[Andy D.]

"I felt as if we had joined Sisyphus and his rock in Hell" - Hermann Ulrichs on the first ascent of Mt. Bullon (aka Bullen)[Cascade Alpine Guide]. I can only imagine how much those poor souls must have suffered bushwhacking up Boulder River in 1932. Fortunately I had a much easier route in mind (although it was probably more elevation gain). On Thursday I started out from the Squire Creek trailhead luckily just after it had stopped raining. After passing Squire Creek Wall, I left the trail and headed down to Squire Creek. I crossed on a log and headed steeply uphill. The difficulty here wasn't so much the brush (which I knew would be bad), but the navigation through large rock slabs and cliff bands. There is one tricky spot that requires a short scramble, and I found this easier to do without the huge pack which I hoisted up with a length of webbing. I hit snow around 3000' and broke out of the trees around 4000' into the large open slopes below the Salish-Buckeye ridge. The visibility was about nothing at this point, but as the clouds rolled through I caught a glimpse of the 5200' notch just north of Salish Peak. I headed over it and dropped down the other side looking for the gully Beckey mentions for dropping into the basin. There is an enormous cliff below here and with the recent avalanche activity I did not see a safe way down. I climbed back over the notch and headed north, finding another notch just south of "Pop Tart Tower" & "Ohio Peak" (Pt. 5931). Luckily there was still snow covering a large moat here (may require a rope later in season). This got me to a better location where I continued to traverse west around the head of the basin above the cliffs. Eventually I found a way down and set up camp just above Bullon Lake.

Bullon Lakes from below Salish ridge

Salish Pk & Three Fingers

It was still mid-afternoon at this point, so I decided to try Bullon. I ascended west until I reached the SE slope. The route winds up a steep snow slope between cliffs and leads directly to the summit. I arrived at 4:30pm, 10 hours after I left the car. I found the Fay Pullen register from last year and after about 15 minutes I lucked out and the clouds cleared just enough for me to get awesome views all around. I carefully made my way back to camp. I was entertained by the enormous chunks of ice calving off the cliffs below Salish Peak. The clouds had been shrouding my views all day, but I woke up in the middle of the night to a perfect clear, starry sky with the moon illuminating Three Fingers and the surrounding peaks. It was quite a sight! Apparently the rumor that sasquatch lives up Gerkman Creek is true; he came to visit me that night...

Bullon summit cornice

looking down on Bullon Lakes & route I ascended

6 labels

Whitehorse-Three Fingers pano

Whitehorse

Three Fingers N Pk

sasquatch

At day break I donned my frozen boots and headed back up to the ridge. I made a detour up to Ohio Peak and was amazed by the spectacular views I had been missing out on! (If you have the latest Quicktime or QTVR, check out this 360° panorama!)

Salish Peak sunrise

Pop Tart pano

Bullon (see my tracks?)

Whitehorse

Three Fingers

Whitehorse

I took a look at Pop Tart Tower, but it was encased in ice and a bit too exposed for me to solo with no rope! I crossed back over Salish ridge to the east again and traversed south and dumped my pack. I crossed back west over the 5200' notch I originally crossed and headed for Salish Peak. This was just a straightforward steep snow climb. The views of Three Fingers were great and of Craig Lakes directly below. (Salish Peak 360° panorama) I made it back to my gear and headed back down. The most difficult part of the trip was trying to bushwhack back down this hill with a full overnight pack on the slippery steep snow, while navigating back through the cliffs, slabs, and steep watercourses (with a gimpy arm to boot). I was relieved to be back on the trail and had a nice walk back to the car.

Glacier Peak

cornices

Squire Creek Wall

no shortage of snow

Pop Tart Tower

Craig Lakes

Salish summit

route map

Road is snow-free to Squire Creek trailhead. Equipment: ice axe, crampons, snowshoes, gloves for brush, webbing or short rope is handy. Lots of recent avalanche activity- be careful out there!

[Quark]

Must be a zoomed photo?

[Redwic]

My guesses are either Gold Mountain or Jumbo Mountain.

[Quark]

I was thinking Jumbo, if Andy is too tired for a trip report....

[Andy D.]

Nope! Wow, good guesses though- you are close. I did Jumbo in February!

[Yana]

Something on Helena Ridge? Devil's Thumb?

[Andy D.]

Nope. Note: the labels aren't correct.

[Yana]

Ah, that explains some things. I couldn't make Pugh work on the topo looking at the photo.

[Mike Collins]

I'll guess Liberty.

[Schroder]

Mt Bullon?

[Yana]

Liberty was also my next guess (and it would explain the fatigue ).

[Andy D.]

[Schroder]

Congratulations! That's a tough one. I was there a long, long, long, time ago. Thought it looked familiar.

[Andy D.]

Nice job on guessing the peak. (Deleted original post & added trip report)

[Backpacker Joe]

Damn nice job. I want to hit that area this august and get into the lakes. Well done.