had a great time on Kyes end of August last year on the same route. Now want to do it earlier via the Columbia Glacier.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 5:36 pm 
what's rest? just because i'm on "summer vacation" doesn't mean i should be sitting inside smile.gif the bad thing, although probably good, is that my boots failed on me during the trip, snapping off one of the shoelace loops. so, i'll be breaking in new boots on the PT. fun. it's a good thing there'll be a lot of snow to cool my aching, blistered, and battered feet shakehead.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
seattlehikertoo
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 582 | TRs | Pics
Location: Finding an alternative to Mailbox Pk
seattlehikertoo
Member
PostFri Jul 16, 2010 8:46 pm 
Nice job. You guys made it look like it was just a casual walk. Holy sh*t. My brother and I were going to attempt Kyes with a 4p start on Wed and catch the departing sun, but we ended up at Blanca, marveling at the scene. I'll post a report.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
peltoms
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 1760 | TRs | Pics
Location: Worcester MA
peltoms
Member
PostSat Jul 17, 2010 4:07 am 
Love the stylin shot, usually do not see a shot back along the flattish area of that ridge. Having ascended that Monte Cristo Saddle 25 times yeah it connects to Columbia. Good luck on Ptarmigan, make sure to photographically admire the terminus of the Middle Cascade Glacier. up.gif smile.gif

North Cascade Glacier Climate Project: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Michael Lewis
Taking a nap



Joined: 27 Apr 2009
Posts: 629 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lynnwood, WA (for now)
Michael Lewis
Taking a nap
PostSat Jul 17, 2010 12:16 pm 
How was that bit at the end? Any moats or sno-bergschrunds to watch out for? Anyways, it looks like there's a lot of alpine scenery to catch your attention up there. Good read and beautiful photos. up.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > kyes peak - 2010-07-15
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

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