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Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
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Fletcher
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 12:51 pm
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As soon as access to the Suiattle Valley was restored last fall, I decided I was going to make Dome a priority this summer. This week, Rob, Micheal, and I made it happen.
On Tuesday morning I picked Rob and Mike up from their homes and we drove out to the Downey Creek TH. We started hiking shortly before 9:30. Only a few minutes up the trail, I was drenched in sweat and knew it was going to be a long day. We cruised the 6ish miles to Bachelor Creek in 2 hours.
probably my favorite wilderness Green Mountain Lookout from Downey Creek Bachelor Creek foot log
We took a break at Bachelor Creek and located the path heading up its north side. This trail is nice for a while until its not anymore. We crossed paths with 2 ladies heading out in Lower Bachelor Creek. They had hiked into Dome Col to retrieve some gear that had been left up there 2 weeks prior because of an injury and airlift situation. They gave us beta on the the trail up to Itswoot and the Dome Glacier crossing. Soon after that, we came across 2 older gentleman that had climbed Sinister the day prior. It was 99th and 97th for them on the Bulger List. They said the shrund onto the Chikamin was already open and they had to climb down into it to get across. Although we werent seriously considering going for Sinister, I kind of wanted to try. This info dashed that hope, but that was alright! Whats some dumb list anyways.
Bachelor Creek Trail Rob in one of the nicer sections of Bachelor brush
A recent trip report on Cascade Climbers says to cross to Bachelors south side at 4100 ft, the ladies we talked to echoed this so thats what we did. Yeah, dont do that, more on that later. After crossing the creek on a foot log, we battled keeping the trail through hellish brush for what seemed like forever, until we finally came to more open forest around 4500. We took a break here before following the route through a marshy area, then up an old avy path in direct sunlight. This was the hottest part of the day.
up the old avy path this section of the route was heinously hot and muggy
After the slide path, the route goes up through more forest for a little while, then FINALLY you pop out in a subalpine meadow. Damn, that seemed to take forever. At this point, the trail becomes much easier to follow as you gain another ~400 ft up to the ridge above Cub Lake.
ahhhh finally pleasant travel cub lake below first look at Dome
We quickly dropped the 700 ft down to Cub Lake and look a lengthy break before heading up the final 1000 ft to camp.
Cub Lake with route up to Bachelor Creek Itswoot Ridge Spire Point nearing camp
We finally arrived at camp at 8pm, 11 hours after leaving the car. I think this approach would have generally taken us maybe 7 or 8 hours but the heat and humidity really slowed us down. The campsites on Iltswoot Ridge are amazing with up close and personal views of Dome and Glacier as well as the area from Sulphur Mountain to Bannock. We had dinner and enjoyed the sunset, then went to bed. It never got fully dark that night because of the nealry full moon.
We did not get an early start in the morning as we knew we had all day just to get Dome. We were descending on good climbers path from camp, into the Spire Creek drainage at 9am. Travel was pleasant with plentiful water over talus, snow, and rock slabs. We picked out a nice looking route from camp, where we could take mostly snow to gain most of our elevation to get us up and even with the Dome Glacier. Our route worked out well.
traverse to Dome descending from camp our route went down around the buttress that is just over Rob's head, then up and climbers right ice blocks nearing the Dome Glacier Eldorado and the Ptarmigan Traverse
We got to the Dome, roped up, and headed up toward Dome Col without much difficulty, other than it was as hot as a furnace on the glacier with little wind.
Dome Col is just right of the blocky sub summit and just left of the true summit Mike and Rob with Spire Point and our Iltswoot Ridge camp far below nearing Dome Col
We dropped a bunch of gear at the col and took a lengthy break before heading up the short distance toward the summit. There was a little steep snow we climbed the gain the summit ridge.
gnarly summit ridge
The lower portion of the ridge still held some snow, taking away from the exposure on the left side because we were in a moat of sorts. It took us no time at all and we were looking at the incredibly exposed summit scramble. "Whoa, that looks gnarlier than I thought it would be" I said.
easy scrambling approaching the summit block Mike and Rob on the ridge Dome summit
We hung out there for a few minutes, nobody was really eager to lead the final bit to the summit. There was some good snow just before the exposed move around the big blocky rock so we placed an anchor with pickets and set up a belay. Mike was the one who manned up first and tied into the rope. I belayed him over to the top. It looked easy, like we thought it was supposed to be. From the summit, Mike set up another anchor with a sling and belayed Rob and I over. What an incredible climb!
Mike on the summit view north view NW Bonanza view east Rob and Glacier three idiots made the summit of Dome Peak! Register some names I recognized
After 20 minutes on the summit, we decided to head back down. I tied in first and was belayed back across to relative safety. I was able to get some shots of Rob on the crossing.
snow arch below us on the Chickamin Glacier
The route back down to the col went by quick and easy. At the col, we ate, retrieved our gear, roped up and retraced our steps down the glacier and ultimately, camp. It all went by pretty quick as we could plunge step and boot ski a good portion of it below the glacier.
Sinister looking back up at the summit obligatory cannon hole shot Dome Glacier terminus looking back
Back at camp, we enjoyed another great sunset and moon rise for dinner.
After dinner, we hiked up into the basin below Spire Point by moonlight. It was spectacular. On the way down we noticed some sections of tread and a few cairns. Is this the climbers route to Spire Point?
We got up early on Thursday knowing we had a long hike out and that it was forecasted to be even hotter than approach day. We left camp at 6:20 and made it down to Downey Creek by 11. We saved considerable time by crossing back over Bachelor Creek at 4500 instead of 4100. There is a noticeable campsite there, with a large boulder with a fire pit next to it. This way you avoid much of the brush. It sounds like quite a few parties have done the same thing we have done in figuring out the easier route on the way out. On the way in, it felt like we had to cross the creek sooner than later to stay in easier terrain but dont! Stay on the north side and the brush will give way to open forest and save you time. The "trail" through between 4100 and 4500 is complete sh## and was the crux of the approach.
Back at Downey Creek, we took a long break and then hauled the last 6 miles to the car in 2 hours. It was extremely hot and humid in the valley and I felt like I was melting. When we got back to the car at 1:30, it was 93 degrees We grabbed a 6 pack and found a nice spot to relax on the Sauk rather than get stuck in traffic for rush hour. What a great trip!
~30ish miles
~lots of gain
Glacier sunrise moon setting frog on Downey Creek Trail Mike passed out
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Schenk Off Leash Man
Joined: 16 Apr 2012 Posts: 2372 | TRs | Pics Location: Traveling, with the bear, to the other side of the Mountain |
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Schenk
Off Leash Man
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 1:18 pm
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Nice report!
Nice trip!
Be glad you did not try to shortcut up Sulfur Creek...traveling through it could push one over the edge of sanity.
Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.
Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.
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silence Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 4420 | TRs | Pics
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silence
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 1:36 pm
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I looked longingly at Dome on the 30th from Green Mountain ... and while I've always had my eye on it, we're just not skilled enough to climb the peak by ourselves, esp now at our age. However, getting up to Itswoot Ridge is still possible ... so thx for the great beta. And, congrats on the summit!
Shot with the tele from the top of Green Mountain.
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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Distel32 Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 Posts: 961 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Distel32
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 2:22 pm
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Sweet
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contour5 Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 2963 | TRs | Pics
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contour5
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:12 pm
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Stellar reportage. Perfect angle for shooting Glacier Pk...
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cefire Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 523 | TRs | Pics
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cefire
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:28 pm
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Very cool!
Also, "Ptarmigangstas"!!!
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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2344 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
great place to go! to avoid the brush and alder, don't cross the creek. as soon as the trail peters out, go N through 5'-10' of alder and on the other side, is nice open pockets of easy travel to weave in and out of to avoid the bushwhacking. Then at the top of the meadows near boulders, hike back into the forest (East) to find the old trail again near the creek
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EastKing Surfing and Hiking
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 2082 | TRs | Pics Location: 77 miles from Seattle! |
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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
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Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:24 am
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YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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cartman Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics Location: Fremont |
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cartman
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Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:12 am
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Outstanding, and thanks for all the great pics and beta. That's a tough one to do in the heat.
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gb Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 6308 | TRs | Pics
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gb
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Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:05 am
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Fletcher wrote: | We saved considerable time by crossing back over Bachelor Creek at 4500 instead of 4100. There is a noticeable campsite there, with a large boulder with a fire pit next to it. This way you avoid much of the brush. It sounds like quite a few parties have done the same thing we have done in figuring out the easier route on the way out. On the way in, it felt like we had to cross the creek sooner than later to stay in easier terrain but dont! Stay on the north side and the brush will give way to open forest and save you time. The "trail" through between 4100 and 4500 is complete sh## and was the crux of the approach. |
Thanks for the beta, Fletcher. Amazingly, Bachelor Meadows (with the option to go to Cub Lake) was in 101 Hikes in the 1970 version. We actually did a day hike when I was about your age. At that time the description was to cross Bachelor Creek 2 miles in (which would have been around 4100'). Although overgrown and chest high, there was a relatively easy to follow trail on the south side. By 1989 (coming out of the Ptarmigan on my last trip there) we were still able to follow the trail but lost it near where it crosses Bachelor Creek. That brush would be horrible without a trail. I am glad you found a better route coming out.
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Gregor Gregor
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 117 | TRs | Pics
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Gregor
Gregor
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Sun Jul 05, 2015 11:30 am
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Nice report
Amazing how different it looks. We did this peak almost the same day but in 2013 and cub lake was frozen, it was all snow to the summit from there. The summit was a crazy snow fin.
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Foist Sultan of Sweat
Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 3974 | TRs | Pics Location: Back! |
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Foist
Sultan of Sweat
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Sun Jul 05, 2015 7:01 pm
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Bachelor Meadows was still in the "100 classic hikes in washington" book when we bought a copy in the late '90s. I was always drawn to the photo of Itswoot Lake (but scared off by the description). Isn't that one a cool turquoise color? Did you get any photos of it on your trip?
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Michael Lewis Taking a nap
Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 629 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood, WA (for now) |
Video's up. Thanks Fletcher for having me on this very memorable climb!
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rbuzby Attention Surplus
Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 1008 | TRs | Pics
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rbuzby
Attention Surplus
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Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:38 am
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Great pics! Dome is a very important mountain.
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