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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2344 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Snowfield Peak is a mountain that I've been wanting to climb for a few years now. With a rare weekday off, I wanted to make the most of that day. I left my house at 3 a.m. and was hiking up the Pyramid Lake trail by 5:30.
I passed the tiny Pyramid lake, maybe only 50 yards long, and headed uphill to try and find the climbers trail. I had a little trouble finding it but eventually found it and followed it until I hit snow at 3800'. Once I hit the snow, it became deep quickly. There were 4-5 foot snow walls that I had to climb over near some cliff bands that made things interesting.
Pyramid Lake Pyramid Peak
Occasionally, I would see some faint boot tracks from possibly a day or two ago and would follow them up the ridge. It was steep in spots but the snow was surprising good. It looks like things are finally starting to consolidate. As the forest thinned, I got my first views of the Colonial area peaks and the route into the basin. There is still a lot of snow in there and on the traverse to the basin. It definitely wouldn't be a place to be in when the avi danger is high. I crossed under the steep side of Pyramid Peak and was at the deeply snow covered Colonial glacier. It's little lake is still frozen also. From there, I could see Neve Peak, not an official name but it's a name I've heard it called. It's the peak just west of Colonial.
Colonial basin Colonial and Neve Peaks
I kept heading up to the col where I would drop down to the Neve glacier. Once there, I could see the amazing landscape I was about to enter. The Neve glacier is big and wide and it makes the peaks bordering it look tiny. I aimed for Snowfield Peak along the flattest parts of the glacier and eventually reached its base.
Paul Bunyans Stump, Pinnacle and Pyramid Peaks Snowfield Peak the Cat's ear over the Neve/Ladder Creek glacier the Pickets
I went to the West side of Snowfield where it looked like a pretty easy way up. At first it wasn't too bad as I even got off the snow for a while and hiked on rocks for a few hundred feet. I spotted a gully I had to go in and when I reached the top of it, I was back on boulders for a little while. Then came the unexpected exposed scramble over some big blocks. It was either go there or be on steep snow that isn't very deep. So I went along this little ridge and then had to drop about 10 feet. This is why I'm glad I brought my rope, because this spot wasn't easy to down climb and it was steep on both sides. My landing would be a patch of snow, so I threw the rope around a rock a let myself down nice and easy to the level snow patch. From there I scrambled up some rocks until steep snow and kicked stepped my way to the summit. The summit was mostly snow covered so if there is a register, I didn't see it. The views were worth all the effort to get here. Big mountains in every direction.
the gully on the west side of Snowfield Backbone ridge Eldorado and the big McAlester glacier Tricouni Buckner and Primus a view to the west across the Neve glacier Austera ridge
Since the way I came up was a little sketchy, I decided to plunge step all the way down the North face of Snowfield. It was steep but the snow was great and it saved me a lot of time getting down. As I headed back across the glacier, I began thinking that I probably a little energy left to walk up Neve peak also. As I got close to the col I veered off and went east to the easy summit. It has a cairn on top but no register there either. It has a great view of the Snowfield Peak area from the summit. I didn't stay long and began long way back to the truck. I took a few detours so I would have to run into the annoying cliff bands on the way back down. I was soon out of the snow and found the climbers trail and followed it all the way back to the lake, a little easier than on the way up. I reached my truck already thinking about my next visit to this beautiful place.
Snowfield Peak, I went up on the right and came down middle left Neve glacier the Needle above shadows on the glacier Snowfield to the Needle from Neve Peak
A long but satisfying day
16 miles
8400' elevation gain
12 hrs 15 min
2 peaks
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Tom_Sjolseth Born Yesterday
Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 2652 | TRs | Pics Location: Right here. |
Love it up there. Nice work on a long day trip.
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:44 pm
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That is a lot of ground to cover in a day. Nice work!
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Bedivere Why Do Witches Burn?
Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 7464 | TRs | Pics Location: The Hermitage |
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
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Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:49 pm
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Beautiful!
How long of a hike both distance and elevation-wise is it before you hit consistent snow on this route?
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Dayhike Mike Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila |
Huge day! Thanks for posting!
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5633 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:16 pm
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You are the first person I've ever heard of doing this as a dayhike.
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User-Name Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 312 | TRs | Pics Location: bellevue |
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Don Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 2013 | TRs | Pics Location: Fairwood, WA |
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Don
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:36 am
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Strong work on a classic climb! I remember the 10' descent to cross the south facing gully near the summit quite well, thought it wasn't in snow. I don't remember any alternate routes on the north side. Sounds like the snow was probably your friend!
Don
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silence Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 4420 | TRs | Pics
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silence
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:57 am
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thx eric for letting me live (i mean climb) vicariously thru you
great photos as always ..
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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iron Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 6392 | TRs | Pics Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:52 am
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good stuff and ambitious trip!
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Damn, you mean business knocking off those T100's this year in rapid succession. Strong work, nice pics !
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Type E Member
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 1381 | TRs | Pics
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Type E
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:35 pm
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are you ever concerned crossing glaciers solo and unroped?
E
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cartman Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics Location: Fremont |
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cartman
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:45 pm
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That's such a great area. I'll be back for the Needle and the Stump!
12 hrs RT? Jeez. Very strong!
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Stefan-K Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2009 Posts: 522 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
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Stefan-K
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Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:12 pm
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Dayhike Mike Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila |
Type E wrote: | are you ever concerned crossing glaciers solo and unroped? |
Solo and roped up is so much better. Extraction at that point just requires sufficient prayer to interest God in practicing his mad yo-yo skillz.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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