[Randy]

After a hot and buggy night sleeping along the Cascade River Road, we got a lazy start on our way up to Triumph. Convinced our hike to camp would take only 3-4 hours, we sat around in the grass along the road until about 1130 that morning reading, messing with gear, and attempting to stay occupied. Finally, the heat was getting too much for me and we headed up to the busy Thornton Lakes TH. We got underway about 1230 and slowly made our way up the trail. Our timing was perfect and the temperature could not have been higher unless we were inside my house back in Seattle. Whatever though, eventually made the saddle above the lakes where we had a NWHiker sighting. Slugman!

Don, Slugman, and Triumph

We talked for 45 minutes or so before Don and I left to continue up to the col above the 2nd lake. The way around the lowest lake was generally well defined, but there is the typical side trail here and there that demanded a wrong turn or two. We ate dinner at the lower lake before finally reaching the col at 2000. We both checked out. No fever, no chills, no sprains, but somehow we managed to double the time it’s supposed to take to get to camp. It’s a beautiful spot though with running water, snow, and amazing views (and no thunderstorms!).

Triumph From Near Camp

Evening Views From Camp

We had talked to a pair of climbers on the way up the trail and they reported a camp to camp time of 14 hours using our same route. This certainly meant an early start was needed since we were hiking all the way out the next day. We were up at 0430 on Monday and the weather was still perfect. We left camp about an hour later at first light and made our way over towards Triumph. The experience was a memorable one in dull light with a giant black triangle waiting for us in the distance. Crampons were useful for the descent from camp down to the slabs below the glacier. The traverse below the glacier was uneventful and you’d have to be pretty damn unlucky to get wiped out by sliding blocks of snow as reported in numerous reports. Anyhow, we made the notch at the base of the NE ridge about an hour and a half after leaving camp.

Early Morning Crossing Below the Glacier

Sunrise on the Slabs

Passing Snowballs on the Way to the NE Ridge Notch

On to the climbing. We simul-climbed almost the entire route only stopping to belay two real pitches. Doing the trip in basically 1.5 days meant speed was important, so we simul-climbed from the notch all the way to the crux 5.7 crack pitch only stopping a few times to exchange gear. I was happy with the time we were making, but being constantly 100’ apart and on the move meant little time for pictures. The climbing to the crux pitch was on generally good rock ranging from 4th class to 5.5 climbing. Although most of the route is very exposed, we both commented that by staying on the move we really didn’t notice it.

Southern Pickets and Haze

Views Along the Lower NE Ridge

Easier Terrain on the Lower NE Ridge

On the NE Ridge

Simul-Climbing the NE Ridge

Don Stops on the NE Ridge

Don led the 5.7 crux pitch in style and then a short 5.5 pitch after that. We simul-climbed the final pitch up crazy-exposed, 4th class heather to just short of the summit. The last 100’ or so were over class 3 terrain and we finally made the top at 1100. Awesome!

Fishing for the Register...No Luck.

Summit Area

Baker and Shuksan From the Summit

Triumph Summit

Don on the Summit

On a peak like this, the descent is always on the mind. A single rope worked fine for us and after 12 rappels we were back at the notch. That makes it sound a bit simplistic, but it wasn’t. These are real rappels with all the various complexities and down climbing in between stations. My favorite quote of the trip was from Don at the top of our 3rd rap – a 6’ wide sloping ridge (down and to the left) with a 2000’ vertical drop on one side and maybe a 2500’ drop on the other. “This rappelling sh*t is freaky!” This from a guy with over 1000 rappels under his belt. In a moment of intense concentration, this made me laugh out loud…but he was right.

Another rap on the NE Ridge

Rappelling Complexities Along the NE Ridge

Traversing With Southern Pickets

Posing With the Pickets

Rapping the Lower Ridge

The hike back to camp was pleasant and uneventful. I enjoyed reflecting on the climb and taking in the views. Camp was a welcome site and we both wanted to stay another night, but real life was calling us back to Seattle. We left the col around 1830 and made good time back to the car, but not without one more stop to chat with Slugman! What a great trip! Many thanks to Don for another fun outing.

Return to Camp

Don and Triumph, NE Ridge is Right Skyline

Packing up Camp

Thornton Lakes on Descent From Col

[Tom_Sjolseth]

Nice climb, Randall! Solid work.

[Magellan]

Nice work fellas! The pictures definitely do the climbing and exposure justice.

[Slugman]

I still can't believe you guys turned down my concoction of Vikingfjord and Country Time. I haven't had the chance to write a TR yet or go through my pics. Daisy is sick, and Tanja and I are nursing her constantly, so I can only dash off to the computer a few minutes at a time. She had a lump removed, not cancer or anything bad, then Sat the stitches were removed, but this morning the wound split open, and she had to be re-stitched. Now she is suffering from that and she hates the anesthesia. She is one sick pup right now, it's enough to break your heart to hear her whimpering. Gotta dash.

[EastKing]

Wow!! Incredible trip!! I hope to one day this amazing stuff!! What a true definition of awesome!!!! Inspirational!!!

[Bedivere]

We were wondering whether you guys did Triumph or chose another destination. Very cool! The climbing pics (and descriptions) are really top-rate but for some reason, this is the pic that jumps out the most at me:

You don't see that every day. Well done!

[ScottP]

That thing is ripe for a trundle.

[Tazz]

oh yeah!!!!

[DIYSteve]

Yeah baby. Those raps sound awful.

[yukon222]

Thanks for the TR and pics! I had my hands clenched a few times looking at your pics, trying to imagine being out on those exposed faces and ridgelines. I'm sure the exposure is vastly more than what appears in your pics. Well done!!

[don b]

A few comments. First and most important, it was great to see you Slugman, sorry to have to turn down the drink offer but I had to get to work early the next morning. Thanks to Randy for driving so I could catch a few zzz's. I sure hope Daisy is feeling better. This was a fun climb with lots of exposure. I'd heard that it takes more time to descend and that was certainly our experience. Of course one must be doubly careful going down so we took our time. There were either 2 or 3 raps that ended just short of the next station so the first person down needs to carry the full rack to set up a belay prior to downclimbing to the station, SOP. And yes, we would have loved to trundle that chunk of snow but I've tried on smaller ones before and they are really stuck to the ground. We also talked about how would it look if rolled back on top of one of us. I offered to take video of Randy's legs sticking out from under it but he declined the offer!

[Randy]

[wildernessed]

Wowza !

[Tazz]

[Randy]

I seriously wanted to climb that thing. However, it would have sucked to get crushed by a giant marshmellow right after climbing Triumph.