Alpine Travels July 2010

Solo travels in the North Cascades during July 2010
  • HELIOTROPE RIDGE BIVOUAC. Final ascent to the 7000-ft mark on Heliotrope Ridge while looking down on Marmot Ridge and off towards Vancouver. Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA.
  • Am image from Church Mtn showing where I am on Heliotrope Ridge proper. Only 2.5 hours from the trailhead.
  • The Black Buttes from 7050-ft on Heliotrope Ridge: Colfax Peak (L), Lincoln Peak (R), Thunder Glacier between.
  • Close-up of 10,778-ft Mt. Baker's summit: North Face (L), Roman Nose (C), Roman Wall (R).
  • Bivy site on Heliotrope Ridge, 7050-ft up, in the shadow of the Black Buttes. The location from where Edmund Coleman made the 1st recorded summit climb in 1868.
  • Melt patterns in snow, 1000-ft below my bivy site. Mt. Baker Wilderness.
  • 8:50 PM. The evening light makes for the best photographs... and highlights the day's climbing tracks.
  • 9:00 PM. Alpenglow effect begins just before the sun sets...
  • 9:10 PM. PInkish hue as the mountain reflects the sunset (photo is as-shot and untouched).
  • 9:14 PM. The light fades...
  • VIew from my camp looking across the Straight of Gerogia, the Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island.
  • Morning sun lights up the Twin Sisters Range. Photo taken from my sleeping bag.
  • The Cascades are named so for a reason. One of several falls on the Heliotrope Ridge trail as I hiked out.
  • Step back and capture the entire length; enjoy the cool mist that swirls in the air...
  • SKYLINE DIVIDE. View upon emerging from the woods after the snow-covered 2-mi hike up.
  • Glacier Lilies on Skyline Divide. Vast fields bloom briefly immediately after the snow melts.
  • Long distance view of Colfax Peak from Chowder Ridge. The sharp-eyed will spot 21 climbers crossing the Coleman Glacier, heading to Mt. Baker's summit.
  • Coleman Glacier seracs and icefall terminus, observed from Chowder Ridge.
  • Mt. Baker's north side: the Cockscomb (L), Mazama Glacier (C), North Ridge (C-R), Roman Nose (R), 9000-ft saddle and climbing route (far R)
  • Cliff Paintbrush on the far end of Skyline Divide.
  • Spreading Phlox and Shrubby Cinquefoil... and one lady bug. Skyline Divide.
  • Phlox in Rocks. Found in large, rocky flats where Skyline Divide ends and Chowder Ridge begins.
  • From my tent, a gorgeous view of the north and northwest side of Mt. Baker. Skyline Divide.
  • Room with a view. New tent; I wish I had brough my snow stakes as the snow was more level than the scree. Skyline Divide.
  • Location of my camp site, halfway between first gaining the Divide and the start of Chowder Ridge.
  • A wider view, shot from Church Mtn, placing my camp site in perspective of my favorite glaciated volcano.
  • Cliff Paintbrush next to my tent site. Skyline Divide.
  • Stunted trees are melted out only a few weeks of the year. Nature's own bonsai trees. Skyline Divide.
  • 9:01 PM. Alpenglow just a bit earlier than last week; the days are getting shorter... Skyline Divide.
  • Cirrus clouds indicate a possible weather change. View toward Vancouver Island.
  • 9:11 PM. Alpenglow almost done. Chowder Ridge -- named for the many mollusk shaped fossils found there -- is now shaded.
  • Turn around and view 9127-ft Mt. Shuksan catching the last rays on its summit pyramid. ("Shuksan" is native for "the rugged one".)
  • 9:12 PM. A wider shot to include Colfax Peak -- Kyle's mountain of victory.
  • 9:14 PM. The sun finally drops below Vancouver Island mountains, reflecting the Chlliwack River valley (Canada).
  • Morning haze and ridgelines from camp: the Canadian border peaks. Skyline Divide.
  • Peaks and ridgelines as I eat some breafast and note the rising winds...
  • Marine clouds push in quickly off the ocean. Time to break camp, but one last photo of Shuksan, Table Mtn, and other familiar peaks. Skyline Divide.
  • Cloud cover provides filtered, even light to capture the classic Glacier Lily on Skyline Divide.
  • CHURCH MOUNTAIN HIKE. Mt. Baker, the Black Buttes (Colfax, LIncoln Peaks) Heliotrope Ridge near the summit of 6315-ft Church Mtn.
  • Ascending the Church Mountain trail, heading up from the lower meadow after a very steep trail through the forest.
  • KIdney Lake from Church Mountain.
  • View east from Church Mountain. Looking toward Yellow Aster Butte, Tomyhoi Peak, Winchester Mtn, Goat Mnt, and others...
  • False Hellabore (a.k.a Corn Lily) foliage. Highly toxic to animals and insects alike, but recent research indicates promise in cancer killing drugs.
  • Descending back to the lower meadow along the Church Mtn trail. Snowmelt provides plenty of water this time of year. Mt. Baker distant.
  • CASCADE PASS / SAHALE ARM / SAHALE GLACIER. Plenty of heather and just a touch of lupine at my favorite section of Sahale Arm trail. Mix-up, Cascade, Johannesburg peaks form a wall behind.
  • Another view, just because I like it. The flowers will peak over the next few weeks. Sahale Arm trail.
  • Sahale is native for "the High One". Some Glacier Lilies remain. View of the lower and upper glacial moraines, Sahale Glacier, and the 8680-ft summit pyramid.
  • The climber's camp is at the edge of the Sahale Galcier, 7600-ft. Two steep moraines separate the camp from Sahale Arm.
  • Pink heather detail. Sahale Arm Trail.
  • Lunch spot and hour-long nap halfway up Sahale Arm. View north and west to Eldorado Peak (L) and Boston Basin (C).
  • Lupine just beginning to bloom; the meadows will be covered in the coming weeks. Sahale Arm Trail.
  • Active day for climbers, as usual, on Sahale's summit pyramid. It's one of the best views in the North Cascades and not very difficult to obtain.
  • Glacier Peak many miles beyond a ridge coming off 8325-ft Mt. Formidable. Middle Cascade Glacier in the foreground feeds the Cascade River.
  • Boot track up to Cache Col, the first high pass on the famous Ptarmigan Traverse. Long distance view from Sahale Glacier.
  • Mountain goat (male) with a fine summer coat. He is on watch for any opportunity to lick up urine; they absolutely crave the salts.
  • Remnant ice on Doubtful Lake, 1800-ft below my position at the Sahale Glacier.
  • Mountain goat profile shot; Sahale summit reflected in his eye
  • If you can see the goat's own shadow reflected in his eyeball, you may be too close. Sahale Glacier Camp, 7600-ft.
  • 4:44 PM. Vast number of peaks in just this one small segment of the North Cacades. Remaining all day at the 7600-ft camp until the light improved was worthwhile, I'd say.
  • In this type of scenery, we climbers can't help but get our Alpine Nerd on and sit and name peaks.
  • Looking down on the upper portion of the Sahale Arm trail. It's on the Cascade Crest: west side drains to Puget Sound; east side, the Columbia River.
  • Magnificent tent sites on the Sahale Glacier moraine.
  • View from Sahale Glacier: SW. I need to crack open my climbing reference books to identify these North Cacades Nation Park peaks.
  • More North Cascade peaks, SSW of Sahale.
  • A tighter view, but still SW of Sahale and mainly W of Mount Formidable.
  • Panning just a bit west from the previous frame. Gorgeous sunlit peaks near 8 PM in the evening.
  • Moonrise at 8:47 PM. Looking down the Stehekin River valley from Sahale Arm.
  • 8:52 PM (just 5-min later) the moon rises fast. The July full moon is the "Thunder Moon" (as well as "Buck Moon" and "Hay Moon").
  • Brief pause at the rock block "picnic" spot at 5400-ft Cascade Pass. Time to get the headlamp out for the final 90-min descent to the trailhead.
  • HIDDEN LAKE PEAKS. As yet unknown sub-alpine flower, common in the steep "meadow" leading up along Sibley Creek.
  • Lewis's Monkeyflower in abundance. Hidden Lake Peaks trail.
  • More Columbia (or TIger) Lilies than I've ever seen in one area -- here are just a few as the mosquitoes were beginning to dine. Hidden Lake Peaks Trail.
  • The "meadow" is really a very steep avalanche path, but the flowers were amazing. Now a long traverse up in granite and heather as the weather begins to change...
  • First view of the HIdden Lake Peaks old lookout cabin. The weather is closing in.
  • Final trail segment on granite and heather benches, rising into the fog...
  • Lookout cabin (6900-ft) is maintained by volunteers and is open to anyone for overnight stays. Nice place to rest after a very sweaty hike.
  • Hidden lake, 1200-ft below, appears as the initial clouds lift. Mt. Torment and Forbidden Peak in the center, far distance.
  • Dropping down to Hidden Lake (5733-ft) requires scrambling on boulder fields of granite, some blocks the size of cars.
  • Ice remains, but Hidden Lake is almost completely melted out. This is as close as I could get without risking more exposed climbing moves.
  • Raining, but worth stopping to capture the Rosy Spiraea shrub. The slope was covered with them, but the thunder was getting closer, time to move...
  • Thunderstorms caused an early retreat down the Hidden Lake Peaks trail, but the views were still worth capturing. A milkshake awaited me in Marblemount; a good way to end July. :-)