[Gimpilator]

We climbed Goode the easy way, the SW couloir. It wasn't easy, but most ascent parties get kudos for the tougher NE buttress route. At 9200 feet, Goode is the 9th highest peak in Washington state.

Goode seen from Black 2011

approaching Stehekin

Buckner

Goode

We took the fast boat to Stehekin Saturday and hiked as far as we could before the storms hit. We had planned to stay in 5-mile-camp but ran out of time. We pitched our tent off-trail down by the river. The next day Greg and I hiked from the park creek trail to the climbers camp in 2 hours and 45 minutes. We were rushing ahead of Edward and Dave because we wanted to have a shot at Storm King. The boot path is hard to find at first but easy to follow most of the way.

Booker

Goode

After pitching our tent at 7380 feet we made the traverse on snow and loose rock over to Storm King. We ascended loose talus/scree and slabs until we reached the base of the nasty loose rotten gully at 8250 feet. We scrambled up about 15 feet. A crack of thunder boomed. We looked at each other. F**k! The rain started. We retreated to the base of the gully over loose wet rock.

Storm King

rotten gully

Discussing our options, we decided to wait for awhile and watch the weather. The sky didn't look too bad, just some partial clouds and the dark one passing overhead toward the east. After 15 minutes, the storm passed and the sky looked promising again. We started back up the gully until the scrambling became intimidating. I then belayed Greg while he place a few pieces and climbed up to the col. I heard him say “Oh F**k!” He later explained that he mantled up and came face to face with the abyss. The notch itself was only a foot wide.

Greg near the notch

wall of water coming

Goode

1 label

At this point I heard more thunder. I turned around and saw that the sky had darkened. Then I noticed a wall of falling water coming our way. It was infuriatingly cliche but we were getting stormed-off Storm King. I told Greg that I thought it would be better for him to rap down and clean the route rather than for me to come up to him. That's what he did.

retreat

injury

We did our best to get back to camp before getting slammed by the storm. There was heavy rain and then hail. While crossing a moat at the edge of a snowfield, Greg fell 5 feet when the snow collapsed below him, softened by the rain. He cut his hand very deeply and there was blood everywhere, on the rocks, and all over his shirt. The gash was half an inched deep and his skin had separated. There was a lot of soft-tissue exposed. I helped bandage him up with gauge and duct tape. I had to use a lot of tape because the rain was so heavy in that moment. He tied a bandana over the whole mess and we kept moving. We got back to camp completely drenched and spent the rest of the day hiding from rain in our tents.

The next day we we were up and moving by 6:15am. Greg said he wasn't even going to think about his hand during the climb. I wondered to myself how he was going to deal with the pain. One thing was for sure, he would lead none of the pitches.

Sinister, Glacier, Dome

We scrambled up the moraine and crossed the glacier remnant to reach the small rotten ridge below the SW couloir. A lot of rocks moved around as we were climbing up to reach the crest of the ridge. We scrambled along the crest and we could now see the couloir above us. We found one of two exposed cliffy ramps which allow access into the couloir. The couloir was broad and the scrambling easy. Along the left side we found the mythical “black stairs”, a vein of darker solid rock with step formations.

black stairs

Dave leading the slab pitch

Black Tooth Notch

We ascended the staircase to within 50 vertical feet of the apparent chimney at climbers left. Here we roped up and Dave led the horizontal slab pitch to reach the hidden gully on the right side of the couloir. From there we scrambled up to Black Tooth Notch. Whoa! Suddenly we were high on the northeast face of Goode, with thousands of feet of exposure below. We followed a broad sandy ledge north for 30 feet and then rappelled down 20 feet to another ledge. We followed the ledge north and then scrambled up onto the famed NE buttress.

hidden gully

exposure

Greg on the NE buttress

1 label

name those peaks

Edward leading

Here we roped up again and Edward led a long pitch up to a higher notch at the very top of the NE buttress. We secured both ends of the rope and then Dave and I used prussiks while we simultaneously climbed up to Edward. Greg followed with a belay. Was this good weather going to hold for us? That was the big question.

we have to climb that?

Something didn't seem right. The little notch we had reached was terribly exposed and what stood in front of us looked too hard to climb (too hard for us hikers). So we scrambled/belayed/climbed down to another ledge further west. Edward led the last long pitch straight up to the summit. A team of two climbers completing the NE buttress route passed us. Dave and I did the prussik thing again and Greg followed with a belay. I was happy to see the bivy spots on the summit, which I had previously heard about. There was a register from 2011 left by Franklin B and Andy D. This was certainly one of the best views in Washington!

bivy spots

Johannesburg

Forbidden, Eldorado, Baker

Logan

We reversed the route using both our 60 meters ropes for long rappels. After the first rap, the rope got stuck. It would not budge. I tied one end of it to my harness while Greg prussiked up the other side to fix it. Then there was one sketchy class 4 traverse which we did un-roped near the top of Black Tooth Notch. It scared the crap out of me.

the unroped 4th class traverse

We spent a second night at high camp and hiked out the following day. Back near Coon Lake, we encountered thousands of tiny toads on the ground. It was difficult to avoid stepping on them but I did my best. Tuesday evening we stayed with our friends Trapper and Roxanne in Stehekin, wonderful generous people. They cooked us pizza from scratch and offered us clean beds and showers, living vicariously through our photos and stories of the climb.

Rainbow Falls

Dave says, "we climbed this one"

[Jetlag]

The pictures of your Goode climb and description are so compelling I'm at a loss for words. Don't think you can put yourself in the "hikers" category after this climb! How's Greg's hand? One of my climbing partners died on Storm King so I'm more-than-respectful towards this peak.

[rbuzby]

[Magellan]

Epic! Super glad the storm didn't get you. Hope Greg got it cleaned up after he got back to civilization.

[Arete]

Great climb, description, and pictures! It has been more than 30 years since I did this route on a typically stormy Labor Day. We have few pictures from that trip and these bring back so many great memories of things I'd forgotten. Thanks!

[iron]

glad the hand injury wasn't worse. question: why do people approach via stehekin? it seems up and over cascade pass would be easier/faster if coming from the W side. i mapped it out not long ago. i think it came out to a push, mileage wise, if not for the advantage of the CP route.

[dicey]

[Fletcher]

Gnarly

[Redwic]

Awesome adventure!!!

[Matt Lemke]

I am awed every time I hear serious thunderstorm accounts in the WA Cascades. I have always told myself "I can climb all day in WA...thunderstorms are a Colorado problem" This is a mindset I need to change...I am shocked at what happened there last weekend...truly shocked. I didn't think thunderstorms were ever an issue there but I am glad everyone made it safely...though not getting Storm King really, really sucks! I know how badly you wanted Storm King Adam...as I can scarcely imagine not getting it and being forced to go back up there for it. In light of all that, you are an excellent climber for making that dreadful decision despite the desire to make that summit. Congrats on Goode though! I am very excited for that one...that buttress thingy is calling my name.

[gb]

[wildernessed]

Nice !

[twodogdad]

Congratulations on a major peak. That your friend was able to climb Goode after a nasty injury speaks volumes for his fortitude: I wish him speedy recovery. >hiked as far as we could before the storms hit. I assume you took the shuttle and then hiked: is the road after High Bridge open? Can you ride a bike to Park TH? Thanks. N

[Jetlag]

Really enjoyed the video addition! Was the log bridge you crossed the one just past two mile camp? If so, it was higher and a trickier proposition last year in July. Glad to see footage of the black rock stairway and ensuing slab traverse.

[Spotly]

Very nice TR! Congrats.