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babylero Member
Joined: 09 Oct 2020 Posts: 95 | TRs | Pics Location: Tacoma |
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babylero
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Sun Mar 27, 2022 2:36 pm
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I didn't need a snowmobile or skis, but I was able to get an early season ascent of Cashmere via The Victoria's Secret Route.
I arrived at Bridge Creek Campground and there was a very small snow berm but the road was melted beyond and I was able to ultimately drive to the Fourth of July trail head. The road was completely melted out in spots beyond but there was also some deeper snow and I didn't mind the road walk. I set off on foot around 11AM.
After crossing the Icicle, I followed the Victoria Creek road for a bit and then started up hill towards the ridge. The forest is mostly open here but there are some annoying eye level tree branches here and there to weave through. The snow was pretty rotten down low so I immediately donned snow shoes which I kept on all the way to to the lake. Route finding is mostly trivial, though there is an annoying side hill traverse to make which is unfun in snowshoes.
I arrived at the lake a bit before 6 and made my way to the far end where I found some running water and set up my bivy and made dinner. It was a clear night and the temp got down to 21.1 degrees around 1AM.
I started up towards the couloir at 6AM and found mostly firm snow especially when I stayed on old slide debris. Minimal post holing allowed for efficient climbing and I used my poles the whole way up although I was carrying two axes. The couloir is steep, but not as bad as it looks from below, there is one steep spot up top where I switch backed and had to find firmer snow to avoid wallowing.
In the upper basin things open up but the pitch only relents slightly. From here I could see the summit pyramid and someone moving on top! I later found evidence of a summit area bivy. The solo climber appeared to have approached from the east.
I had a GPX track of the final climb but since I had great visibility when I got to the summit pyramid I noticed going left (not what the GPX I had did) was a direct shot to the summit block via snow slopes. This leftward rising traverse, along with any route up the NW slope, is very run out with a prominent cliff dividing the face into an upper and lower snow slope. The snow was bomber though and it took me all the way to the summit with easy bucket steps and axe shaft belays. The final move onto the small summit block itself (space for about one or two people) was slightly exposed class 3 I would wager unless you are quite tall like myself; I was able to kind of bearhug a boulder to skirt around to make the final move. Grand views of the Stuart Range, Rainer, Sloan, Monte Cristo Group, Glacier Peak, etc.
There were definitely older slides (perhaps a week old) that had swept the couloir, but it was very stable on my ascent. I never needed my second hybrid axe and didn't need to do any mixed climbing.
I got back to my bivy at around 11 and had some lunch before exiting. I kept snowshoes on until I got back to the ridge and then decided the occasional post hole was more fun than snowshoe skiing. There are a ton of downed trees here that made for some rotten snow so I took my time to look for signs of hazards.
ALW Hiker, Now I Fly, uww, Theboywhocriedroute, puzzlr, zimmertr, jaysway, fourteen410, Randito, abkoch3, LukeHelgeson, ozzy, geyer, Michael Lewis, Cyclopath, raising3hikers, Fedor, Tom awilsondc
ALW Hiker, Now I Fly, uww, Theboywhocriedroute, puzzlr, zimmertr, jaysway, fourteen410, Randito, abkoch3, LukeHelgeson, ozzy, geyer, Michael Lewis, Cyclopath, raising3hikers, Fedor, Tom awilsondc
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Bootpathguy Member
Joined: 18 Jun 2015 Posts: 1790 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
babylero wrote: | there is an annoying side hill traverse to make which is unfun in snowshoes.
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Me & my snowshoes know that spot well. That is a fun spring adventure. Have picked up alot of ticks there in early May. I was pleasantly surprised to see a otter on the ice up there one year and evidence of a moose down lower near the drainage in a willow patch.
Thanks for the memories
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Michael Lewis Taking a nap
Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 629 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood, WA (for now) |
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Josh Journey a.k.a Josh Lewis
Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 4836 | TRs | Pics
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Victoria's Secret ain't so secret anymore. One of the better route names among a good quality route. Good work.
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timberghost Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 1330 | TRs | Pics
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