Forum Index > Trip Reports > Eldorado Peak - 6/28/08
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Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostSun Jun 29, 2008 10:33 pm 
Not wanting to break with tradition, I thought I'd contribute to the annual NWHikers Eldorado photo onslaught. Justus and I tucked this one in on Saturday in nice, but HOT weather. We started by crossing a log (photo taken on descent):
Big Cedar
Big Cedar
We then humped up a couple thousand feet and into everyone's favorite boulder field (photo taken on descent):
Middle Boulder Field
Middle Boulder Field
After about 400' we finally hit consistent snow and travelled easily into the broad basin at the head of Eldorado Creek.
Snow....finally!
Snow....finally!
A Marmot Poses Beneath J-Burg
A Marmot Poses Beneath J-Burg
Upper Basin
Upper Basin
Around 5800' we bled to the left and crested a spur ridge containing the Eldorado Glacier and its lateral moraines. Once on the ridge the views started to open up.
First Views of Eldorado
First Views of Eldorado
Looking back on the ridge we crossed over
Looking back on the ridge we crossed over
We walked the ridge a bit then dropped down into the basin at the head of Roush Creek. Before long, we were booting up the Eldorado Glacier. With all the heat, big chunks of snow were breaking off the cliffs to our right, cool stuff.
A chunk of cornice makes for a nice bench
A chunk of cornice makes for a nice bench
Justus working toward the glacier
Justus working toward the glacier
Few if any crevasses, so we kept it simple and left the rope in the pack. We kept a steady pace and were soon sitting on the Inspiration Glacier at 7450'.
Justus works to the flats
Justus works to the flats
Enjoying the scene
Enjoying the scene
Two guys had camped in the basin below at 5600' and were maybe 90 minutes ahead of us. We could see them high on the East Ridge of Eldorado when we reached the Inspiration....we waited a bit here so they could get the steps nice and ready for us.
Justus boots the flat
Justus boots the flat
We booted across the Inspiration and crested the East Ridge at about 7800'. Here we dropped needless gear then kept booting up. The snow was a bit ridiculous with knee deep slush. We soon encountered the two other guys coming down. They mentioned they had to stop short of the summit due to the slush and a large cornice - we had seen the cornice from down on the Inspiration, some of which had already broken off. We gained the last bit of ridge maybe 150' below the summit, turned the corner, then started up the narrow section commonly referred to as a knife edge. The other guys carved some real buckets into the ridge which made it more awkward than anything. Eventually, I got to where they stopped, right at the cornice and the most exposed section. Didn't look too bad though, so we just tooled around it and in 15' we were on top.
Booting the east ridge
Booting the east ridge
Swimming
Swimming
Buckets on the ridge
Buckets on the ridge
Justus topping out
Justus topping out
Eldorado makes for a nice perch with views forever. No doubt a place we'll both return to. But whatever, it was HOT as hell on the summit and there was no wind, so after 30 minutes I had to descend. I went down about 50' then just stood on the narrow ridge for a couple minutes enjoying a nice cross wind. Eventually, Justus joined me down below and we made our way back to our gear where we took a 15 minute break before bailing out of there.
Moraine Lake, etc.
Moraine Lake, etc.
Dorado Needle, etc.
Dorado Needle, etc.
Exploring the Summit area
Exploring the Summit area
Justus Descending
Justus Descending
Looking down from the summit
Looking down from the summit
Nothing remarkable about the descent. We saw a couple parties on their way up, maybe 9 people total. Far fewer than we expected given the full parking lot below. The river had risen a foot or two since we crossed it in the morning. The final crossing was a bit trickier, but we managed. I got a little wet, but Justus modified the crossing and stayed dry. Great day in the hillz. up.gif
Glacier Peak pops above the Inspiration Glacier
Glacier Peak pops above the Inspiration Glacier
Justus and the Last Views of Eldoroado
Justus and the Last Views of Eldoroado
OMG, it's like the Mt Si trail!
OMG, it's like the Mt Si trail!
Whatever Works
Whatever Works

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Tom_Sjolseth
Born Yesterday



Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 2652 | TRs | Pics
Location: Right here.
Tom_Sjolseth
Born Yesterday
PostSun Jun 29, 2008 10:43 pm 
Whoa, nice dudes! Great photos, Randy. I've never seen the arete that flat! Where oh where did it go?

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trailjunky
Backcountry Bumpkin'



Joined: 14 Jun 2004
Posts: 1124 | TRs | Pics
Location: timberline
trailjunky
Backcountry Bumpkin'
PostSun Jun 29, 2008 10:45 pm 
Sweetness. up.gif

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Andy D.
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Joined: 19 Apr 2004
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Location: Bow, WA
Andy D.
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PostSun Jun 29, 2008 11:01 pm 
Nice work guys, great shots! up.gif

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gone
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Joined: 08 Feb 2008
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gone
Member
PostSun Jun 29, 2008 11:09 pm 
Wow, that's a lot of snow! That last crossing pic makes me more nervous than all the others! Nice work! up.gif

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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostMon Jun 30, 2008 12:56 am 
Wow!
Now that makes me want to go to that area! I hope to within the next week! Infact, I better be able to go to Cascade Pass or Bosten Basin before the snow melts off, I am a lover of snow after all.

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peltoms
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: Worcester MA
peltoms
Member
PostMon Jun 30, 2008 3:46 am 
stream crossing looks like the most dangerous move of the journey biggrin.gif

North Cascade Glacier Climate Project: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/
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Tazz
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Tazz
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PostMon Jun 30, 2008 7:30 am 
comon! you go up there and run the whole damn thing with no overnight to soak in the beauty!?! what a waist! tongue.gif good stuff! up.gif

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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostMon Jun 30, 2008 8:15 am 
Awesome guys, looks like you didn't have to deal with holes in the boulder field. Eldorado trips are always nice to look at. The heat and reflected sun had to be a cooker. hockeygrin.gif

Living in the Anthropocene
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Don
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Location: Fairwood, WA
Don
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PostMon Jun 30, 2008 8:47 am 
Thanks for the pics Randy! I've got a similar pic of "Buckets on the Ridge" from several years ago in similar snow conditions. We were camped at the base though, so we were able get up it early in the morning. That couldn't have been much fun mid-day!

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Don
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Joined: 25 Apr 2005
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Location: Fairwood, WA
Don
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PostMon Jun 30, 2008 8:48 am 
Tazz wrote:
comon! you go up there and run the whole damn thing with no overnight to soak in the beauty!?! what a waist! tongue.gif good stuff! up.gif
Ha! ditto.gif

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Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostMon Jun 30, 2008 9:55 am 
Tazz, you crack me up. You said the exact thing to other people in their Eldorado TRs. Anyhow, I was just happy to get out. The only waste would have been not getting into the mountains on such a nice day.

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Tazz
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Tazz
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PostMon Jun 30, 2008 10:20 am 
Ha! that area is so sweet that it will never be a day time for me. tongue.gif Sure rub it in as I am forced to stay here in the heat with a four yr old and in the friggen car! My turn next weekend! bart.gif

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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostMon Jun 30, 2008 10:26 am 
Randy wrote:
Tazz, you crack me up. You said the exact thing to other people in their Eldorado TRs. Anyhow, I was just happy to get out. The only waste would have been not getting into the mountains on such a nice day.
For Tazz Eldorado 2007 overnighter. I must admit though that it is a common misperception that because you dayhiked something, that somehow you missed everything. On those dayhikes that are what I call "fast packing" I feel totally immersed and aware of my surroundings, it's euphoric, or maybe it's just hypoxia winksmile.gif.

Living in the Anthropocene
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cartman
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Joined: 20 Feb 2007
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Location: Fremont
cartman
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PostMon Jun 30, 2008 10:48 am 
That marmot is on the same rock he was on two years ago when we were there. Love Eldorado, especially as a day trip. Great not to lug a full pack up that.

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