[Randy]

This one starts at the Chatter Creek trailhead, trail #1580, elevation ~2900'. The summit sits atop Sylvester Lake and offers up commanding views of Cashmere and Eightmile Mountains to the south, and Cape Horn and numerous lakes to the north (so I hear). I knew my plan of Grindstone, Cape Horn, and Ladies Peak was looking a bit uninviting when I gazed up the hill and saw nothing but a dense layer of fog without a hint of burning off. To top it off, I had left my trusty rain pants at home. Still, I left the trailhead with every intention of making all three peaks. The Chatter Creek trail is in fine shape to 4400' where I crossed the drainage twice which was no trouble. After the crossings, the trail becomes exceedingly brushy and is in real need of maintenance to 6000’ where finally the alpine setting reduces the trailside flora to heather and small conifer. By this point, I was drenched from the wet brush, and cold temperatures were not helping matters. To heck with Cape Horn and Ladies Peak, Grindstone would have to do this day. At 6000', I was in the lower reaches of the fog bank, and even then, neither the north or the south ridge of Grindstone was visible. I had a good idea of how I wanted to go about getting to the summit, but not a hint of my route was showing. I followed the trail to 6400' where I pushed west, crossing the headwaters of Chatter Creek on a large snow bridge. I ascended heather and grass to 6600' then a class 2 stream course to 7000'. This allowed me to flank the cliff bands to the NE of Grindstone to the north and pass easily to higher ground. I still could not see the top of the ridge, but knew that the nature of the surrounding relief would force me where I wanted to be. At 7200' the spires of the north ridge came into view and with the cliff bands safely to my left I knew I was home free. I made the subtle saddle at 7400' and proceeded to descend 100' on the other side so I could traverse below the cliffs of the north ridge. I was now in the large basin to the north of the mountain, but still could not see Grindstone. I ascended a medium-steep snowfield to gain the summit ridge where I bounced along to the west trying to locate the true summit which was a challenge in the fog. Several false summits exist and I basically looked each one over until I ran out of ridge. I hauled myself up the last bump and found the register lodged between a couple rocks; finally. It took me just under 3.5 hours from car to summit. To get out of the biting wind, I tried to wedge myself between two granite slabs that make up the small summit area, but 15 minutes was all I could take and I quickly returned to the saddle at 7400’ along the north ridge. Here I found a comfortable nook out of the wind, a great place to nap and get a bite to eat. I decided to "stick it out" here for a while and see if some of the fog would lift. After 45 minutes visibility increased somewhat, I snapped a few pictures then descended my route. As luck would have it, the sun came out about halfway down and by the time I got back to the trailhead it was downright balmy. Stats: 7 hours car to car, 10 miles, 5000’ of gain (including the ups and downs).