[HeyItsBen]

Hi Matt, we bailed and are planning on another route next summer. I can keep you posted. BTW I recognize you from Summitpost. I rarely log on anymore but spent a lot of time on that site ten years ago. Have a great weekend!

[Matt Lemke]

Haha, yeah I used to post a LOT on Summitpost....not so much anymore though. I'd be so stoked to make it up Cleveland

[HeyItsBen]

We're roughly shooting for Labor Day next year. I've got a friend in MT who's going to try to get permits ahead of time but they're not easy to get. I think its easy to add people once you have permits though. I'll keep in touch, but don't hesitate to remind me!

[Eric Hansen]

HeyBen, hope it goes well. Post a TR if it happens, eh?

[HeyItsBen]

Hi Eric, we made the summit on 8/21 via the West Face, and my big apologies for not reaching out to Matt Lemke who I'd talked to about joining. We'd been shooting for around Labor Day weekend but had an unexpected opportunity and I drove straight from a hike in Idaho. My friend posted a writeup on Peakbagger along with a GPS track if you're on there, his username is Grog Supervolcano. Long story short it was a tough and rewarding trip. 53 miles round-trip, hiking from Packer's Roost. We'd hoped to get in from Canada, hiking from Waterton town, which would have shaved many miles off but too much conflicting information. Rangers at Glacier NP said to check with USA border patrol. Border patrol said no problem, just check in with the Roam App and make sure Canada would let us back through. Couldn't get a solid answer from Canada, and we thought we'd just go for it since the border didn't seem to be manned anyway. Then Glacier NP rangers backpedaled and said the general public can't cross. Anyway: Day 1: Hiked Packer's Roost to FIF campsite. 12mi, 4000' gain Day 2: Hiked to KOO campsite, 8mi, 3000' loss. Cached food there. Then tried to bushwhack into the SW bowl, which we realized is the route that Edwards talks up in his book. It seems that many people attempting Cleveland from the west confuse the SW bowl with the West Face. We gave up after several hours of looking for the mentioned elk trail though, hiked a few more trail miles north, then bushwhacked up the NW ridge. We'd saved a report and GPS track saying the brush wasn't bad there. It was terrible. Nothing thorny at least, but endless deadfall buried in thick brush, took us 2.5hrs to go 1.5 miles and gain 1500'. Dry camped at 6000' on the ridge. Gorgeous views of Cleveland's north face and Waterton Lake and into Canada. A few passing thunderstorms made the night exciting. Day 3: Hiked up the ridge, mostly class 2 with a few short class 3 moves, then up scree where we started a traverse onto the west face at 7700'. The traverse was exposed but a very obvious goat trail makes it pretty easy. Then up broken class 3 cliffs onto the summit ridge and to the summit. Had three run-ins with grizzlies but they took off in a hurry when they saw us. Climbing up didn't seem bad but you realize how loose it is on the way down. We took turns descending, hiding behind cliffs to avoid rockfall while the other descended. Must have sent a literal ton of rocks down. Didn't feel unsafe but it took time. Packed up camp, descended directly off the ridge towards KOO campsite (Kootenai Lake). Brush was much better this way. Still tough but much less of it, a lot more open areas. Spent the night at KOO. Day 4: Lazy morning at KOO, hiked back to FIF. 8 mi, 3000' gain. Day 5: FIF to Packers Roost, 12 mi, 4000' loss. Off the trail at 11am and beers in Columbia Falls soon after. Without the brush this is a great and fun route and would be my preference over Stoney Indian. Coming from Canada and being fresh the brush would feel easier, especially if someone ascended our descent route instead of the NW ridge from its base. Very possible to do with just one night or even a long day hike. I'll try to get some pictures up sometime, reception isn't great the moment

[Eric Hansen]

Thanks Ben, good to hear.

[gb]

M3 climbed Mt. Cleveland in winter in 90 minutes. I'd check with him as he is an expert climber. https://www.hcn.org/blogs/range/wolverine-chasing-the-phantom Chasing the Phantom Gulu Gulu!