[Randy]

A strong party of 8 of us ascended this thing via the Sitkum on Saturday and Sunday. We left the trailhead at 1030 and walked the 5 flat and long miles up to the cut off for the PCT. After 2 more miles of ascending we reached the PCT where we turned left toward Fire Creek Pass. In another half mile we reached the turn off for Boulder Basin which is reached via a steep climbers path. We finally reached Boulder Basin (5600') around 1600 and gladly dropped our heavy packs and set up camp. Up at 0400 the next morning with Mars ablaze in the southern sky (truly incredible) - outa camp by 0515. Reached the toe of the lower Sitkum around 0600. Decided not to rope up, but carried the glacier gear in case someone punched through into an ice box. Lots of blue ice and generally icy conditions on the entire route. We weaved the crevasse mine fields, jumped a lot, and used our share of sketchy snow bridges to access the choss saddle near Sitkum Spire. The final 1300' were up loose pumice which was mildly annoying to say the least. Yet, the amazing views on the route and the summit more than made up for any choss worries we might have had. We made the summit around 1015 (I think) and enjoyed what has got to be one of the finest perches in the neighborhood. Lakes and peaks (and fires) stretched continuously in all directions. We descended our same route which went fast through the dirt and then a bit slower through some of the steeper ice sections on the glacier. More than once members of our party managed to punch through over crevasses with the warm afternoon sun melting things fast. Eventually made it back to camp at 1415. After a lot of sidehilling in crampons we all had weary feet (and some wanted to stay another night), but we all headed back around 1600 for the cars. Given that it's almost 10 miles out, and the people's feet were in different stages of deterioration, about 90 minutes elapsed between when the first few folks made it back to the parking lot and when the last person made it back. Nevertheless, we were all glad to be getting out of there by about 10 PM. After an underwhelming "dinner" at Denny's outside of Arlington, I was finally in bed by 0100.

[El Puma]

[Randy]

I don't understand the need to rant under my trip report when you can send me a PM. Have you been on the route? It's not necessarily one that begs for a rope especially this time of year. To clarify the punching through issue; the two people who did were on belay while testing snow bridges. Edited at the request of the the best "lake bagger" on this site.

[Allison]

Need some rock climbing lessons, little boy?

[SeaNat]

We did GP last year about this time. We camped down at the intersection of the PCT. I couldn't understand why everyone else packed their heavy packs up that climber's route to Boulder Basin. I know there are some spectacular views but good luck getting a tent site. It only added a half hour onto our climb and was worth the quietness and shade when we got back to camp. It was a pretty strenuous day hike. With crampons and ice axes we never felt we needed more. A mounaineer group from spokane was coming down all roped up and they giving us the stink-eye and shaking their heads because we had no ropes. But they were the ones that seemed out of place because no one else was roped up either. It's funny, what took us over five hours to climb only took 40 minutes to glisade down. I love the view from up there. I guess that's why we do it. Adam's S. Route was the same way.

[MtnGoat]

I've been in on Glacier a bunch and summited three times. Only the first time did we rope. The Sitkum is such a dog route and late in the season the crevasses so obvious, you just give them a wide, wide berth and you're dandy.