May 1, 2004

Mt. Sefrit Day Climb

Ruth Creek
Wall Street Couloir
Mount Sefrit (7191′)

——————– Trip Report Summary ——————–

Region: Northwestern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Nooksack Mountains

Area: Mt. Baker Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Ruth Creek Road pullout near Milepost 3

Way Points: Ruth Creek & Wall Street Couloir (off-trail hike & bushwhack & snow climb)

Summit: Mt. Sefrit (ascent & descent via Northwest Glacier—Southeast Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 6 miles traveled; 4500 feet gained & lost; 5.6 hours up; 2.8 hours down.

——————– Full Trip Report ——————–

Besides anchoring the northwestern end of Nooksack Ridge, Mt. Sefrit is the highest point on the ridge by a 76-foot margin over Ruth Mountain, which anchors the southeastern end.  I first noticed Mt. Sefrit only a week ago, while climbing its neighbor to the northwest, Goat Mountain.  From that vantage, Sefrit’s jagged summit pinnacles looked frightening, its middle flanks looked cliffy and wet, and its haunches looked painfully brushy.  All in all, Sefrit presented a pretty unappealing package.

Several days later, by sheer coincidence, I received an invitation to join Chris, Don, and Natala on their attempt of Mt. Sefrit from the north side.  Resisting the urge to decline immediately, I checked Beckey’s route descriptions.  He alluded to dicey creek crossings, bushwhacking, troublesome cliff bands, avalanche-prone gullies, and shattered summit rock.  Obviously, this was a mountain that I wanted nothing to do with!

Having made my opinion quite clear, I would be hard-pressed to explain how I found myself carpooling up I-5 with Karen early Saturday morning to meet Chris, Don, and Natala in Sedro Wooley.  Since Karen seemed no fonder than I am of dicey creek crossings, shattered rock, and other unpleasantries, we tried to determine what mutual lapse of judgement had led us into this situation.  On the plus side, it was shaping up to be a beautifully sunny day in the mountains!

We met our group in Sedro Wooley, consolidated into Don and Nat’s van, and proceeded onward to a point about 3 miles up the Hannegan Pass Road (just past where a creek flows over a concrete weir).  From a wide spot in the road, we could see the “Northwest Glacier” high above, as well as parts of a snow-filled gully snaking downward through dark cliff bands.  A tongue of avalanche debris spewed from the gully and over the lower brush, extending about halfway down to Ruth Creek.  However, it was impossible to tell whether the snow gully was continuous or was interrupted by mossy cliffs with rushing waterfalls.  The crossing of Ruth Creek also remained uncertain.  Nonetheless, everyone was by now game to try.

Laden with axes, crampons, flukes, pickets, ropes, and a rock rack, we crashed down to Ruth Creek.  What a relief it was to see a three-log cluster spanning the creek!  Once across, 45 minutes of thrashing through slide alder and under-ripe devils club got us onto the avalanche debris.  It felt good to put those two obstacles behind us, but we still could not see more than the lowest reach of the snow gully.

Don and Chris kicked steps in the firm snow, and we all proceeded upward with much anticipation.  Would the gully go, or would it simply dead-end?  To our delight, it kept going…and going…and going!  For 1500 vertical feet, it maintained a remarkably uniform gradient (30 to 35 degrees) and width (about 50 feet), with very steep rock walls on both sides.  It gave me the impression of walking up Wall Street between rows of tall buildings.

At 5000 feet, we emerged from the gully and strolled onto the “Northwest Glacier” in a wide-open cirque.  Sefrit’s summit ridge towered overhead, with many hanging snow patches to be wary of.  Being in full sun, the glacier surface was now very soft, so several of us took turns breaking trail in knee-deep glop.  Meanwhile, wet-snow slides continually let loose around the cirque.

We eventually reached a broad, 6500-foot saddle at the glacier’s head.  From there, our options were to (1) climb due south up a steep, narrow chute to a notch just west of the summit pinnacle, or (2) traverse southeastward across a shallow bowl beneath the summit.  Option 1 was complicated by what looked like a near-vertical step just below the notch, whereas Option 2 would expose us to menacing cornices and snow patches above the bowl.

We decided on Option 2, with the proviso that we would rope up, install snow protection, wear avalanche beacons (three of us had brought them), and move QUICKLY.  Chris led across, placing several flukes along the way in case a slide suddenly came down.  I followed on his rope, while Karen, Natala, and Don followed on a second rope.  Our traverse was uneventful (that is, we didn’t get swept off the mountain by a wayward cornice) and we soon reached the southeastern ridge crest.

Having arrived first, Chris and I scrambled along the crest to check out the route ahead.  We had expected a difficult Class 4 climb on bad rock, but it turned out to be a straightforward Class 2 scramble except for 100 feet of exposed Class 3 traversing near the middle.  We established an informal fixed line along this traverse to ease the apprehension.  Around 1:30 pm, we all topped out on the small summit.

We spent nearly an hour on top, eating lunch and reveling in the view.  Of all the Nooksack-area peaks, Mt. Sefrit offers the closest and most direct view of Mt. Shuksan’s awesome north face.

Canadian Border, American Border, Larrabee, Slesse, Redoubt, and the Pickets also stood out clearly to the north and east.  However, a high cloud cover was building to the west and diminishing visibility.

Not finding a summit register, we left a film can register.  Also, Don checked out the notch and steep chute as an alternative descent route but deemed it more prudent to simply follow our ascent route back down.

Around 2:30, we started descending.  Chris and I again set up a fixed rope for the Class 3 traverse, and soon we were all back on snow.  The traverse across the shallow snow bowl was slightly more eventful than on our first crossing, due to a small slide coming down between Chris and me.  More dramatic, though, was a large slide that ripped across our tracks only moments after we had all crossed.  But that memory was quickly erased by 1500 feet of hoot-and-holler glissading down the glacier and 1500 feet of fast plunge-stepping down “Wall Street.”  Oh yes, and by the 500 feet of bushwhacking down to Ruth Creek.  By late afternoon, we were all back at the car, feeling pleased and surprised by what a delightful climb Mt. Sefrit turned out to be!

Route Comments:  Our timing was perfect for this very worthwhile route.  Earlier-season climbs would likely experience deeper snow and more avalanche risk, whereas later-season climbs would experience thicker brush down low, and troublesome breaches in the snow gully.

Gear Comments:  We took crampons but didn’t use them; however, they would be greatly appreciated on a cooler day when the snow gully remains firmer.  We did use several flukes, runners, and rock chocks, but these could be considered optional.

—————– Route Map / Sketch ——————

—————– Photo Gallery (click to enlarge) ——————