[Midnight Slogger]

Many thanks to our good homie Kyle who made this trip possible by picking us up after we bailed on the original trip. Thanks bud! Also big thanks to Hannah who facilitated our car shuttle logistics before the asscrack of dawn. All of the photos are from Fletcher. There are some great descriptions of this trip (a classic NWhikers trip report from 2007, a 2011 traverse from Randy, as well as some 2010 "notes" from DIYSteve, and a more recent debut report from some plucky Canadians in 2019). The funny thing was that we knew little of these reports when we decided do this traverse on the second day of our original trip, which was aimed at the Northern Pickets. Day 1: Ambition Brother Rob was in town from Wisconsin and in the mood for some good views and a little exercise. Naturally we all thought it a good idea to do the Mystery Ridge-Northern Pickets Traverse. Soon we were kissing goodbyes and hauling six-night packs down Bacon Creek Road (FS 1060) at 7am, about 2.5 miles from the road's end where several downed logs still block the way. After the road ends we followed the old "road" for a while before we were seduced into some vegetation and the first of many great 'schwacks. We didn't start descending to cross Bacon Creek until a little bit after Porkbelly Ridge began rising, which was probably a mistake.

Bacon Creek Road; FS says it'll be civilian clean-up only, so who knows how long before this is fully clear.

The first of many a great 'schwack getting down to the creek.

Our E. Fork Bacon Creek crossing.

We made it down to the creek around 9:30am, had an hour break, and began up Porkbelly Ridge. There wouldn't be any water until the top so we packed it. We lurched up the ridge in the afternoon sun, enjoying the first of many good veggie belays on the trip.

Typical veggies getting onto the "climber's path" of Porkbelly Ridge.

We topped the ridge around 4pm and took longer than expected so we bivied at a good flat area about 5400'. A small stream coming from a large snow patch offered decent water. Views were intoxicating.

Night 1 ridge bivy below E ridge of Berdeen

Day 2: Reality

At the base of Berdeen's east ridge.

The morning brought cloud-swollen drainages and frequently cloud-obscured peaks. We got to the base of Berdeen's east ridge and scouted the route without packs. The most viable route appeared to involve some exposed 4th class. I think we marveled for a moment at the fatass packs that Tom S. and Steph Abegg must've hauled over this in 2012. Given the time constraints, weather, pack weights, and Rob's first time back in the mountains in two years, we decided there that we would switch to a "leisurely" five-day traverse towards Bacon and then Watson by bailing on Berdeen's east ridge, dropping into the basin lying to the east (described here), and up to the col below Native Knoll and overlooking Berdeen Lake, and then on to all sorts of grand rambling. This was, after all, a vacation. After setting up camp at the Native Knoll-Berdeen col, we strolled up Berdeen via the north ridge and, among other things, looked over the 2019 trip report mentioned above to make sure our adjusted trip idea wasn't a fool's errand. The very existence of this report alone was evidence to go for it. We managed to call Kyle who graciously agreed to pick us up at the Watson Lakes Trailhead, as well as climb Watson with us on our last day.

Going up towards Berdeen.

Seldom signed.

The crown jewel that is Berdeen Lake.

Day 3: Fun/awe Berdeen Lake is among the crown jewels of the North Cascades, and I'm a little ashamed I didn't realize this until I went there. It's still about 75% frozen over but we jumped in anyway and had a spiritually good time. We traversed north and then down around the lake to its southern terminus where we dashed up the south-east trending ridge of Hagan (the ridge that essentially begins at the terminus of the lake) and scrambled what is probably the standard route (east face), class 3. It was a whiteout, so we felt doubly affirmed about our decision to bail on the Pickets. (Note: You can head south on Berdeen's east shore and get to the outlet faster, but we were not sure of this when we set out in the morning. Crossing the outlet, of course, could be difficult from that side--not sure.)

Our one Hagan pic not socked in. Note the placement date.

Socked, stoked.

Intense patches of Chlamydomonas nivalis on Hagan's southern aspects.

When we got back down to the outlet we continued the traverse by dropping into the large and wonderful alpine meadows between Berdeen Lake and... Lower Berdeen Lake? The lake isn't named but I assume from others' trip reports most people call it "Lower Berdeen". Signs of bear everywhere but amazingly we did not see any bears.

Large and splendiferous waterfalls draining from Berdeen to "Lower Berdeen".

The seldom visited "Lower Berdeen".

The Evergreen Quintet. We saw what seemed to be an unusually high amount of these tree clusters between Berdeen and Green lakes.

Typical veggie terrain between Berdeen and Green.

(Note: The topo was our primary navigation guidance in this area (and for the whole traverse), but the map-makers were not as precise as usual when they created this section, as several gentle contour lines were in fact barbarous cliffs. Veggie belays ensued.) This subalpine area was the most special place of the trip but neither I nor Fletcher took pics of it (except Lower Berdeen). Maybe Rob will post some in the comments. The place seems like one of the more difficult meadows to reach in the Cascades. We sidehilled and veggie-belayed our way upwards to Upper Nert Lake where we camped for the night. Several camp spots exist between Berdeen and Upper Nert, though bugs throughout this traverse were a minor nuisance.

Upper Nert Lake.

Day 4: More fun/more awe More veggie belays and sidehilling brought us to Nert Lake proper, where we noticed a faint "fisherman's path" coming up from Hidden Creek. (See DIYSteve's intriguing notes about this area--I only read these after we got back from our impromptu trip.)

On the shore of Nert Lake proper; there's a previously at-risk animal in this pic, do you see it?

Looking back at the epics falls of Lower Berdeen.

We summited "Countdown Butte" and continued on to a bench high above Bacon Laken for an afternoon stroll up Bacon Peak. Staying high on the west side of Green Lake to access Bacon seemed better than sidehilling along the lake's edge.

Approaching top of "Countdown Butte".

Bacon Laken and Green Lake. Berdeen, our second night's camp, and Hagan in the distance.

Green Lake and Bacon Laken are also definitely crown jewels and it's a shame we didn't spend more time there. We followed slabs up and crossed only short snow sections on the north face of Bacon to reach the cols separating the false summits from the summit basin area on the eastern half of the peak. To avoid the steep snow walls of the basin on Bacon's eastern summit area, we traversed on ledges toward the east and dropped to lower ground, where we donned crampons and walked up a quick arete to Bacon's highpoint. Sorry if these directions make no sense whatsoever.

Ascending rocks and slabs, mostly avoiding snow, on Bacon's north side.

The quick snow arete leading to Bacon's summit.

The day ended around 4pm with a nice camp at 6400' on Bacon's west side. Views were more exalted than the "standard" 6000' camp (which just has views of the surrounding vegetation and maybe Watson). Plentiful water ran down from Bacon's summit basin. Signs of goat everywhere but, alas, no goats. I got my ass kicked at cribbage.

6400' bivy.

Day 5: Watson/The Hunt for Uncle Pee Wee I think it took about 80 minutes to drop the 2500' wet, occasionally brushy basin that forms the headwaters of Noisy Creek. Dropping became easier when we stayed skiers' left and found long stretches of snow to plunge. We didn't find a climber's path.

Dropping the upper Noisy Creek drainage...

...still dropping the drainage.

Typical terrain getting to the Upper Diobsud Lakes notch.

Looking back at upper Noisy Creek drainage that we dropped (though we stayed far right of the creek/waterfall in this photo). We were all disgruntled to think that this is (was?) the standard route for Bacon--too much up/down I think compared to the Bacon Creek approach. See Fletcher's 2019 TR for more on this approach.

We then 'shwacked up to the obvious notch between Noisy Creek drainage and Upper Diobsud Lakes. There was an intermittent climber's path to the "hidden" notch separating the Diobsud lakes from the Watson massif's eastern snowfield/glacier. We traversed down the eastern snowfield and then stayed low to gain the northern snowfield, staying mostly on rock and slabs, where we finally found our dear old friend Kyle waiting for us below Watson.

Looking up the north glacier/snowfield of the Watson massif, Kyle just a speck in the distance.

Watson summits, with true summit middle right and the easy access to the ridge just outside the left side of this photo.

It was a jolly jaunt up Watson where, in our rapture to be ascending with holds on rocks rather than on veggies, we excitedly ascended the north face, which may have been low 5th. It was a calm, beautiful afternoon and absolutely wonderful way to finish up this impromptu traverse. After descending the summit on the easier southside and wrapping around to the ridge that we came up, we made our way down to Watson Lakes for a leisurely swim and walk out on the first hiking trail we encountered since leaving the car four days earlier.

NOCA gold: Watson Lakes.

This was an incredible impromptu trip that I feel blessed to have experienced. We all agreed that it was perhaps one of the most rugged traverses we have completed, especially in terms of 'schwacking. Best of all were the short days, though, where we could hang around camp and just gaze at this precious place--as well as get our asses kicked at cribbage.

[raising3hikers]

Nice job being able to come up with a great plan B after already starting the trip. You guys covered some nice area! Also good to see a Kyle sighting in the mtns

[olderthanIusedtobe]

[Tom]

The first time we went up there Big Steve mentioned the fishing was good at Nert so we dropped pack and camped there. Dumbest decision of that trip and lamest camp ever. To escape the bugs I inflated the raft and floated around. Didn't catch anything as I don't think there are any fish in Nert but saw quite a few of those species cruising the bottom. I came home to find out that Big Steve thought that Lower Berdeen was called Nert. Not that I would camp at Lower Berdeen either. As you note there are many jewels along the way and no reason to opt for a camp that doesn't have a spectacular view.

[iron]

really jealous of this trip. this is the one area of the cascades i have yet to really explore and have always wanted to. i think this is WA's last unknown. an area devoid of IG and FB groups. good stuff!

[Matt]

Seldom visited, but we missed intersecting you by only a few days, as you could see in the Berdeen register. We went through the area on a Mystery Ridge - Pioneer Ridge loop, camping at the Native-Lonesome col on July 11.

[carlb328]

That pool on Bacon creek looks like amazing fish habitat. How far was that from where the road was blocked?

[geyer]

Nice looking trip

[RichP]

Sweet goodness!

[Jaberwock]

I didn't know the gracile around here had been at-risk (except for pressure from introduced fish).

[Backpacker Joe]

Great work guys. I dont know when it happened but I was told that all the forest service KILLED all the fish in all the lakes in the North Cascades.

[ChrisSJI]

[Fletcher]

Thanks for the write up Reed! I am thankful for such awesome friends to share trips like this with. Good times!

[contour5]

A+ Trip Report! Lots of great links makes for a really useful trip planning tool. Thanks for the time and effort.

[coldrain108]