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Stefan
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Stefan
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 2:25 pm 
Went out with Eric E. this weekend. He was gracious enough to slow it down for me. Sulphur Mtn and some peaks around were our choice. No rain! We left the Sulphur Mtn trail from the end of the Suiattle Road up. There are probably about 30-40 trees down on the trail. All passable. We went up over the lookout and then over to near the base of Sulphur Mtn and went up a gully and were delighted to find blueberries at the top of the gully. On up to the top without any difficulties. Then down and over a ridgeline to the basin southeast of Sulphur Mtn Lake. This is a gorgeous little basin. In fact we camped on what we called "The putting green." Gorgeous little camp. We took off for peak 6438. Some minor class 3 up near the top. Back to camp. Beer. Whiskey. Bourbon. Fire. The main food groups were taken care of with the element of heat. The night froze. I found that interesting. We took off for the two peaks 7120+ peaks east of there. Max class 3 in near the top of the first. The second and further one and slighter taller one had barely any class 3. We followed Fay's trip report for this....and I have to make a recommendation: go down the northeast ridgeline of the first 7120+ (Kaiwhat) peak from the summit on your way to the second 7120+ (Sho-gu-dope). It is easy and grassy. From there is was a ways out to the car. That Sulphur Mtn Trail is a long way up and down for a trail! 10,000feet of gain and 14 miles.
Sulphur route
Sulphur route

Art is an adventure.
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cascadetraverser
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 2:55 pm 
Well done gentleman; beautiful views everywhere there. It is a very long trail....

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neek
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neek
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 3:03 pm 
I once referred to your "putting green" basin as a "mosquito breeding ground". What a difference a month makes!

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Silas
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Silas
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 4:03 pm 
Great trip guys! Good to see another group went up that way this summer. Loved the scramble up Kaiwhat and Sho-ghud-ope. The views of Dome and Sinister a grand from up there. When we walked through neek's mosquito breeding ground we thought it would a sweet place without snow. Thanks for posting. Cheers. Here are some pics from July near your campsite:

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Fletcher
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Fletcher
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 6:55 pm 
Nice looking trip and nice looking camp for some boiler makers!

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raising3hikers
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PostMon Aug 31, 2020 7:12 pm 
thanks for the great trip to a new area for me, stefan. i, too, was surprised at the frost in the morning. it got really cold! the route further into the bath lakes high route has lots of ups and downs, looks like a rugged place. the views over to the dome area are pretty nice. easy and fun scrambling on all the peaks.
glacier peak
glacier peak
downey mtn fire
downey mtn fire
pk 6438 register
pk 6438 register
our water source near the putting green
our water source near the putting green
the putting green
the putting green
the sunset strip
the sunset strip
stefan tagging kaiwhat pk
stefan tagging kaiwhat pk
kaiwhat and glacier
kaiwhat and glacier
dome and sinister
dome and sinister

Eric Eames
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ozzy
The hard way



Joined: 30 Jul 2015
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ozzy
The hard way
PostMon Aug 31, 2020 7:41 pm 
Wow!! Never really heard of this place before!! eek.gif The putting green looks so badass! What a beautiful little nook! Thanks for the TR and pics, cheers guys! rocker.gif

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
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Sadie's Driver
Sadie's Driver



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
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Location: Welcome Pass
Sadie's Driver
Sadie's Driver
PostFri Sep 04, 2020 10:06 am 
WOW! Spectacular . . . putting green, eh? Perfect analogy. up.gif

Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
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Matt
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Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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Matt
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PostSun Sep 13, 2020 11:51 pm 
Fifteen years ago I visited Kaiwhat during the Bath Lakes High Route, but I didn't scramble farther north to visit Sho-Ghud-Ope. A week after Stefan's trip, I went back with Carla and Elle to tag both summits. Since they are both 7140-foot high points of Sulphur Mountain, I mostly refer to them as the Sulphur 7140s, south and north. We also camped at the Putting Green. Actually, there are enough flat greens to make a nine-hole course.
Sulphur 7140s GPS Track (blue and purple lines are from other trips in the past)
Sulphur 7140s GPS Track (blue and purple lines are from other trips in the past)
Hiking up through the foggy forest
Hiking up through the foggy forest
From top of the Sulphur Mtn trail, routes to the Putting Green and to the summits
From top of the Sulphur Mtn trail, routes to the Putting Green and to the summits
Going up the steep gully to the shoulder of Point 6438
Going up the steep gully to the shoulder of Point 6438
A ridgetop green crossing the ridge of Point 6438
A ridgetop green crossing the ridge of Point 6438
Arriving at the Putting Green
Arriving at the Putting Green
Camp on a much smaller green
Camp on a much smaller green
Dining room on a knoll
Dining room on a knoll
Sunset refreshments
Sunset refreshments
Brief pink alpenglow
Brief pink alpenglow
The next morning Carla and I went up to the summits. Going up, we veered too far left and took an unnecessarily step gully up to the south shoulder of Kaiwhat at 6900 feet. Kaiwhat is a fun Class 3 scramble, go to the right at first, then finish on the crest. Some steep steps, but plenty of solid moves if you zigzag around to look for them. Great views dominated by Glacier & Dome.
A Stefan or Eric footprint?
A Stefan or Eric footprint?
The gully we went up, because it looked okay from below, but then kept getting longer and steeper
The gully we went up, because it looked okay from below, but then kept getting longer and steeper
Carla arrives on Kaiwhat
Carla arrives on Kaiwhat
Kaiwhat register, but I misdated it, my previous visit was actually 7/20/2005
Kaiwhat register, but I misdated it, my previous visit was actually 7/20/2005
View down from Kaiwhat to the putting greens
View down from Kaiwhat to the putting greens
View north from Kaiwhat
View north from Kaiwhat
really glad that's not the summit
really glad that's not the summit
Carla stayed on Kaiwaht while I went to visit Sho-ghud-ope. There are surprisingly easy heather meadows down to the col and back up to the summit rocks. The final steep rocks were a puzzle. I tried various notches until I found one that worked, just west of the summit. You can tell the difficulty of scrambling by whether I leave anything behind. At the first notch, I left my poles. After trying a couple steeper notches, I deposited my day pack. For the final notch, I took off my gloves. It took an awkward stemming move between rocks, but then I could stand on top and tag the summit slab. Just to the west was a lesser pile of rocks that used to have the summit register. Now it doesn't, because I accidentally dropped it down a narrow deep vertical slot. Sorry.
Looking from 7140 South to 7140 North, with Dome
Looking from 7140 South to 7140 North, with Dome
Looking from 7140 North to 7140 South, with Glacier
Looking from 7140 North to 7140 South, with Glacier
Carla waiting for me on the ridge south of 7140 South
Carla waiting for me on the ridge south of 7140 South
Dome & Sinister
Dome & Sinister
Looking east to Bath Lakes and the Bath Lakes High Route
Looking east to Bath Lakes and the Bath Lakes High Route
Chaval, Baker, Snowking, and Bucking viewed over the top of Downey – the different colors and shapes really show of the geological diversity of the Cascades
Chaval, Baker, Snowking, and Bucking viewed over the top of Downey – the different colors and shapes really show of the geological diversity of the Cascades
Going down, we t followed the ridge crest south to about 6700 feet, for an easier return to the main descent meadow. We had planned to stay another night and camp on the lookout summit for views, but Elle's stomach had been attacked by expired trail mix, so we hiked back to the cars. 8000 feet of descent for the day, sore quads for several days afterward. BTW if you ever want to camp on the lookout site, there is no water source. You have to hike over and down about 500 feet to Lookout Lake for water. Stats: 17.6 miles, 8370 gain FYI, here's an explanation of John Roper's naming for these peaks: Sho-ghud-ope was the name given to the north 7140' peak by the Suiattle Indians and means 'gray earth'. The south 7140' peak (the main subject of this page) has received the John Roper designation of 'Kaiwhat Peak' - Kaiwhat was the Suiattle Indian name for Sulphur Creek. Bonus photos from July 2005:
Me on 7140 South
Me on 7140 South
Mike Torok on 7140 North
Mike Torok on 7140 North
Alpenglow on the Sulphur 7140s, viewed from farther east on the high route
Alpenglow on the Sulphur 7140s, viewed from farther east on the high route
The Sulphur 7140s above Upper Bath Lake
The Sulphur 7140s above Upper Bath Lake

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Stefan
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Stefan
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PostMon Sep 14, 2020 9:14 am 
Glad to see you enjoyed the time golfing!

Art is an adventure.
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RichP
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RichP
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PostMon Sep 14, 2020 11:10 am 
I really enjoyed that basin too but it was quite smokey during my visit in Aug 2015.
Lots of prime camping spots with water.
Lots of prime camping spots with water.

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