Forum Index > Trip Reports > Wagonwheel Lake - Copper Mtn. Attempt 12/5/20
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JasonK806
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Joined: 15 Jul 2016
Posts: 64 | TRs | Pics
Location: Olympia, WA
JasonK806
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PostMon Dec 07, 2020 10:58 am 
Copper mountain has been one of those back burner climbs for a while now and thought with the fresh snow there could be a chance at nabbing the summit this past Saturday. I started off at 8AM which felt early enough. I've been up to wagon wheel lake one other time and Cub peak a different time and knew the trail was a steep one. The snow started just before the slide alders and donned snowshoes before crossing the slope when I started punching through.
Avalanche slide
Avalanche slide
Lake
Lake
After a short break at the lake I started up hoping the snow would get firmer but it was doing the opposite of what I hoped for. After crossing a couple of small ravine's I finally got the first sight of the summit and contemplated my next move. I had already fallen in a couple of holes near tree wells and the summit still looked a ways away.
So close but so far away
So close but so far away
I kept going through what looked like a boulder field and fell through another hole then another and had to stop and realize it was not happening today, it would be well into darkness by the time I got back to the car if I were to somehow make the summit at my pace. My old MSR Denali snowshoes popped a rivet at some point and started to flex so that sealed the deal to turn around. This was a great day to be out, only saw two other people the whole day, on a beautiful December Saturday none the less.
Cub left, Pershing right, The Brothers in the back.
Cub left, Pershing right, The Brothers in the back.
Great day to be out.
Great day to be out.

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meck
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meck
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PostMon Dec 07, 2020 6:28 pm 
Nice photos, what a glorious day to be out there! Good call on turning around. Even if you had made it another 1/4 mile or so to the scree fields, as I recall, getting to the summit block/ridge on the north side there involves going up some really, really steep heather covered slopes, and then traversing the ridge. With that type of snow (just enough to be slick & slidy, not compact enough for spikes or crampons) not sure it would have been a lot of fun. How deep was the snow in the avalanche chute?

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JasonK806
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Joined: 15 Jul 2016
Posts: 64 | TRs | Pics
Location: Olympia, WA
JasonK806
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PostMon Dec 07, 2020 8:06 pm 
Maybe a foot or two. The slide alders were under a foot then air was under the alders. I saw awilsondc's post last Feb and the route looks straight forward, but doing it in snowshoes and soft snow is a different deal. Being on that north side the snow never got hit by the sun so it didn't get compacted with freeze thaw cycles. I went up Ellinor the Wednesday before and the snow conditions seemed good but that's south facing slopes with full sun exposure. I'll be back early spring to give it another go.

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Bryan K
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Joined: 29 Sep 2005
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Location: Alaska
Bryan K
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PostSat Dec 12, 2020 12:17 am 
Good try on less than ideal snow. I was up there years ago and we really enjoyed our trip up to Copper and Cub.

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