Forum Index > Trip Reports > Sauk via the SE Ridge 1-24-2009
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loper
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loper
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 9:12 pm 
Here is our route up Sauk from Saturday. Roughly 5,000 gain and 6 miles? roundtrip. Crampons and ice axe required. Going up the southeast ridge made for a long day but never a dull moment. It starts off steep with lots of brush and blowdowns. About two and a half thousand feet of steep bushwhacking 'fun'. Just when you start thinking you can't take any more 'fun' it starts opening up for some nice views. It gets better and better as the ridge becomes more defined. Then the final summmit block. At this point we were past our turn-around time and one pair of crampons short. To make a short story long I opted to become the team photographer while Bill and John quickly topped out on the lookout summit and returned. I settled in to take the summit shot, eat lunch and drink tea when wait! where did they go?...what?.......now they are on the next bump!.....NOW where are they?! They made it up to the true summit!!! Way to go!!! Sometimes the best summits are the ones you don't think will happen. A long hike down in the dark which I thought just couldn't get any more 'fun' but it did when we found ourselves above the road cliffed out about a hundred feet up. Luckily Bill had found a 'trail' which was a trail in only the most rudimentary sense of the word but none the less we were very thankful for and we made it down to the road. We were tired, full of pine needles and a few branches but satisfied with our day in the mountains. AND we found out there is a Red Robin in Burlington that is open till eleven on Saturday night!! I think we were there by nine or so but good to know for future reference. Burgers, Fries, Beer (and hot chocolate with schnapps for me). A great way to finish up the day. Lisa PS these photos were taken by John, Bill and the ones of the final summit push by me. Thanks John and Bill for letting me post your pictures
Sauk-Bald
Sauk-Bald
IMG_3713_nearing-the-top
IMG_3713_nearing-the-top
IMG_3717_B-continuing-to-summit
IMG_3717_B-continuing-to-summit
approaching lookout summit
approaching lookout summit
steep!
steep!
steep closeup
steep closeup
we aren't holding hands
we aren't holding hands
it will only take 10 more minutes
it will only take 10 more minutes
true summit
true summit
sunlight with sleeve
sunlight with sleeve
'Jesus' beams
'Jesus' beams
IMG_3748_meeting-of-Sauk&Skagit-rivers
IMG_3748_meeting-of-Sauk&Skagit-rivers
IMG_3752_L's-headlamp-back-on-road
IMG_3752_L's-headlamp-back-on-road

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Type E
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 9:19 pm 
impressive work!

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GeoTom
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 9:24 pm 
Nice Lisa. up.gif And John and Bill too. wink.gif

Knows literally nothing
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EastKing
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 9:33 pm 
Awesome job!!! up.gif up.gif up.gif up.gif

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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gone
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 10:08 pm 
Very cool! We don't often get long distance perspective shots like those here, as the hiker/photographers are usually on top, too - very unique! up.gif

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Matt
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Matt
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 10:36 pm 
Like others said, cool shots of the hikers going up. Really nice of you to support the others going up. I notice on your map that one of the many Bald Mountains is next door to Sauk. We climbed a different Bald on the same day.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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puzzlr
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puzzlr
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 11:09 pm 
Was the bushwhacking bad because of lack of snow, bad snow, thick forest, or something else?

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Magellan
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Magellan
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PostTue Jan 27, 2009 11:11 pm 
eek.gif eek.gif Nice work y'all.

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loper
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loper
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PostWed Jan 28, 2009 10:46 am 
puzzlr wrote:
Was the bushwhacking bad because of lack of snow, bad snow, thick forest, or something else?
Sorry, should have been more specific. Parked at milepost 99 next to the river. (lots of eagles on the river right now). Compass heading of 320 degrees. Start 350 ft Summit 5541 ft Consistent snow level roughly around 3,000ft? all of it rock hard. The bushwhacking was due to lack of snow with lots of blowdowns, lots of just dead branches etc. Once we were up on the ridge it opened up and the views were great, travel just like a ridge walk should be. Was a fun trip but not an easy one. Will have to go back and summit some day. Lisa

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Quest for Adrenaline
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PostSat Jan 31, 2009 9:03 pm 
aside from the avi danger it looks like a good winter ascent you just gave me an idea and i like the pics very nice.biggrin.gif

Khartoum
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Layback
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Layback
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PostSat Jan 31, 2009 9:50 pm 
Nice. Sauk is a fun scramble. up.gif

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Mossman
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PostMon Feb 02, 2009 11:31 pm 
There is an old trail to the top of Sauk from hwy 20... once a fully constructed forest service quality. I am not sure how much it gets used, but it was followable ~5 years ago with only minor blowdown. You can find it by looking at the older 15" usgs maps (i.e. in topo software). It is easiest to spot right where the 2nd growth turns to old growth about 4-500' above the valley floor near Barr Creek. There are two ways to get to it - either follow an old log road with a beaten path, just west of conrad road, or just start west of Barr Creek on conrad road and go up the hill to intersect it (faint track, some brush).

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TrailPair
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PostTue Feb 03, 2009 10:01 am 
Lisa, Gorgeous photos. Looks like some potential for next years NW Calendar. hockeygrin.gif up.gif

This thing called work is interfering with my play
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peltoms
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peltoms
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PostTue Feb 03, 2009 3:29 pm 
Great shot of sauk and skagit confluence up.gif

North Cascade Glacier Climate Project: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/
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loper
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loper
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PostThu Feb 05, 2009 4:57 pm 
TrailPair wrote:
Lisa, Gorgeous photos. Looks like some potential for next years NW Calendar. hockeygrin.gif up.gif
I wish!! That calendar is awesome! I am always amazed at the calibar of the photos posted here on nwhikers. Makes me a little embarressed to post my own but am learning by example, at least a little! And Mossman, thanks for the info, I will be heading back that way some day again. L

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