[raising3hikers]

Indecision Pk 7945' Natal Pk 7800' I headed out Friday afternoon to get a head start on climbing these 2 Pks in the Fisher creek valley. I stopped to get my permit in Marblemount. Wayne was there looking for a one as well and had been waiting for hours! You take a number and 1 ranger is giving them out at the door. With only 5 people in front of me, I would wait but it still took 1 1/2 hrs to get my permit. The biggest problem were a couple groups that had no idea what they wanted and took the bulk of the time. I wont wait that long next time. It was raining on my way to the Easy Pass TH but stopped as I started hiking after 4pm. Snow fields made up the last 1000'-1500' to the pass. I dropped down the snow free side down to Fisher Creek and set up camp.

Fisher Creek valley

I woke early on Saturday but the mountains were still socked in, so I waited another hour before hiking by 6am. It was supposed to be sunny today but I was hopeful the clouds would burn off. I hiked a mile down the trail before crossing Fisher creek at 4800'. Several log choices to choose from and I headed up the Natal creek drainage mostly avoiding brush. This was actually a really nice valley as I made my way through, meadows and lots of bear sign. I ran into snow ~5200' as I crossed over to the W side of the creek to get past the waterfall. I reached the snow covered flat basin below Indecision to still low clouds. I headed up the snow slopes to the Indecision/Natal saddle and went for Indecision first since it was in the clouds but is only class 3/4 and straight forward. Easy and sometimes fun scrambling lead me to the summit. With still no views, I tried to kill some time by taking a longer break at the summit than I usually do. I was hoping to get a view of Natal's East face to see if it was doable. I headed back down to the saddle with a couple sucker holes forming in the sky. I sat at the saddle for a bout 15 minutes and that was all I needed to get a view of my intended route. The small bit of blue sky was all I saw that day but it came at the right time.

Natal Pk my route went up the steep snow gully and scrambled the East ridge

Indecision Pk

I traversed steep snow over towards the gully, I estimate it was near a 50 degree slope with a couple spots even steeper. I reached the narrow gully and easily went up kicking good bucket steps. At the top, it was an easy class 3 scramble to the summit, still no views but I got to admire the remote valley bottoms surrounding the pks.

Indecision, Fisher and Repulse Pks

looking down the steep gully

I brought a rope but it ended up staying in my pack. I downclimbed my route and headed back to pack up my camp and head out. I had hoped for this trip to possibly be the most scenic one I'd have for the year but that didn't happen. A big swing and a miss on that!

flowers

Natal valley

20.5 miles 9100' elevation gain a day and a half

[Brushbuffalo]

[Mike Collins]

[awilsondc]

[Stefan]

great! and sorry about the wait! in the mountains...and at the ranger station!

[ozzy]

Awesome Eric!! Sorry you got stymied by the clouds, they all cant be winners! That climb up Natal looks gnarly, would it be impossible without snow? Thanks for the tr I've been wanting to get up there bad! Cheers!

[Gimpilator]

Thanks for the report Eric. Pretty cool seeing all the seldom done peaks you strive for. That hassle with the permits reaffirms why I usually skip permits and lottery systems. I'd rather run away from rangers than lose 1.5 hours waiting in a line, or lose the alpine start because the office opens late. But I say props to you for trying to do the right thing.

[Fletcher]

Cool report!