[MidLifeHiker]

I have been wanting to hike Mt Maude since last year and have read all the trip reports on this site (thanks all) and anything else I could find googling around. For the last three years since I read about this area in "Don't Waste Your Time in the North Cascades" I have backpacked between Spider Meadow and Lyman Lakes. But this year I wanted to get higher. Watching the weather, this last weekend looked like the perfect time, except I was busy on Saturday, so a Sunday-Monday trip looked like the way to go. From the trail head, it is about 3.5 miles to the Leroy Basin turnoff right after crossing Leroy Creek. You gain only about 600 feet in that first 3.5 miles. Over the next mile you gain twice that. The trail is pretty steep for about a mile and half. Most of it is just packed dirt, so if it were to rain, one slip and all I swear you would slide all the way back down to Phelps Creek. About a mile from Phelps Creek, you get your first look at Seven Fingered Jack and Mt Maude. Also, you can see the infamous gorge cut out by run off a couple years ago.

About 5 miles in from the trail head you get to Leroy Camp. There were several tents there. One gal I talked to had hiked Mt Maude the day before and her husband and friends were about 600 feet from the top of Seven Fingered Jack.

After heading West for the last 1.5 miles, you turn more south and traverse below ridge between Severn fingered Jack and Mt Maude. About a mile after you pass Leroy Camp you come across the infamous gorge. I took pictures, but without a point of reference it looks like something small enough to jump across, but trust me you can't. The best place I could see to cross was about 75-100 feet above the trail. It is still steep, but much more doable.

About 7 miles in from the trail head you cross the valley south of Leroy camp to a small ridge. You can either go straight into the next valley or straight up the ridge. I thought the main trail was straight to enter the valley to the south.

Well this looked like the right way but the trail kind of peters out at the base of the 600 foot ridge. I knew Upper Ice Lake was just on the other side. It kind of reminded me of a small Asgard Pass. Once on top of the ridge, you finally see the Lake.

Looking back from where I just hiked up.

And you get a good look up Mt Maude.

I looked around a bit for a good camp site and took a few pictures before I settle on one at the southwest side of the lake.

I thought about hiking up Mt Maude before dark, but instead found a comfortable rock and took a nap until dinner time. It was about 60F until the sun started to go down. After the sun sent down, the temperature dropped into the 40s quickly.

I woke up about 6am. It was about 35F in the tent and colder outside. Made some breakfast and headed up Mt Maude. Notice the frost on my pack.

I didn't see any obvious way up, so I just followed up one of the streams. Well it was a bad idea and it got pretty steep. I knew I didn't want to go back down this way. On the way down I did find the trail which was much better than the route I originally took. Once you get to the ridge, you are about half way up, 8000 feet.

The last 1000 vertical feet to the summit is probably the easiest 1000 feet of the entire hike! For the most part the trail is rather smooth and easy to follow. I think I made the last 1000 feet in about half an hour. Once on top, what a great view of everything. I think I could see almost every peak I have ever climbed(hiked) from here. Looking back down toward Upper Ice Lake.

Looking west.

Looking northwest you can see Spider Meadow, Larch Point, Phelps Basin, and Spider Gap.

Here I can see Three Fingers, White Horse, and Mt Pugh.

Mt Stuart

Looking back down the way I came.

And almost forgot, Seven Fingered Jack.

Glacier Peak

After about 30 minutes on top, I headed down, since I still needed to pack up and head back all the way back to the trail head today. Here are a few panoramas from the trip.

The way out was uneventful, except for a stupid detour I made thinking I would save some time, but instead it cost me about an hour. The total trip was almost 19 miles and 5500 feet vertical. If you add up all the trail ups and downs, my mistakes, and dropping down in to the lake the total vertical gain is probably closer to 6500 feet. Below is the profile.

Dang, I forgot a boot shot again! Mark

[Magellan]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing Mark.

[Backpacker Joe]

Yes great stuff. You have to see that gorge to understand it. It's really something.

[mntsun]

Great job and nice pictures! If I go there again, I would follow your path, camping at Ice Lakes. Maude has to be much easier/safer from that side. The lakes look very beautiful...I didn't get to see them in the fog.

[cweston]

About the gulley: did you cross in the same place on the way back (75-100 feet up from the trail)? Still think that's the best route? I'm heading up there in about 1.5 weeks: looking for the best beta on getting through that beast. Thanks.

[MidLifeHiker]

cweston, I would have crossed the gulley at the same place, but I did something stupid. On the way back I decided to take a trail that headed down the valley instead of the main trail heading back to Leroy Camp then down the valley. I lost the trail after a while and just started heading directly toward the other trail. After about 45 minutes of bush wacking, I realized how stupid I was. I wasn't lost at any point, but I was solo and at least 1/4 mile off the trail. If I would have hurt myself, nobody would ever find me down there. So I headed straight up eating about 350 vertical and a bit of pride. So instead of saving an hour, it cost me about an hour. The crossing about 75-100 above the trail is probably no worse than some of the sections of the trail you will cross on the way to Ice Lakes or Mt Maude. Here is a link to a Google Earth .kmz file of my track log for the entire trip, except some wondering around the lake I did. http://www.hastingshome.org/TrackLogs/MtMaude08.kmz I broke one of my rules when hiking solo. Never deviate far from the main trail unless you have told someone what you plan. Always live to hike another day! Mark

[cweston]

Thanks.

[Quark]

[EastKing]

Great trip report! Now knowing about Mt. Maude I will put it on my list. Good detail which will help me out on this peak in the ture. Great TR and photo s.

[MidLifeHiker]

For next year I think I'll put Seven Fingered Jack on my list. Making your base camp at Leroy Basin and hiking up from there looks like a nice trip. I just need to research how technical Seven Fingered Jack is and see if it is within my skills. I'm really a hiker that likes to get high (elevation wise), so don't now much about using ropes and stuff. Thanks for the compliments all! Mark

[Bryan K]

[Gil]

[Backpacker Joe]

I did the same hike MLH did. I was wondering what the people who are familiar with the Carne high route would think of comparing the Carne route with the LeRoy creek route? Seems to me it might be a better approach.

[MidLifeHiker]

I talked to a couple people that were heading out just before me and they said they considered the Carne route but heard there was some bushwhacking involved. Mark

[wamtngal]

MLH - don't feel too bad about your bushwacking experience. I was up there over Labor Day weekend and we started doing the same descent (dang cairns!), realized we were heading further down valley than we wanted and corrected our route. So you're definitely not the only one to be swayed by those cairns. Our detour wasn't quite as long as yours though. Beautiful area.