[Stefan]

February 7, 2004 Peak 4040+ / USGS Mt. Stickney / 440' of prominence Peak 4880+ / USGS Monte Cristo / 520' of prominence North Central Region My previous trip I explained how I always get out when there is a "Winter Storm Warning". This time there was no "Warning" but a "Hazardous Weather Outlook" the previous day which dumped snow. This time saw Greg K., Mike C., Paul K., and myself at the bridge crossing the North Fork Skykomish at Galena and parking the car at 7:00 a.m. due to the amount of snow. We walked up the road for about 1/2 mile before we took a side road off to the left just before the main road to Mineral Butte takes a right heading north. This side road used to cross Salmon Creek when logging activity was existent in this area, but now there is cable across Salmon creek which can support several people at once. The running of Salmon Creek was too voluminous at this time so we went further downstream about 100 meters to where the creek forms three different braids. We crossed here where the water did get up to shin heighth (not a problem with gaiters) on, but if I knew about the cable, I would have brought my large pulley to get across the stream. Note: on the way back I chose to cross the stream at the cable crossing and the water was mid thigh deep. On the west side of Salmon Creek is the logging road and about 1/4 of mile on the road away from the stream is where we went uphill. This area was large second growth trees and brush was nonexistent. Very nice. We headed up and slightly SW until we came to the first cliffy section, headed west around the base and then went up. After avoiding this section we then went north and slightly east above the cliffy section running into someone who had recently cut large pieces of firewood for some reason. We then went slightly north and avoided another rocky section on its east side, and when we were above the rocky section we headed west and found a U.S. Land Survey marker from 1924 which was the confluence of the USGS lines at the 1600 foot elevation. We then went up a bouldery field, and headed left around another cliffy section and then straight up a gully with some trees. At the top of this gully we headed slightly east again staying almost on the ridge and then went up another gully that was similar to the first one--both gullies were very slippery due to wet snow on top of pine needle floor. This was where the rock bands stopped and put us at a large plateau starting around 2200 feet and was horribly brushy until 2600 feet--but we prevailed through the wet trees. At 2600 feet is where we donned the snowshoes. We pretty much stayed on the ridge all the way to point 4040+ pushing our way through the recent snow dump. It was exhausting to get to this point and we made it to here by 11:00. No views. Mike C. decided to take a long lunch and wait for our return becuase the three of us decided to keep going for peak 4880+ which is just east of Snowslide Lake. We dropped down to the saddle at 3600 feet, traversed around the south side of the 4000 foot closed contour, and then went up the ridge proper staying almost exclusively on the ridge all the way to point 4880+. Does anybody know of anybody who has done this peak? I think this may have been the first winter ascent of this peak. I thought maybe those Trailblazers may have gone up this peak. Paul was a machine this day. The amount of snow was debilitating but somehow Paul prevailed and I gave the machine some breaks. We made the summit by 1:30 in some windy conditions and hurriedly made our way out of there. We had to "reclimb" peak 4080+ which was exhausting but you know I made it since I am writing this to you. We retraced our steps meeting Mike at the first gully who was waiting for us under a rocky outcropping. The rain came and went during the day--and of course snow. But now since you know there is a snowshoe path up there I recommend you go for it RIGHT NOW before the weather turns poor once again! Questions: 1) I have received word that Trailblazers have gone over peak 4880+ to stock fish at Snowslide lake. They call this peak Sahal peak. Is this correct? 2) Did the Trailblazers go over peak 4040+? And if so, what was it called?