[raising3hikers]

Tombstone Pk 7895' Tombstone Pk is located about a mile East of Mt Spickard in the Chilliwacks. It has been on my radar since seeing it from the trip to Devils Tongue a few years ago. I drove out Friday evening to get as close to the Depot Cr TH as I could. I decided to take my old truck out there since I remember the Chilliwack Lake road to be terrible. It was the same as before but the Depot Cr road had changed. It had been improved due to logging but many drainage ditches crossed the road that made me glad I brought my high clearance truck. It was getting dark so I chickened out about 3/4 of a mile from the border. I went to sleep to get a few hours of rest before an early start hiking. I started hiking Saturday morning before 530am on the new logging road. After a little while, I found a compact car that had made it to the best possible start for the Depot Cr trail. It was then just a couple hundred feet to the border swath after leaving the road that kept going. The Depot creek trail is a mess for the 1st mile or so, tons of blowdowns and very brushy. I lost the trail several times but eventually found it. The 2nd mile was a bit better but fast travel couldn't be had cuz there was always another blowdown. The 3rd mile was better but the waterfall area was going to be tough as I could hear a lot of water coming down. The trail through the devils club and alder was good to the old slide alder crossing above the creek. I think this is the only spot I ever like to see slide alder. From there, the mist was soaking everything to the hand lines at the base of the falls. If not for these ropes, those slabs are too wet to be safe. I took a shower on those ropes but was soon to the side of the falls looking for the trail upwards. From there, the trail is as steep as I remember but easy to follow, finally. I reached the flatter part of the trail but still had much boulder hopping to do to get to the upper basin. While taking a higher route, I saw 3 climbers hiking out near the creek. The partly cloudy views were opening up and I headed up towards Silver Pass before taking a right towards the route to Spickard. There was consistent snow to the Spickard saddle and I put crampons on cuz it got steep. It looks like a well used goat path but I didn't see any. At the saddle, I had to descend to the East by losing 1000' to the Spickard/Tombstone saddle. After what seemed like a slow travel day, this went a bit quicker. The clouds cleared and I could see my goal.

Tombstone Pk

I reached the saddle, then had to hike up loose terrain up to the snow field where travel looked a bit better. I was happy to be on the snow cuz everything dry was moving. I reached the col up above and had a false summit to bypass. This wasn't too difficult, but up ahead things did look a little tricky. There are steep rocky areas, steep snow gully crossing and then better looking ground down below. I tried to stay higher and scrambled around and made it to the small saddle between the double summit. Which one was higher?

the 1st of the double summit

I first headed to the Northern summit and found the original register in a small tube. To my disappointment, the paper was pretty much destroyed. I could read a couple of the names, like the king of FA's, John Roper. The views got better as the skies near me were now mostly sunny. I looked South to the Picketts where some of my buddies were climbing and I felt bad that they looked socked in with clouds.

Tombstone register

I tried to dry out what was left of the register paper, then found a piece of paper in my pack to sign my name and leave both in a ziplock bag and put back in the little tube. After admiring the views, I went to tag the other summit that also had a cairn but no register. I'm not sure which was higher but it wasn't much effort to get to the other spot.

Spickard from Tombstone

The Mox Pks

Luna

Prophet

Rahm and Devils Tongue

I worked my way back down on a lower route, some careful downclimbing and more snow crossings. All went well and I then headed to get back down to the Spickard/Tombstone saddle. Then it was another snow trudge 1000' up to the Solitude/Spickard saddle. I considered adding on Solitude but I was wiped out and out of water. I also had wet boots for most of the day and couldn't wait to take them off. I was just now focused on getting back to running water and finding a spot to set camp.

Spickard

I made it back to the Silver pass route and guzzled some water and filled up both bottles. I then headed back down towards Ouzel Lake to find a place to set my bivy. After being a little picky, I decided on a close up of the lake. I was happy to take my boots off and let things dry out a bit. I took in the sun rays and slowly set camp while counting the many waterfalls in the basin. I think I counted up to 20 or so falls draining this cirque.

Redoubt glacier above Ouzel lake

Redoubt above a tarn

Depot Creek

It felt good to sit and rest after a long day, this was the 3rd weekend in a row with an 8K day. As I ate dinner, clouds or fog started to swarm the lower valley and make its way up. I was soon in a cloud and decided to get in my bivy before 8. I worried it might rain during the night but it didn't. It was still cloudy when I woke at 5am so that was good enough for me to pack up and head out.

last look at Easy Mox before the clouds came in

The hike out went as expected. Stay high in the boulder fields instead of staying near the creek, some nasty slide alder could get you when the river bank ends in cliffs and you're forced to go up. Every time there's blowdown along the trail, leave it and there's devils club waiting. I just kept going and lost the trail a few times but I was never too far off. Anyways, I made it back happy to have climbed this obscure North Cascades Pk 18.25 miles (12.25 miles day 1) 8300' elevation gain (8000' day 1) 2 days

[Fletcher]

Really awesome Eric. That must have been a really special summit!

[ozzy]

Obscurity at it's finest! Looks amazing up there, can't wait to get up there myself someday. Cheers and keep em comin!

[iron]

really nice. i know another guy that was jonesing for this one too...

[Gimpilator]

Fun report. Nice to have some details for this one. Bummer to see the register in that shape.

[Stefan]

Whoa!!!!! In a day!!! holy moly!!! I be talking to you about some info!!!

[Route Loser]

Damn, I was hoping that register was still intact. Thanks for the report. Nice grab.