Glacier Peak Climb (July 15-18, 2010)

A tree gains a toehold on a moraine at 6700 ft (due east of pt 6787)

Scott, Ian, Chad and I set off for Glacier Peak, taking advantage of the last summer with limited access (road repairs in progress). Looking forward to about 35 miles round trip and 10,000 ft elevation gain, we left the N Fork Sauk River trailhead with our brand new Target sleeping bag (long story) but otherwise weighing in at about 40-45 lb packs. Minor bugs on the walk in, but the annoyance was nothing in comparison to the unending switchbacks (OK, 30). The view near White Pass got close to a Sound of Music moment, but the wildflower peak was still a few weeks off. We stood strong against a false charge from a marmot-- pretty pungent aroma. We decided to camp at White Pass and conscientiously excavated a snow platform for the Megamid. Far enough to the southeast on the ridge we actually had a view of Glacier Peak.

View of White Mountain (Left) and Glacier Peak (center) from SE end of White Pass.

Ian at 6500-ft saddle with Glacier Peak in the background

We got a lazy start on Day 2 and began the long traverse to the 6500-ft saddle on the ridge to the east of White Mountain. We stayed high and followed the previous boot path across steep snow slopes for the most part, but we also crossed a few heather ridges. The view from the col was incredible, and just got better. We dropped down steep snow slopes and kept traversing east and north to try to hold our elevation, but it may have been faster to drop to the basin and walk on the flats. We didn't need crampons and the snow was perfect for kicking steps. The Whitechuck Glacier on the USGS maps and in the Beckey guide is no longer, sadly. We climbed up to Glacier Gap for a sweet campsite with ready-made rock walls and a meltwater stream and a killer view. Calm winds overnight and pretty warm.

Glacier Gap camp

We rose at 3:30 am and took off a few minutes before 5 am, climbing up to the pass above camp on hard snow with crampons on and ice axes out. We traveled north up the Gerdine Ridge to about elevation 8400 ft, where we roped up to traverse northeast across the Gerdine Glacier to the saddle with the Cool Glacier. There was evidence of a recent avalanche off southeast face of Disappointment Peak, and ample rocks littering the glacier so we didn't dally at the tempting rock right in the path of the rockfall.

View across the Gerdine Glacier below Disappointment Peak
As we ascended to the saddle, I noted a few spots where people either deeply postholed or punched through snow bridges on their way down, right where the large crevasses form mid summer at the Cool/Gerdine glacier junction. The Cool Glacier really only had a single obvious crevasse with snow bridge right before the Disappointment/Glacier col, so I skirted to the south, close to Disappointment Peak, and didn't even have to step across any crevasses. Pretty remarkable snow conditions, and a testament to the late-season snow.

Disappointment Peak/Glacier Peak col

At the col we unroped but kept crampons and ice axe for the steep snow climb up the wide gully that led to the summit. A faster group of 5 on one rope hit the col at the same time and they elected to climb the gully roped but placed no pro. Seeing visions of the Mt. Hood climbing accident from a few years back, where a roped team slip clotheslined a bunch of people climbing up, we waited until the team cleared the terrain above us (15 minutes is worth the peace of mind; the leader of that team asked me about it afterwards and was very receptive to new ideas). We kicked steps and remained unroped, thanks to a skilled team comfortable with snow travel. Snow conditions were absolutely ideal for crampons. At the top of the gully, we visited both bumps just to make sure, then basked in the sun.

Near the top of the summit gully, looking down on Gerdine Ridge

The views from the top of Glacier Peak must be the best in the Cascades. The peak is surrounded by mountains, and the fighter jets the previous day were the only hint of civilization. You can't see or hear anything other than mountains, snow, and wind. It's truly spectacular, and thanks to the light wind, we spent over 45 minutes up there taking pictures of Rainier, Baker, Shuksan, Sloan, and all the other peaks you can see.

Descending the Cool Glacier

I checked everyone's comfort level descending the upper gully, and considered setting up a fixed line for a pitch. But, they were a remarkably skilled group and we elected not to rope up. The snow was just beginning to soften, which made for good plunge stepping but with crampons on for security. At the Disappointment/Glacier col we took off crampons and donned ropes for the final glacier travel. Ian led down the Cool Glacier and uneventfully passed over the top crevasse. But, where the Cool Glacier dropped into the Gerdine, both Ian and I punched through snow bridges with a leg so worked our way cautiously to the Gerdine Glacier. We traveled quickly past the rockfall, including the beckoning sun platform rock where another group not-so-wisely paused, and the avalanche debris to reach the snow on the south Gerdine ridge. We unroped and wandered back to our Glacier Gap campsite.

After two hours rest, feeding, and watering, we decided to move camp back to White Pass to make the next day more pleasant. The snow was getting a little soft, but not too bad for the traverse past the area-formerly-known-as the Whitechuck Glacier. The final climb up steep snow to the 6500-ft saddle sapped the last of our energy. In two days, the snow had really melted off the traverse back to White Pass. We passed a NOLS group out for 30 days and for some reason they didn't have ice axes out (but were wearing helmets)-- is this an odd hazing ritual? It would have been a long slide.

Back at White Pass, people were occupying our beautiful snow platform so we dug another one. Though we tried to find a place out of the wind, our Megamid nearly succumbed in the middle of the night. I awoke to a flattened Megamid wall fwapping me in the nose. You could hear the wind getting a running start in the distance, followed by fwapfwapfwapfwapfwag. A few lulls suggested it could improve ... but it didn't. Our middle people slept well but Ian and I had had enough around 6 am.

The walk out wasn't so bad, and we lingered about an hour and a half at the N Fork Sauk River right at the base of the switchbacks. A few bugs were out but little blood was lost. We hit the trailhead at 2 pm and found some lunch back in civilization before the complete reentry.

A few blisters and a little warm at times, but good people, outstanding conditions, and a great trip!