[Fletcher]

For the last day of the high pressure, we decided to go for a winter ascent of Sefrit from the north. After many times feeling very doubtful that we would be successful in making the summit, we were able to pull it off. After just over 4 miles of road walking down Hannegan Pass Road, Eric, Dave, Selena, Damon, Cole, PeeWee, and I made our way down to Ruth Creek right across from the "Wall Street" gully that grants access to Sefrit's NW glacier. PeeWee and Dave were able to find some rocks to cross on; while the rest of us forded the knee deep waters. Eric slipped on a rock and fell in the creek, soaking himself and most of his belongings!

some nice morning color

the route above

looking for a crossing

climbing towards Wall Street

After crossing the creek and drying off, we climbed several hundred feet of partially snow covered alder, to a large area of avalanche debris that had come down the gully in the last bad avy cycle. This slide must have been massive and impressively wet and heavy. We made our way up through beach ball sized chunks of refrozen snow which made footing a little tricky. Eventually the hidden entrance to Wall Street game into view. What an awesome route. The gully weaves back and forth up the mountain with steep walls on both sides. We had really nice cramponing conditions with one particularly icy and steep step that took some care.

heading up Wall Street

the icy step

the icy step

exiting Wall Street

Around 5,000 feet, the gully opens up into an impressive basin where we stopped to take a quick break. After that we trudged our way up the glacier with expanding views to the north. Around 6400 feet our couloir that would take us up toward the summit came into view. It looked impossibly steep. We dropped some gear here and harnessed up. Eric and Dave were first to start up the gully, with the rest of us following.

awesome basin

slogging

heading up the couloir

Selena, Damon, and Cole

Chilliwacks coming into view

getting steep

steeper

This couloir is steep, very steep. We all agreed afterward that its probably the steepest snow that any of us have ever climbed. At the top, we all had to traverse out to the left to get around a cornice. The exposure right here was extreme. I was third to top out, much relieved to be in a decently comfortable spot. Dave and Eric built an anchor and threw a rope down to give the other guys a belay up the final and steepest bit to the top.

PeeWee topping out

looking back down to Selena

The route above the notch looked imposing but doable. As Eric and Dave were getting the final three up past the cornice, PeeWee set out to check it out. One tricky move getting out of the notch and we found some fairly comfortable climbing for 100 feet or so up a rocky rib. This rib finally lead us to the summit ridge, which was heavily corniced. We considered roping up a few times, but nothing looked good to get us up what I believed was the summit. As PeeWee and I were considering turning around and returning to the notch, Eric found a lower traverse and worked his way around a rib. It was exposed with bad runout. The super variable snow surface was sketching me out and I was strongly considering turning around again. Here, PeeWee followed Eric around the rib and out of sight. I wasnt going to let him summit without me and hold that over my head for the rest of my life so I followed. As I crossed the rib, I found that the terrain really eased up and yelled back to Dave and Cole that they should follow. I also realized that the summit overhead was false and the true summit was still a short distance along the ridge and Eric was on the summit block just a few feet away from Sefrit Glory! The wind had really picked up since we'd topped out of the couloir making it super miserable. Every gust of wind would blow snow into our eyes, temporarily blinding us.

PeeWee climbing above the notch

finally, the summit!

The problem now was that this side of the summit block was 5th class with incredible exposure to the north. Eric backed off and we decided to try it again with a belay. I volunteered to lead, racked up, and began making my way up, placing a couple pieces of pro. I managed to climb to within 10 feet of the summit until the climbing got difficult enough for me to not want to make any more moves without finding more bomber pro, which did not exist. Feeling truly defeated, mere feet from the summit, I climbed back down as Eric decided to try to find a lower traverse to get us to the other side of the summit block. As the rest of began to pack up the rope and retreat, Eric's head popped up from the summit!! His route worked. We all worked our way down and around and after one last icy step, we took turns making a few exposed class 3 moves to the summit of Sefrit, very thankful for Eric's bold route finding.

PeeWee and I on the summit

Shuksan

Baker with incoming weather

Tomyhoi, Border Peaks, Larrabe, and Slesse

Pickets

Blum

Chilliwacks

Nooksack Tower detail

Dave got it

Cole on the summit

No time for a break with the horrible wind, we all gingerly made our way back down to the notch in the blowing wind. I would periodically have to stop and let a gust pass as the blowing snow required me to close my eyes. At the notch, as we all felt as if we might freeze to death, Eric flaked our ropes as I set a deadman for our rap. I then quickly set up my rap and made my way over the lip and into the abyss. The 60m rappel ended in a precarious spot in the couloir so I immediately began down-climbing as Damon rapped down after me. That was definitely the steepest down climb I have ever done. Luckily snow conditions were ideal.

trying to stay warm

the crew coming down

incoming weather

It was frigid in the basin, so we continued the descent as soon as we all regrouped. We were all relieved to have reached relative safety. The snow was still firm in Wall Street, but not steep enough to require facing in other than for really brief steps.

heading down the glacier

entering Wall Street

such a cool route

back at the icy step

the final obstacle

We all regrouped one final time back at the Ruth Creek ford at dusk, which felt good on the feet that I have been abusing in firm boots and crampons all day. Back at the road, we slogged the 4ish miles out to the cars as it began to sprinkle. The beers that were waiting for us felt well earned. ~14 miles ~5200 ft of gain ~13:11 car to car ~WA P1K 200/783

[raising3hikers]

Oh wow, what a trip that was. It might have been the best and most challenging winter summit I've been on. btw, it's also the steepest snow I've ever climbed, much steeper than Lincoln Pk. I'm so glad I had an available day to join on this trip with the last day of low avalanche danger. My little dip in Ruth Creek was just the beginning of the challenges we were all about to enter. Glad Kyle took a pic of me in the water, hope he posts it The Wall Street route is a 20' wide hidden gully not seen until right by it that reaches to the upper basin. I don't think it would be a viable route once the snow melts, it would be a flowing creek with many little waterfalls.

the crew hiking up wall street

the goat mtn pks

Our gully route to the ridge was definitely steep but the snow was very good, I felt bad about snow falling down on others while kicking steps but it couldn't be avoided. A cornice provided an obstacle but a short, exposed, climbers left traverse provided access to the ridge. It was good to have everyone up there, that was victory in itself

our steep gully

chilliwacks

the crew heading up the steep gully

Selena gaining the ridge

Somehow, we were sheltered from the wind in the basin but the wind was absolutely whipping on the ridge. Things were extremely cold, Dave did an awesome job belaying the remaining climbers. There were some false summits that we were unaware of but if we keep poking around enough, we'll find a way.

Fletcher and Kyle

The wind felt like being sand blasted but we kept going trying every way possible. It was a hard earned summit but felt so good to get it.

Ruth and Icy

The double rope rappel was long but left for more steep down climbing, at least it was not as steep as the upper slopes. It was a relief to gather with everyone below the gully as we gathered our gear to get back down wall street before it got too dark.

Selena on rappel

thanks for the awesome trip!

[awilsondc]

Y'all are a bunch of bad asses! I'm surprised to hear the snow was steeper than Lincoln! Nice job lady and gentlemen!

[Brushbuffalo]

Fine climb! You folks had super steep snow up high but indeed, the lower approach gully gets really ugly by late spring's melt. In the mid 1970s around Memorial Day our party of two was very intimidated by the gaping holes. To fall in would not end well. It may have been the crux of our climb but since we got stormed off in the upper basin we'll never know. In1967 I had summited Sefrit by a different, easier route in summer. We put up a hammock just below the summit just for fun, and a picture of it is in Geology of the North Cascades ( plate 8-C, opposite page 65).

[iron]

dang. i wouldn't want to go in ruth creek 'cept for on a 90 degree day in august. were you wet the whole day? that summit must've been miserable.

[Stefan]

wow. I don't remember the water running like that! I remember snow bridges over the water. Sorry you had to get wet Eric....and then in the wind at the top. Wow. You musta been cold. Cool all you made it up! That is great!

[Mike Collins]

Congratulations with your success on this lonely peak. Dave C. And I were successful with a much more user friendly approach route from Hannegan Pass and exit via a Ruth Creek ford. No rope used but plenty of snow on our May outing. The crux of our climb was actually our fording of Ruth Creek. It was an upper-thigh torrent. We thought we would have to wait until the night to cross.

[Nancyann]

I love the video! Congratulations to each one of you!

[MangyMarmot]

What an awesome trip. Great team of people to be with. Here are some of my photos.

Fording the creek

Below Wall Street

Wall Street

Goat Mountain

Heading up the glacier

Goat, the border peaks and Larabee

Chillawacks

Ridge above the gully

Climbing the summit block

Looking North-East

Shuksan

[brianhill__]

A lot of interesting things got sent in the past week. This one is impressive! Cool video too. Out here inspiring people y'all.

[rstoddard24]

Strong work all! Looks like a wild adventure. And awesome video Fletcher I really enjoyed Would like to explore this zone someday. I am curious to hear your reasons to go via Ruth creek side. I saw a TR from some skiers who got it via Nooksack cirque side a few days prior and they seemed to have fewer challenges

[raising3hikers]