[James Wells]

From the nearest trailhead being Hannegan Pass TH, Chardonnay is tucked away to the north of the Mamie-Granite-Hannegan ridge and doesn't present an obvious day trip route. As such it was ideal to add to the list of peaks that people don't bother with because obscure and not glam enough, but great for us.

Some research prior to our trip included: TR by Stefan here on NwHikers also including Noir which is one peak beyond, multi-day: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8035938&highlight=chardonnay Peakbagger TR by Andy Boos with super useful info on a cut-through up from the HP trail to the ridge: https://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=1215478 We elected to try Andy's route. We followed the HP trail for 1.3 miles, then turned up slope and north in a rocky stream gully. We went up this until it cliffed out. At this point, the way on was up very steep heather that Andy's TR had described. We put in crampons and busted out our ice axes, which allowed us to get up the heather slope. If it was wet, this would be hazardous.

From there it was +2k of steep but totally reasonable woods until we came up to the saddle to the west of Granite.

From here it was a beautiful and easy walk in terrific scenery to the NNW all the way to the summit of Chardonnay, with just a few sections of casual scrambling. Importantly, we had brought some chardonnay to celebrate (don't forget this key item of provisioning). We looked along and a little down at Noir to the NW, contemplating going there. The report from Stefan above was clear - don't follow the nose and get cliffed out, rather go along the talus fields on the N/E side. After further contemplation we decided instead to head back and to add Granite and Hannegan which Dave had not previously summitted so we could make a round trip of it. Adding this partial loop kind of splits the difference between distance and difficulty. Going to Chardonnay via Granite both ways would be a long 20 mile day, but on the other hand we didn't really want to do the steep descent directly down the ridge so the extra distance (and extra scenery) adding up to about a 14 mile trip was a good trade. [Going directly to Chardonnay and back by Andy's route would be 8 miles]. From the saddle W of Granite the direct way was looked imposing (night be just fine just don't know) so we angled up on the S side in steep meadows. At one point we needed to struggle for a short distance through tight bush and trees until we popped out near the summit.

From Granite heading down E toward Hannegan we followed our noses down just on the S side in mostly steep meadows until the got the the saddle. Heading toward Hannegan the trails slowly became more discernable until reaching the main trail at Hannegan Peak summit. As we headed east we noted a pretty major pyrocumulous development which was the incipient Chilliwack Complex fire. Walking down from Hannegan Pass spookily there was nobody there, which was a mystery until we got back to the TH to discover the trail had been closed something like an hour after we had set out that morning.

With Dave Andersson 14 miles, approx +5,500 (direct to Chardonnay is +4,700, the +800 is an estimate, lost part of my track). Met nobody all day, due initially because Chardonnay who dat and then later because of the closure.

Youtube of the trip by Dave = Dawnchaser:

[TellimaChris]

Nice hike! I did Chardonnay as a day hike earlier this summer by looping it up and over Mamie Pass, south slopes of Chardonnay, then along the ridge to Granite and out Hannegan Pass. I wouldn't say Mamie Pass is any easier than the gully you took up, but it was nice for a loop. The head of Silesia Creek on the other side was some lovely untravelled terrain.

[James Wells]

[TellimaChris]

Mamie Pass is a steep unrelenting bushwhack right from the trailhead. Pretty much directly up behind the campsite at the end of the road. Stay on a fairly open forested rib for the first thousand feet, then angle left in a gully when the slide alder is replaced by open scree, then traverse climbers right through moderately thick forest and brush to the pass. The north side of the pass is shorter but quite steep down a loose gully. Yes it is possible to get to Goat from Mamie Pass! There's some modest scrambling but I wouldn't say its difficult (no worse than the west side of Granite). There's a trip report (not be me) out there about this route, entitled 'circumnavigating Goat' I believe. How awesome would a Church Mt to Hannegan Pass high traverse be? The only section I have questions about is Twin Lakes to Goat Mt..

[Prosit]

The dates here seem curious. You did this hike a year ago on August 28th, 2022, but you posted this TR one day short of a year later on August 27th, 2023. Is that right? This is a wonderful area. I’ve done many of the routes here, via Hannegan, Mamie, Goat, etc. In the spring of 2013, I scouted out what I call the Donegan Route and have used it quite a few times. It’s possible to do Chardonnay as a day hike, but if you have time, spending more of it here is worth while. There are many great viewpoints to discover. You can even spend a night on the summit of Peak Noir, which has a scandalous view of the Big Bosom Buttes. It’s possible to run the ridge from Goat to Hannegan, and beyond to Copper Ridge. There is one steeper, non-technical section getting around ‘Goat Hunter’ (Pt 6452). But the crux is on the east side of Mamie Peak. Climbing and descending Mamie Peak itself is not difficult, but where it meets the connecting ridge on its east side there is a difficult exposed section that for mere mortals like me requires a rope. Alternately you could skip this section by descending from Mamie Pass to the north and rejoining the ridge at the head of the basin. The route from Twin Lakes to Goat Mtn also goes, so yes, you could start at Church Mtn and go all the way to Copper Ridge if you wanted to.

[James Wells]

[James Wells]