[Fletcher]

I got out to Stehekin and tagged Flora this past weekend. Kyle and Jake, two old high school buddies, were kind enough to join me. We caught the fast boat from Fields Point on Friday morning. It was my first time on the fast boat and I will NEVER take the slow boat ever again. The Lady Express is the way to go! We landed in Stehekin at 11 and had a sandwhich at the restaurant before heading out. Ran into Mike Torok at The Landing. Pleasure to meet you! We had to walk almost all the way to the Bakery before hitching a ride with a nice lady named Beckey. She gave us a ride all the way to the airstrip. We made great time up to Bird Creek Camp arriving before 4pm. We'd considered continuing further up Devore Creek but decided to just stay at Bird Creek, rest, and get an early start the next morning. Bird Creek Camp is nice but small, only enough room for 3 or 4 tents.

setting out from the airstrip

Rainbow Falls

camp

We planned on being back in Stehekin for dinner and celebration beers on Saturday night. To ensure that this would happen we got up at 2am and were moving towards Flora at 2:50. An hour later, we were crossing Devore Creek at around 5,000 ft. We ascended easy forested slopes toward the col just south of Enigma. It was a little brushy but nothing too bad.

crossing Devore Creek predawn

breaking into the alpine

Wy'peaks

We made the col south of Enigma at 6am and score our first view of Flora.

there she is

Jake ascending choss to col

From the col we had to drop ~800 ft or so into the headwaters of Castle Creek. From there we climbed some larchy slopes to get ourselves into the basin below the summit of Flora.

getting close

Tupshin, Devore, and weather

a fitting Bulger Finish, slogging up choss

Jake and Kyle slogging with the Riddle Peaks and Bonanza

I topped out before 8am. 100/100! I wasn't quite sure how I was supposed to feel when I got up there. Was I supposed to laugh? Was I supposed to shed tears of joy? It was cold so I just drank some Elijah Craig instead

register entry

Lake Chelan

views

views

summitshot

We hung out for an hour before beginning our descent. We made killer time back to Bird Creek Camp. I was surprised that we were able to drop from the col south of Enigma to Devore Creek in 50 minutes. We were back at Bird Creek camp at 1.

dropping from the summit

Castle Creek Basin

shwack

crossing Devore Creek

I hauled ass down from Bird Creek Camp to the Stehekin River Trail in 1:10, then stumbled 3.5 more miles to the airstrip. I saw tons of cars going to wrong way but none going towards The Landing. After 2 more miles of road walking Kyle and Jake came up behind me with some nice folks that picked them up. We spent the rest of the day drinking beers at The Landing and caught the fast boat out to Fields Point the next day.

shotgun

~100/100

[neek]

[RichP]

Sweet. I figured you'd have some company.

[awilsondc]

Nice job! Congratulations on finishing the list!

[gray matter]

Way to go, Fletcher! Flora was a hump for sure. Now that you're done with the Bulgers, what's the next objective?

[Fletcher]

Thanks guys! Matt, I think I’m just going to climb stuff I want to climb from now on. I might slowly chip away at the rest of the P400s I have left, although I’m not sure I’ll ever do Lincoln. Maybe someday!

[raising3hikers]

cool you were able to have a couple buddies along for the final one

[Brushbuffalo]

Congratulations. You earned it, Fletcher!

[Matt Lemke]

You can do Lincoln.

[ozzy]

thats one helluva feat man! Congrats Fletcher!

[Mesahchie Mark]

Congrats!!!

[dicey]

Nice Job Fletcher!! Flora was one of the Bulger peaks I was happy to ski off the summit= no slogging!!

[LukerBee]

I must commend you with my 100th post! It was only a matter of time! So much fun to climb some of those peaks with you. I vote you redo the list car-2-car.

[scottk]

Great job Fletcher! I have fond memories of our climb of Buckner and Horseshoe.

[Distel32]