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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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wildernessed
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 1:20 pm 
Location : North of Roslyn > FR 4330 to Tucquala Meadows TH Guidebooks : Summit Routes, 75 Scrambles in Wa., Cascade Alpine Guide Maps : GTM - Stevens Pass, Custom TOPO Stats : 14.5 mi, 5700', 13.5 hr.
Mt. Daniel Loop (SE and NE ridges)
Mt. Daniel Loop (SE and NE ridges)
Mt. Daniel was on the "to do list" for Steve and I for awhile, you can see it from most everywhere, and it's a beautiful mountain, especiallly when viewed from it's North side. Looking at the guidebooks I picked the SE ridge route, which is a scrappy scramble, as we would find out on the hottest day of the year so far. We both looked at different guidebooks and thought we would be on snow most of the time, but we were wrong, to do that we should have taken the NE ridge route. We played the hand we dealt and did both routes to form a loop and experienced the full package of lakes, ridges, rock (class 1-4), snowfields, glaciers, and walked around the terminal moraine which was really cool. This was fun, though Hot and Nasty. We were on the trail around 0630, a little behind time, we wanted to get elevation out of the way before we had to suffer in the heat, but it was already in the 60's. We lathered up in sunscreen and deet just prior.
Cle Elum River
Cle Elum River
The ascent from the trailhead is terribly drawn out with a long slow to gain trail but made it past bug infested Squaw Lake bug.gif and several other tarns, through pretty Spinola Meadows to the climbers trail and Peggy's frozen pond in about 2.5 hours.
Squaw Lake, buggiest section of the trip.
Squaw Lake, buggiest section of the trip.
Squaw Lake from the North shore
Squaw Lake from the North shore
Section of Spinola Meadows
Section of Spinola Meadows
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock
Unnamed Lake / tarn near trail
Unnamed Lake / tarn near trail
Meadows and snow on the trail. First small section of snow encountered around 5000', solid snow did not start until Peggys Pond.
Meadows and snow on the trail. First small section of snow encountered around 5000', solid snow did not start until Peggys Pond.
The unmaintained trail is a scramble at times itself. No real consistent snow until Peggy's Pond.
Ribbon Waterfall
Ribbon Waterfall
Highpoint at the end of the S.E. ridge from the climbers trail to Peggy's Pond
Highpoint at the end of the S.E. ridge from the climbers trail to Peggy's Pond
S.E. Ridge and East summit of Mt. Daniel 7899' from climbers trail to Peggy's Pond.
S.E. Ridge and East summit of Mt. Daniel 7899' from climbers trail to Peggy's Pond.
Deep Lake
Deep Lake
Steve negotiating a loose scree section of the climbers trail.
Steve negotiating a loose scree section of the climbers trail.
Climbers trail around Cathedral Rocks SW side.
Climbers trail around Cathedral Rocks SW side.
We refilled on water and headed up the side of the SE ridge snowfield. It was intact all the way to the ridge top. Views were terrific all around and getting better with altitude.
Gainig the lower SE ridge with a frozen Peggy's Pond to the right.
Gainig the lower SE ridge with a frozen Peggy's Pond to the right.
Snowfield to the S.E. ridge
Snowfield to the S.E. ridge
Near the top of the S.E. ridge witha view of Daniel's East summit.
Near the top of the S.E. ridge witha view of Daniel's East summit.
Terminal Moraine of Hyas Creek Glacier.
Terminal Moraine of Hyas Creek Glacier.
Cathedral Rock with Peggy's Pond below and entry point up the N.E. ridge route.
Cathedral Rock with Peggy's Pond below and entry point up the N.E. ridge route.
Looking across Moraine debris field, Hyas Lake / Cle Elum River Basin at Tuck, Robins Lake area, Granite, and Trico Mtns.
Looking across Moraine debris field, Hyas Lake / Cle Elum River Basin at Tuck, Robins Lake area, Granite, and Trico Mtns.
Steve making a hot ascent up the S.E. ridge snowfield.
Steve making a hot ascent up the S.E. ridge snowfield.
Site of a future lake from the vanishing Hyas Creek Glacier ?
Site of a future lake from the vanishing Hyas Creek Glacier ?
Lake Vicente ?
Lake Vicente ?
Gorgeous views S.W.
Gorgeous views S.W.
Once on the spine of the ridge, it looked like crap bugeyes.gif , we almost felt like dropping down into the basin agree.gif , but gave it the "Looks Doable" attitude. Alot of moving around on the ridge with loose rock, good rock, obtrusive rock, from class 1 -3 with several class 4 sections.
Beginning of loose scree, talus, and ragged S.E. ridgeline
Beginning of loose scree, talus, and ragged S.E. ridgeline
Slab avalanche above Hyas Creek Glacier.
Slab avalanche above Hyas Creek Glacier.
Getting funneled onto the spine of the ridgeline.
Getting funneled onto the spine of the ridgeline.
Hell Yeah !
Hell Yeah !
Thawing  Circle Lake
Thawing Circle Lake
S.E. ridgeline.
S.E. ridgeline.
Spires and chossy rock between the S.E. ridge and snow gulley between East summit and West summit ridge.
Spires and chossy rock between the S.E. ridge and snow gulley between East summit and West summit ridge.
More S.E. ridge. Looking for the exit point.
More S.E. ridge. Looking for the exit point.
Yeah, were going over that !
Yeah, were going over that !
A little more ridge, then drop down and traverse across the South side of the East summit and up the gulley between E and W summits.
A little more ridge, then drop down and traverse across the South side of the East summit and up the gulley between E and W summits.
The heat was killer, I lost my hat along the way shakehead.gif and wrapped a micro-towel around my head for sun protection. We finally came to the East summit area and dropped down below it's South side traversing across steep talus and scree and a couple snowfields and gained the saddle between the E and W summit, after a steep snow climb we hit the climbers trail and took that to below the West summit and kicked in steps to access the summit area, then scrambled the class 2-3 summit itself.
climbers trail between E and Middle summits with W summit background left.
climbers trail between E and Middle summits with W summit background left.
West summit of Mt. Daniel 7960'
West summit of Mt. Daniel 7960'
Mt. Daniel Middle summit 7960'
Mt. Daniel Middle summit 7960'
Large cornice and Mt. Daniel West summit.
Large cornice and Mt. Daniel West summit.
Steve almost there.
Steve almost there.
Lynch Glacier, Pea Soup Lake, Dip Top Gap.
Lynch Glacier, Pea Soup Lake, Dip Top Gap.
Top of Lynch Glacier and Middle summit.
Top of Lynch Glacier and Middle summit.
Pretty big triple summit area.
Pretty big triple summit area.
Mt. Daniel W. summit route
Mt. Daniel W. summit route
Steve on the summit.
Steve on the summit.
What a route, we both agreed no going back that way. We ate, melted snow real quickly on the hot rocks (over 2 liters for me) and Steve broke out a Beckey map he photocopied and said, you know there is suppose to be a Northeast ridge route, so we decided to scopre it out.
Dragontail and Mt. Stuart, Ingalls Peaks below.
Dragontail and Mt. Stuart, Ingalls Peaks below.
Ingalls and S. Ingalls Peaks.
4 labels
Ingalls and S. Ingalls Peaks.
Mt. Rainier through the haze.
Mt. Rainier through the haze.
Pea Soup Lake with Glacier Peak far background.
Pea Soup Lake with Glacier Peak far background.
Part of Shuksan and Mt. Baker through the haze.
Part of Shuksan and Mt. Baker through the haze.
Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak
We headed down, I got some glissades in going down the snowfield below the Middle summit then we trended down the Daniel Glacier in a NE direction below an open Bergschrund just below the Spire on the East summits North side and wowza, we popped out looking down at the Northeast ridge and the Hyas Creek Glacier Basin, Cathedral Rock and Peggy's Pond were in the distance, but not far.
Heading back the Northeast route on the Daniel Glacier.
Heading back the Northeast route on the Daniel Glacier.
Daniel Glacier
Daniel Glacier
Daniel Glacier
Daniel Glacier
Trending E towards to just below the Spire on the E summit  N side.
Trending E towards to just below the Spire on the E summit N side.
Trending Eastward below the Spire on the East summit's N side.
Trending Eastward below the Spire on the East summit's N side.
Looking good from the top of the NE ridge, views of Hyas Glacier moraine, Peggy's Pond and Cathedral Rock.
7 labels
Looking good from the top of the NE ridge, views of Hyas Glacier moraine, Peggy's Pond and Cathedral Rock.
descending down snowfield to Hyas Creek Glacier.
descending down snowfield to Hyas Creek Glacier.
We plunge stepped and glissaded down into the basin stuck.gif and along the South side dropping into the moraine and eventually Peggy's Pond.
Hyas Creek Glacier Basin.
Hyas Creek Glacier Basin.
Checking out the terminal moraine debris field.
Checking out the terminal moraine debris field.
Moraine debris field.
Moraine debris field.
Fast moving stream from snowfield and glacier melt.
2 labels
Fast moving stream from snowfield and glacier melt.
A more melted out Peggy's Pond.
A more melted out Peggy's Pond.
We reloaded with DEET and ran the gauntlet of insects, I put a bug net on at one point, I just couldn't stand it anymore. Eventually we returned to the trailhead beat, but just gratified at the diversity of terrain, views, and experiences we had during the day. We ended up with the total package hike up.gif up.gif .
One BIG tree on the trail back.
One BIG tree on the trail back.
This was one of those trips that stands out, though I like them all. Another great day in the mountains, Thanks Steve ! hockeygrin.gif
Looking E from Mt. Daniel
Looking E from Mt. Daniel
Looking W from Mt. Daniel
Looking W from Mt. Daniel
wildernessed traversing across the bottom of the E summit to the saddle between East and Middle summits.
wildernessed traversing across the bottom of the E summit to the saddle between East and Middle summits.
wildernessed ascending Middle summit area.
wildernessed ascending Middle summit area.

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payton
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 1:28 pm 
great TR...nice work up.gif

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Foist
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 2:02 pm 
Wildernessed, you rock the most. up.gif up.gif

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Tom
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 3:15 pm 
Quote:
Lake Vicente?
Nope, looks like the largest of the Deer Lakes. Too bad most of the lake pr0n was snow covered. Daniel is that much more magical when the snow cover over the lakes is gone.

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wildernessed
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 3:39 pm 
Thanks, Tom, one can only hope to guesstimate certain places and rely on other peoples knowledge to narrow down the field. There are plenty of Lakes to see from there, that's for sure.

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ActionBetty
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 5:42 pm 
I really like the Hyas creek glacier pic..sweet stuff Rob..whoo hoo cheers.gif

"If you're not living good, you gotta travel wide"...Bob Marley
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Get Out and Go
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 6:13 pm 
Yikes uhoh.gif Looked pretty "invigorating" in places up there. Wish I could have gone along......and another hat bites the dust, huh? hihi.gif

"These are the places you will find me hiding'...These are the places I will always go." (Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart) "Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you cry. Half of me is ocean. Half of me is sky." (Thanks, Tom Petty)
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wildernessed
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 7:13 pm 
Get Out and Go wrote:
Yikes uhoh.gif Looked pretty "invigorating" in places up there. Wish I could have gone along......and another hat bites the dust, huh? hihi.gif
Steve found it on the climbers trail up.gif , Damn I am tired of losing items to the trail gremlins though confused.gif , I wish you would have been there. The Northeast route is a snow climb (currently), the Southeast a scramble. So much stuff happened it was just great. I did some long steep glissades with a few self arrests, then on the Hyas Creek Glacier the snow was soft and slushy in spots and doing a descending traverse it gave way twice and I self arrested for real almost burying the entire axe to stop. up.gif up.gif

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Justus S.
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PostThu Jul 12, 2007 9:11 pm 
Very Nice and great pictures. agree.gif One of these days I'll make it there.

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Magellan
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 12:19 am 
Crampons or hot slush?

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wildernessed
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 8:34 am 
Justus S. wrote:
Very Nice and great pictures. agree.gif One of these days I'll make it there.
That's a fact, you'll probably snag it on your dayhike between I-90 and Rt. 2 ! winksmile.gif

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wildernessed
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 8:37 am 
Magellan wrote:
Crampons or hot slush?
It was good snow overall, I can't complain, a happy medium would be nice, I think I would rather kick steps though, if I slide I don't have to worry about messing up a leg, but hey, did you checkout that nice runout on the Daniel and Hyas Glaciers. eek.gif

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TrailPair
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 8:52 am 
Good stuff. cool.gif K and I are hoping for a return trip to Daniel. Your trip was inspirational. up.gif

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Foist
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 1:35 pm 
Hey, how was the road to the trailhead? I drove up there last summer in my Corolla and there were a few very dicey spots where the bottom of the car even got knocked a bit.

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wildernessed
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PostFri Jul 13, 2007 2:55 pm 
The road is Looong, as you know, alot of minor potholes, some areas of minor washouts easily routed around or shallow enough to drive through. One of the creeks crossing the road was up, probably due to the heat melt, maybe a foot deep, but no obstructions. Very dusty. On the way out we noticed some sections of road repaired / filled in and a front end loader in the area so I expect they will / are improved more right now. A sane person in a car could make it through there easily. winksmile.gif

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