[twodogdad]

The forecast did not favor longer ventures so I chose Chiwawa as a plausible one-day climb--and got a little bit of everything: improved trail to Chiwawa basin (compared to last year: thank you for the work, whoever did it), really nice weather AM, some bushwhack around pt 5990 (2011 has been my bushwhack year), easy scramble to 7500. That's where a fast-moving storm started closing in, with a couple of not-so-distant thunderclaps. I wanted to summit and get off summit as soon as possible so instead of going up the broad central gully--class 2 but slow scree--I went to the right (the S ridge), and made good progress until I ran into some class 4 wet rock with huge exposure and had to down-climb a couple of hundred feet to the safer route. Fortunately, the storm took its time so I could linger on the summit, hoping for a photo op. I descended along the series of waterfalls you see from upper basin--slippery but doable with the help sturdy green belay. tdd

Buck

Fortress and Chiwawa from lower basin

Chiwawa from upper basin

Fortress from upper basin

Chiwawa Summit View S

Chiwawa Summit View E

Chiwawa Summit view N

Self Portrait Chiwawa Summit

I didn't find a register on either summit bump--the northern one is 9 feet lower but I checked, just in case. (I had meant to bring a container but I left it in the car.) Instead, in one of the cracks I found this Joker

Somebody worked hard to leave a trace behind...

[iron]

nicely placed rock...

[S1W]

Thanks for sharing - nice pics. How is the Chiwawa River Road these days?

[Rainie Too!]

We did not find a register either, saw the Joker and left her...hit the same class 4 rock on the ridge and downclimbed as well to the easy class two....even had the same weather!! We were early enough in the season that the waterfalls were covered in snow and made a real straight descent to the basin. Nice trip TDD, surprised you did not take the dogs on this one.

[twodogdad]

S1W: It's drivable. Out of the 12 miles of rough road 3-4 miles are quite rough: watch out for mean protruding rocks if you have low clearance. Iron: There gusts of wind: something had to keep the card from being blown away . Rainie: My dogs made it to the col on the other side of Chiwawa last year (when I climbed pt 8134, by mistake). But all the talus was snow-covered. I might have taken them to the upper basin if I had planned an overnight trip. No dog enjoys going where we do (they'll follow, of course, even if it shreds their paws)... tdd

[RichP]

Good show, Niko. You keep racking them up.

[wildernessed]

Looks good Niko !

[puzzlr]

Nice light on Buck Mtn, and great solo on Chiwawa.

[twodogdad]

Hi old mates--Rich, Rob, and Monty. I did quite a few of my early T100s with you--and I look forward to some more. The season is still young. N

[Sadie's Driver]

Nice trip! Another on the list . . . .

[TrailPair]

It would be fun to carry the Chihuahuas up there!

[twodogdad]

It's a relatively easy hike--and this is the time of year to do it. Snow in the basin doesn't melt until July. There's still quite a bit of hard steep snow but you can avoid it all and tread on rock/scree all the time. And you have 3 fearsome beasts to protect your camp from marauding bear. (I had left a certain piece of equipment in lower basin and when I came down to retrieve it on my way back I found a big bear pile right next to it.) N

[TrailPair]

Hopefully Bob will have a new, working knee by next summer. We would love to do Chiwawa with our Chihuahuas.

[mtn.climber]

Wish I could've joined you. Good job.

[Matt]

Nice job getting out there, Niko. We found one of those cards on another summit recently. It would have taken several rocks to make it suitable for posting.