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Noheaperture
Nohea



Joined: 25 Aug 2018
Posts: 130 | TRs | Pics
Location: Issaquah
Noheaperture
Nohea
PostFri Aug 16, 2019 8:52 pm 
I had been planning this trip for the last year and finally found the window to take it slow and complete it. Started at cathedral pass th at 3am on Sunday night. Real smooth switchbacks and a little rainy but a good start to warm up. After getting to Peggy’s pond we made our route up to the circle lake outlet. The views were minimal due to the rain and clouds but the weather was cool enough to make it a very leisurely stroll through the mountains.
After reaching the outlet of circle lake, we began the ascent up the western shore to the citadel. I didn’t do a ton of research on where to cross over each ridge of the trip but we luckily popped over the meadow/scree field looking down at spade lake. We slid our way down the slopes clumsily to the slabs above Venus.
We set up camp at what was an established site around the Venus tarns with a couple peek-a-boo views here and there. After 6pm, we were socked in and stowed away in our tent until 8 the next morning due to rain and wind.
On day 2 we woke up at 8 to clear blue skies and cool temperatures enough to keep the bugs away. After breakfast, we lounged and swam. Around 130 we set out for the western shore of Venus to move on to pea soup lake. The saddle in between Venus and shovel outlet is a real masterpiece. There were a couple goats hopping below the approach to Ares peak which just made the experience so much cooler.
After a break at the tarn, we brainstormed on how to get to the col of Hinman and Daniel. Initially we were going to take a high line above the valley from the saddle but the terrain looked nasty and loose for how much exposure there was. We opted to swing back towards Ares peak and ride the boulder field down which seemed like the only feasible approach after starting our descent. The terrain for the next 5-6ish miles was a love-hate relationships. We knew that we weren’t likely to run into people at this point, and it’s always an absolute blast hopping wobbly boulders to keep you alert and cursing every time one moves or you slip. We made it to the col in about 2 hours which we filled water at the tarn overlooking the basin and shovel lake. There was virtually no snow until we hit the actual “pea soup” colored lakedown below it. The bugs for the entire boulder crossing portion we’re pretty damn bad but nothing compared to the amount heading towards the outlet of pea soup lake. We were slipping and sliding on the soft black sediment which was as awful as you could imagine. Boulders and rocks falling everywhere so we spaced out and climbed different routes to avoid rock fall incidents. The climb up the slabs to pea soups were fun despite us being a little gassed out from the many slips and falls on the scree fields above the Foss drainage. We made it to our camp on the eastern shore of pea soup lake at 5pm. Very nice campsites established and not a soul to be seen. I went for a dip which was short lived before going to bed for our final day.
Alpine Wonderland
Alpine Wonderland
Alpine Wonderland
Alpine Wonderland
On Day 3 we woke up at 7. I opted to take the pack raft my friend brought and float to the other side of the lake to climb up dip top gap. My two partners took the scree field up and around instead. It looked pretty rough and sketchy and I felt water travel to be pretty nice anyways being a surfer from Hawaii. We linked up at dip top gap and glissaded down to jade lake. We all took a jump in Jade because you kind of have to, and finally was back on trail with the masses of people to deception pass.
Overall, a great mellow trip with some good friends and complete solitude in some of the most diverse mountain environments around any monolith I’ve ever been. I’ll definitely be making this an annual trip even if for a long trail run.

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SwitchbackFisher
Boot buster



Joined: 24 Feb 2018
Posts: 364 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wa
SwitchbackFisher
Boot buster
PostSat Aug 17, 2019 9:38 pm 
Looks like a dream trip. Be safe out there!

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Cyclopath
Faster than light



Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 7694 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostSat Aug 17, 2019 9:43 pm 
Gorgeous all around. A few of your pics are spectacular as landscapes. The one with the cliff dive is awesome too! Well done.

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