Forum Index > Trip Reports > Vesper Peak 7-24-2011
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MidLifeHiker
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PostSun Jul 24, 2011 11:19 pm 
Decided to hike up to Vesper Peak today. I've been up Vesper several times before, but usually in late August or September, when the snow is gone. The snow this year starts in lower Wirtz basin and is solid before you get half way up the basin.
The path up to Headlee Pass as expected was full of snow without any signs of melting out soon. The snow is soft enough that kick stepping is pretty easy.
Looking down from Headlee Pass.
I met a guy and his son on the top of Headlee Pass, Paul and Kyle. We actually ended up hiking up the last stretch to the peak together and had some good conversation. First look at Vesper Peak.
When I was heading over the snow covered slope between the pass and the lake I passed two hikers. From all the posts on NWHIKERS.NET I recognized one of the hikers, Josh. He was with Matt Lemke. I have read trip reports from both, and it was nice to meet them.
Then up to Vesper.
As always the views from the top of Vesper are great!
There were maybe a dozen people at the top after about 45 minutes. Most of us left about the same time and had had a great glissade down the mountain.
And a couple panos.
On the way down Headlee Pass one of the other hikers slipped and slid into the rocks. No major injuries and he was able to walk out.
The Stillagaumish was running pretty good, but the crossing was not a big deal.
The weather was great, no bugs, lots of snow and met several people. Can't really ask for more on a sunny afternoon. Mark

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Matt Lemke
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Matt Lemke
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PostSun Jul 24, 2011 11:41 pm 
Curses...you beat me to it! I'll be coming out with a TR soon. BTW, you spelled my last name wrong. No "p" in it.

The Pacific coast to the Great Plains = my playground!!! SummitPost Profile See my website at: http://www.lemkeclimbs.com
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Chief Joseph
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 12:36 am 
Cool! Another on the list.....glissading in July is awesome, did you slide down Headlee?

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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MidLifeHiker
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 7:46 am 
Matt, sorry about the spelling, I fixed it. Chief Joseph, Nobody tried glissading down Headlee. The slope is not just down but to the north side, so if you did, you would end up in the rocks, as proof when the one guy lost his footing. Mark

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rossb
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rossb
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 8:08 am 
I was up there on Saturday, with three of my friends. We saw a couple of snow boarders and a couple guys who were camped at the lake. Yeah, the Headlee Pass area is nasty. It is really easy to get hurt there. The rest of it (above and below) is a piece of cake (if you are comfortable on snow). I think snow will be at the pass area for a while.

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zangabob
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 9:37 am 
Yes I was up there too Saturday. Very nice day but coming down from the upper section from Headlee Pass was nerve racking. I'll wait until that section is melted out next time....

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filbert
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filbert
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 12:39 pm 
I'm not sure if people try glissading or not. I heard a crash above me while descending - a tall young guy had collided with a small tree. He seemed ok so I continued, assuming that he'd be smart enough to plunge step down rather than glissading (yes, the fall line does NOT go straight down the narrow pass- it goes towards the north wall). Much closer to the bottom, I heard an anguished cry toward my left - it was the same guy, careening into the rocky wall - it seemed like he had tried glissading again, though he could have fallen. I went over to him, certain that he would be bleeding and possible serious soft tissue injury if not broken bone. Luckily he was mostly intact though scared at that point. I don't think he knew how to do a proper ice ax arrest. I put my diaper harness on him and boot-ax belayed him down to the point where the slope lessened and firmer steps were available. He was in some mental distress so I didn't chastise his behavior - my priority was to get him down in one piece. He rejoined his group; I later saw him at the TH. He had the decency to thank me, at least. The rest of the trip is easy compared to current Headlee Pass conditions.

With every passing hour our solar system comes forty-three thousand miles closer to globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules, and still there are some misfits who continue to insist that there is no such thing as progress.
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DIYSteve
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DIYSteve
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 12:52 pm 
Great pics, MLH up.gif Did you see any ski tracks up there?

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Matt Lemke
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Matt Lemke
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PostMon Jul 25, 2011 3:28 pm 
I glissaded parts of the headlee pass descent. Just have to be very careful and confident in your ability to arrest.

The Pacific coast to the Great Plains = my playground!!! SummitPost Profile See my website at: http://www.lemkeclimbs.com
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MustLoveTrees
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PostSat Jul 30, 2011 11:46 pm 
I had to self-arrest on Headlee Pass twice a couple days ago as did a couple other folks in my group. It was very nerve wracking - the snow was very slushy/choppy with ice underneath. The recipe for disaster seemed to occur when our plumge steps would slip into previously made plunge steps. The views from Vesper were beautiful and I'm just thankful no one in our group got injured on Headlee Pass. I have a new found love for my ice axe now - and my non-broken bones!

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Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
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PostSat Jul 30, 2011 11:58 pm 
filbert wrote:
I heard a crash above me while descending - a tall young guy had collided with a small tree.
I have only been up Headlee once and that was snow free, then you have to worry about rock fall from above while ascending. It would seem to be easier if the pass were snowed filled, although then you have to worry about avalanches. Headlee=Deadly. eek.gif

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Dayhike Mike
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Dayhike Mike
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PostSun Jul 31, 2011 12:14 am 
filbert wrote:
I don't think he knew how to do a proper ice ax arrest. I put my diaper harness on him and boot-ax belayed him down to the point where the slope lessened and firmer steps were available.
Good on you, filbert! up.gif up.gif

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostSun Jul 31, 2011 7:55 am 
I wonder if any has ever hiked down to Copper lake from the peak?

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Magellan
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Magellan
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PostSun Jul 31, 2011 8:06 am 
Justus did.

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