[Sepultura]

That’s a great and detailed TR Xuanxier, your webpage is a wealth of info! Even though it was 18 years ago that I climbed Lincoln I recall how stressful it was going up that thing and knowing that it was going to have to go back the same way! Thanks to you and Matt for all the info and pictures, a real trip down memory lane. Lincoln is definitely a peak that is good to have done so you don’t have too worry about it anymore. Only Dallas would be ready for a repeat 25 years later! An alternate and less brushy way to get to the X Couloir is to take the Heliotrope approach to Marmot Ridge(camp), and descend to the Thunder Glacier and traverse around to the route. I have done both and think that this is a more pleasant approach. And thanks for the pictures of Seward Peak, I highly recommend an ascent of this peak for all you Black Buttes enthusiasts. Steve Trent and I climbed Seward on Dallas’ recommendation after the 3 of us failed on Assasin Spire as a consultation prize. A very worth and seldom climbed peak. Amazing climbs those Black Buttes!

[Sculpin]

[raising3hikers]

[iron]

nice work. surprised how thin the snow looked in places compared to previous reports.

[Matt Lemke]

[ale_capone]

Nice! To add to your list( which I'm stoked you added), the x couloir was soloed and skied a few years ago. First by Aaron John Scott, then days later by Dan the man Helmstatder. Not to down play the difficulty. Those are 2 of the very, very few who could do such a thing. One understated trip report.... https://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/topic/87349-tr-lincoln-peak-x-couloir-2nd-descent-782012/?tab=comments#comment-1068696

[xuanxier]

Sepultura: Thanks. Have thought about the Helltrope Ridge approach a year or two ago. More because I hate driving logging roads with unknown status (something you have to do to climb in BC, but I'd rather not).. However, the Middle Fork Road is in much better shape than I had imagined. Would like to hear more about Seward Peak. There's an obvious couloir on the north side (visible from Lincoln) but I don't know if that goes to the true top or what to expect after the couloir. I can PM you when I think about it. Definitely wants to do more in Black Buttes. It's so visible from Vancouver... Eric: Just read your TR on this site. For some reasons we missed that report (too focused on Tom's reports on CC). Amazing solo it in just as icy conditions. Without Matt's giant steps I probably had to self-belay using pickets to cross one or two of the largest runnels.

[Stefan]

Wow. 10 raps. Even your pictures make me palpate a bit remembering being on that peak.

[Ski]

great work, gentlemen.

[trivialascents]

The exclusion of Lincoln Peak from the Bulger Top 100 was humorously known among the founding members as The John Wilkes Booth Proviso.

[Andy D.]

Nice work guys, congratulations! Thanks for the climbing history, that's cool! In addition, the day before I soloed there was a party of 3 that made it up. We unknowingly just missed each other, it was socked in on their ascent but cleared up the following day. I remember hearing the helicopter that day from the crevasse rescue on Baker. It was Imran Rahman & two others on June 4 2017.

[Matt Lemke]

[Midnight Slogger]

Fantastic climb and great reporting, gentlemen. Many thanks for the inspiration and awesome photos.

[Matt Lemke]

I have updated the climbing history to reflect the additions described in the comments.

[Dave Creeden]

Here is more historical details about climbing Lincoln Peak. Herb Staley, Wes Grande, John Rupley and Fred Beckey reached the summit of what was then known as West Black Butte on 7/22/56. In a nutshell they approached Lincoln from the north, via Coleman Glacier and Heliotrope Ridge. They checked the possibility of climbing Lincoln from the north side and but were stymied by a huge gulf on the Thunder Glacier. So they swung around the west side of Lincoln, then up the SW side. Here is a link to a AAJ TR written by Herb Staley. http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12195714602/North-America-United-States-Washington-North-Face-Cascades They definitely didn't go up the route that most current climbers use, to finish the climb. The TR states that they turned left 150 feet below the chosen summit tower. This resulted in them climbing the false summit just west of the true summit. They then had to do a short rap to the notch just west of the true summit. We had ideal conditions when our foursome climbed Lincoln in 2006. I and my rope mate plunge stepped down the upper snow gully, un-roped to the point where the exposed traverse begins. Then we roped up and placed pickets for the traverse. We continued down climbing to the top of the gully, were we did a series of double rope raps, maybe 4 at the most. The worst part of the climb was down low on the glacier, where we had to deal with a nasty crevasse, with a delicate snow bridge. I got down to this point first and put in a snow anchor to belay the other 3 climbing partners across the snow bridge. As the last member of our team crossed the snow bridge it collapsed and he got across safely. However I had to down climb and leap across the chasm. I said it at the time and still believe it today, under the conditions we had in 2006, I would climb Lincoln Peak again. However, the conditions you climbed Lincoln are much more difficult - no thanks! We didn't have the deep snow runnels. I was part of group which climbed South Hozomeen one week later. So the memory of climbing Lincoln was not clouded my the fog of time. I said it at the time, I rated South Hozomeen as more difficult and hazardous than the Lincoln Peak, again based on the conditions in which we climbed Lincoln. Of course when you draw the short straw and led the so-called "steep 12 ft difficult spot (5.6)", [It's more than 12 feet IMO] with no where to place protection, that changes your outlook about the climb. Point is, I would never climb South Hozomeen again.