[ree]

Jim architected the perfect trip for larches this year: the Chiwawa area. It held a lot of choices for peakbaggers and lakebaggers alike. Everyone in the party had their own peak agendas. For me, it was Seven Finger Jack and Mt. Maude. The plan was to camp first night in Leroy Basin, then the next day, climb Seven Finger Jack and move camp to Ice Lakes. Leroy Basin was great. Colors are a few days before all the green tinges go away, but still golden and bright.

first golden larches

group rest stop

Leroy Basin

Brian's Halloween Costume

golden glow on camp

The next day we woke up in the dark to get started for a long day. Seven Finger Jack seems to have lots of approaches. We chose the left approach from Leroy Basin. So we went alllll the way left from the basin - following a bootpath. We went all the way left until we could go no further and there was a cliff. Here, there was a bunch of long cliffy craggy slabs to get up on and it was more than I wanted to try. I mean, this mountain is climbed all the time. Isn't there an easier way??? Eileen decided to try another route and I'm glad she did. I was ready to give up and hang out in camp! But her and Lisa coaxed me and what the hell, I really did want to go for it. Ugh, the first bit of it was chossy and loose and steep! I don't know if Eileen was following a bootpath or not but we stuck close together because it was so loose. Then we got up onto a ledgey area that eased up a bit in steepness. From there we worked our way left for a long ways. It was steep and rocky but there was an intermittent boot path to the summit. The summit was a little confusing as there is a cleft wall you can go up, or if you look down and around, you can avoid it and come up a chute that may be a bit easier. Whoever made that cairn, thank you. The summit was fantastic. Great views of Mt. Maude's glaciated face. Glacier Peak looked as gorgeous as ever. Nice views of the Upper Entiat Valley, Spider Meadows, Fortress, Stuart, and Sawtooths. Eileen brought Ed's Traveling Summit Register, which has apparently been parked on Del Campo for a while, and put it on its new peak.

heading out of Leroy Basin, early morning

heading up draw to a small rocky basin

view at the end of the draw and cliffs

Chiwawa Valley

Glacier Peak

Bonanza

Fay, the Orange Bullet

summit chill time

Mt. Maude's Glaciers

Glacier Peak

Baker in the distance

We didn't stay too long, for we had a long haul ahead of us down and moving camp. This time, we all headed towards the left heading down, following that chossy rocky bench all the way down. There's a nasty gully there you want to avoid. We had all dispersed into smaller groups that headed down into Leroy Basin. Back at camp, we geared up to move camp to Ice Lakes. There is a nice bootpath the whole way... it was just a long STEEP haul to get there, especially after Seven Finger Jack. This time, I followed Steve and Brian followed me. I was lucky enough to catch a little light on the lake before reaching Ice Lakes Pass. That was a nice treat.

larches on the way to Ice Lakes

crimson trail

ground cover

looking back at larches

last bit of light on the lake

Lower Ice Lakes

golden light

The rest of the gang showed up 20 minutes later and we set up camp high above the lake. Our camp had the best kitchen ever - shielded from the cold wind, which was building over the afternoon. We knew the forecast was for incoming rain or snow. I was getting over a cold and I don't particularly like cold wet weather, so Steve, Brian and I pulled the plug and decided to pass on the rest of the fabulous peak bagging in the area. The next morning, we bade farewell to the others who undauntedly went on to South Spectacle Butte. On the way out we did a hike up to Mt. Maude. That was a fantastic hike. So easy and scenic. Great views of Ice Lakes and the serrated edge of Seven Finger Jack. We stayed long enough to carbo load and take pictures. The wind was getting stronger and blowing me around. The original plan was to exit Carne Mtn. High Route. But that wind was dang cold and strong and we all decided to go for it and run out Leroy Basin. Maybe we could get out before the weather got in. As it happens, just as we arrived at the car, the first raindrops fell. Additional bonus was finding my gloves I'd left behind at the Leroy Basin turnoff.

Ice Lake

Upper Ice Lake

larch and lake

leaving as the clouds and winds pick up

Fernow

Glacier Peak

South Spectacle Butte

Spider Meadows in the Chiwawa Valley

Seven Finger Jack

my favorite person next to [one of] my favorite lakes

cobalt and cyan

fall color

last bit of sunlight before the weather turned

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Looks nice. The only time I've been to Ice Lakes I came all the way up from Entiat River Rd. I should take the shortcut and drop over the shoulder of Maude and visit again. Hey, somebody has my tent! The Nemo w/ the lime green fly.

[RichP]

Nice looking trip and photos.

[HermitThrush]

I was on the verge of going to Carne Mountain this weekend, but stuff came up, some days opened up, and I'm going to the Sawtooths instead. Those are some fantastic pictures. A question - does the boot path go all the way from Leroy Basin to the Ice Lakes? - or are you referring to the Leroy High Route?

[Brushbuffalo]

[puzzlr]

Looks like a fun group and a productive trip. Congrats

[wildernessed]

Nice campsite !