[MLHSN]

Eightmile Mountain 7996' length: 11.7 mi. gain: 4800'

eightmile

Wildernessed and Steve had their eyes set on doing Eightmile Mtn. since last year when they had a nice run-in with some slide alder. KyleD, Beave, and I joined them for the retry. The various creeks crossed along the way were really ripping by. It was a beautiful day. I couldn't ask for better weather or visibility. We did the quick jaunt up to the backside of eightmile lake. There was plenty of lupine, paintbrush, trilium, and some lewisia Tweedyi along the way. A few blowdowns were along the way but easily passed. From the backside of Eightmile Lake we walked over a somewhat boggy area and on past the lake a half-mile to an avalanche swath. From there we were log-hopping to the northwest up the mountainside a ways. It is critically at this point to hug the side of a couple of rock formations while ascending to avoid a mass of slide alder inside the wide draw. You have to punch through a few branches on the way but it is much better then the alder. Finally, we popped through to a small boulder field with a decent amount of leftover snow. For the most part, this allowed us to ascend rather easily but wary of punching through in a few places.

Finally out of thebrush

Next, we arrived at a nice little basin at about 6410'. We were even accompanied by a nice little waterfall that recently emerged from underneath the snow. We took a little break, threw on the crampons and up the avalanche chute another 1300' to gain the ridge.

Eightmile

Eightmile with iceberg

Wildernessed and Rob with Cannon in Background

Cooling off

From the ridgeline it was a nice easy scramble the last 250' to the summit. It is a nice, flat, rather large summit. There was plenty of room to walk around on top. Beautiful views towards Rainier, Adams, Glacier Peak, and even baker in the distance. We had amazing up-close views of the Enchantments and many others.

Stewart

Mt. Cashmere

Trout Lake

Rainier

Stewart

car-to-car: 9:30 hours including a nice long lunch Better photo's to come from Wildernessed, Beave, and KyleD

[kyle d]

Great trip, glad I came along on it. Thanks for the report MLHSN, and to Steve and Wildernessed for arranging it. Here are some of my pictures. I did some experimenting and thought that the black and white versions had better exposure with the bright sun on the snow, so I took a lot in black and white for what its worth:dizzy:

A climber surveys the terrain from the summit of Eightmile looking south towards Mount Rainier.

Eightmile mountains summit Cairn is overlooked by Mount Stuart

Climbers on Eightmile Mountain with Mount Rainier in the distance (black and white)

Mount Rainier black and white from theh summit of Eightmile Mountain.

The Alpine Lakes wilderness from the summit of Eightmile Mountain

Sherpa Peak and part of the North Face of Stuart

Mount Daniel black and white as seen from the summit of Eightmile mountain. Alpine Lakes wilderness, Washington.

Stuart Range as viewed from Eightmile mountain. Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wenatchee National Forest, Washington. Black and White.

Glacier Peak from the summit of Eightmile Mountain.

Sloan from Eightmile BW

Heading out of the basin toward the summit of Eightmile with Stuart and associates in the background. Alpine Lakes wilderness, WA

Getting higher on Eightmile mountain

Stuart in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wenatchee national forest, WA.

Unknown peak in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington. From the summit of Eightmile

The Stuart Range with Stuart itself in the center. Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA.

Black and white of Stuart in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wenatchee National Forest, WA.

Reflection in Eightmile Lake, Eightmile Peak is on the right.

Mount Stuart comes into view while climbing Eightmile Mountain in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wenatchee National Forest, Washington.

Ladybug explosion on eightmile

Mount Cashmere from Eightmile

And for a bit more color, a few wildflowers:

Lewisia aong the Eightmile trail

Lewisia along the Eightmile trail

[Magellan]

Superlative!

[the Zachster]

Looks like an awesome trip on an awesome day! Great pics!

[wildernessed]

What a perfect day, and group for this trip. It eluded us last year, then again last Friday as we sat at the TH around 0500 hr. in the rain and a low cloud deck. But yesterday was the day, with blue skies and comfortable temps. We hit the trail and made decent time to and around Eightmile Lake ...

Eightmile Mountain and Eightmile Lake

Then continued above and beyond Eightmiles inflow creek through some fairly stable, but periodicallly undermined snow to an old avalanche swathe and up through forest with quite a patchwork of brush and blowdown. This section would have earned the "Justus Approved Route Award"...

We were lucky enough to have a good climbers path.

From there we hit a mix of slabby rocks, brush, and snow before breaking out into the mouth of the lower SW basin into increasingly good consolidated snow with the ridgeline in view...

Pulling above the brush, downfall, and rock getting funneled into the mouth of the basin.

Beave with Eightmile Lake below.

We took a break at the bottom of the basin, refueled, and made our route choice...

In the basin our route would follow the right snow finger, but kyle didn't hit the ridge, he climbed the steep snow up the W side of the mountain.

Seasonal waterfall

Kyle took off like a shot and forgot about the ridge , climbing right up the side of the mountain, short, sweet, but intense in the sun and heat...

Up in the sun and heat.

Path to Eightmile

We all finally made the bare rocks and scrambled to the large flattish summit with gorgeous views all around...

Mt. Stuart

Argonaut (center)

Sloan

Baker with a hint of Shuksan on it's left shoulder.

Glacier Peak

Mt. Daniel

Highpoint on Jack Ridge.

Ingalls Peak

After the snow a few hundred feet of scrambling.

Name this peak ?

Approaching the summit area.

South Ingalls and Fortune Peaks below Rainier.

Fortune Peak

We are here and it's beautiful.

Stuart and Sherpa from the summit.

The cameras were clicking and we kicked back and enjoyed some rest and lunch, finally a beautiful Spring day high in the mountains ...

Asgard Pass - Dragontail Peak - Colchuck Col - Colchuck Peak

Trout Lake

Mt. Cashmere

Maude - 7FJ - Fernow - Copper

Cannon

Asgard Pass

Loitering on the summit.

Grindstone (center)

Looking down the N basin.

Eightmile Lake

Big Lou

Snowgrass

Eventually we started back down, the alternative routes weren't to inspirational, but we had a blast making some quick work of a good part of it glissading...

Heading down. Time for some glissades.

Glissade track

We pounded out the miles back to the lakes where Mark tossed a line in a few times, then we hit the trail back through the forest. The wildflowers are coming out along the trail in increasing numbers...

Looking at the headwall area in Eightmile Basin

Sloan - Baker

Eightmile Lake

Burch to Beaves Head

1 label

Cashmere from Eightmile

Enchantments - Stuart Range from Eightmile Summit

Mt. Daniel Area

Rainier to beyond Glacier

Rainier to Index - Baring

Looking back on our route.

Trillium

Rock Roses high in the cliff wall

yellow violet

Ballhead Waterleaf

Orange Paintbrush

Red Paintbrush

Lupine

Colchuck Col - Colchuck Peak

Thanks to Steve, Beave, kyled, and Mark for a great time. This was a good one.

[Matt]

You guys had some great visibility. Nice to see all the flowers also.

[Type E]

Great weather for such a worthy objective. I cannot believe the rate in which the snow is melting out. I am not quite hopeful the weather will cooperate for me tomorrow, but I will give it a shot.

[peltoms]

Excellent reflection shots kyled

[bobbi]

love the black and white photos! love it all. great mountain shots!

[dicentra]

[wildernessed]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildernessed/sets/72157605354286734/show/

[Get Out and Go]

Well Done!!! That's one fine looking summit area, and Friday was a superb day to be out.

[wildernessed]

[wildernessed]

[Justus S.]

Looks splendid. You guys rock. Now I really want to go back and conquer that mtn.