[Bootpathguy]

[Yana]

[awilsondc]

[reststep]

Great report and pictures. Thanks for sharing. I like that sunrise pano. Does anyone care to add some labels.

[Eric Hansen]

Wow! Envious here. Not for the suffer fest but the hours spent on the col, summit and in-between. Especially to have those sunrise/sunset visits. This has to be one of the all time great views, or a seriously credible nomination.

[trent]

Welcome to the Pickets! It is worth it to endure the pain and get to enjoy the solitude and views!

[Distel32]

great pics

[WolverineWay]

Super good idea! I'll look into repeating this agenda, but not until these fires clear out. Your timing was also good in beating the smoke to get those views! In defense of the one or two-day marathon missions, I can attest to:

1. Having a young kid at home who I would have to drag to do more than 4 miles on easy trail.
2. Having a M-F job where I only have two days max to make stuff happen without taking time off.
3. Having the conditioning to pull off something like this without getting injured.
4. Not having a hiking partner (or even an old dog) that just wants to cruise, forcing me to slow down.
5. Not wanting to carry a bunch of overnight gear and food on my back to slow me down.

So once you condition your body & mind to handle this type of "fun" (Type 2 fun is code for Abusive but not Deathly Torturous), you can see more places more often without pissing off your boss, your spouse/girlfriend, or neglecting your child/dog/farm animals.

[awilsondc]

^^^ Nailed it! By the way, I completed an annotated version of the sunrise panorama. Enjoy! (spelling errors fixed, thanks WolverineWay!)

Luna Peak annotated

Click twice for full screen, drag and scroll

[Gimpilator]

Please let me know when that is available for print. I want a copy for my bedroom wall. Seriously!

[WolverineWay]

Nice work on the Pano! I grabbed a copy of Flickr and will distribute to some friends! Might help me recruit them for the hike. *Larrabee *Slesse I got picked up hitchhiking back down Hwy 20 to Mazama from Wa Pass last weekend after a big hike. The guys were climbers starting a full week of objectives in the Cascades. Slesse was their pinnacle for the week. They should be on it right about now. Life goals! From Wikipedia: “Luna Peak is the highest mountain in the Picket Range, an extremely rugged subrange of the North Cascades in the American state of Washington. It is located within North Cascades National Park. It is notable for its large local relief and isolated position on a far-flung eastern ridge of the Pickets. For example, it rises over 6,560 ft (2,000 m) in 1.8 mi (2.9 km) above McMillan Creek to the south.” “Luna Peak was first climbed in early September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson. The standard route is the Southwest Ridge, approached from Ross Lake and Big Beaver Creek. It requires strenuous off-trail hiking including bushwhacking and tricky route-finding, but offers the promise of solitude, as the peak is rarely climbed. The final climb to the true summit involves exposed scrambling on loose rock, and some parties will want a rope (Class 3/4).”

[WolverineWay]

See also "fastpacking": https://www.sagetosummit.com/fastpacking "Fastpackers enjoy the increased freedom of movement that comes with a light and fast approach. A lightweight backpack allows fastpackers to also use lighter footwear and maintain a faster pace, including the ability to use a running gait at times. This can make a big difference in overall efficiency and enjoyment. Fastpackers trade the comforts of a well equipped camping setup for the ability to see more terrain in less time, travel in more rugged terrain, and burden their muscles and joints with less load. Competitve Fastpacking is not a recognized athletic event but is usually included in longer adventure races. There are fastest known recorded times for popular trail and mountain routes that are continually challenged by elite Fastpackers and Mountain Runners, but the vast majority of this activity is done strictly for pleasure."

[DadFly]

Hmmmm. I remember doing long trips with limited time with my father and brother outside Missoula. 12 or 15 miles a day was pretty normal and most of the time we were not on trails. We did the Swan Crest a few times in a day with minimal gear. About 20 miles and 9000 feet up and down. Check it out. Morrell Falls to Holland lake.

Swan Crest That is Fischer Peak on the right and Ptarmigan on the left. It was not about "accomplishing" something. It was purely the incredible freedom of being there doing it.

[NorthwestWanderer]

Absolutely crazy!

[DadFly]

Great TR! Great pics!