Trip Date: September 11-13, 2020

The Bull’s Tooth Climbing Trip & Bullseye Traverse: Stevens Pass to Bullseye Pass to Frosty Pass

Tye-Mill Pass
Lake Susan Jane
Josephine Lake
Chain Lakes
Bullseye Pass
The Bull’s Tooth (6680’+)
Doelle Lakes
Frosty Pass
Lake Grace

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Trip Report Summary
Related Post
Full Trip Report

Day 1: Stevens Pass Trailhead to Chain Lakes
Day 2: Chain Lakes to Frosty Ridge + The Bull’s Tooth
Day 3: Frosty Ridge to Whitepine Trailhead + Lake Grace

Nomenclature Comments
Route Maps & Profile & Sketch
Photo Gallery

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Upper Icicle Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting Point: PCT-Southbound Trailhead at Stevens Pass on Highway 2 (Elev. 4050 feet)

Way Points: Stevens Pass Ski Area & Tye-Mill Pass & Lake Susan Jane & Josephine Lake & Upper Icicle Creek Trail / Chain Lakes Trail junction & Chain Lakes & Bullseye Pass & Upper Doelle Lake & Lower Doelle Lake & Doughgod Meadow & Frosty Ridge Basin & Frosty Pass & Wildhorse Creek Basin & Lake Grace Trail junction & Grace Creek & Deadhorse Creek & Whitepine Creek Trail junction & Whitepine Creek Trailhead (trail hike)

High Point: Bullseye Pass (Elev. 6250 feet)

Ending Point: Whitepine Creek Trailhead at end of White Pine Road (Elev. 2750 feet)

Campsites: Middle Chain Lake & Frosty Ridge Basin

Summit: The Bull’s Tooth (rock scramble & rock climb via West Ledge—South Ridge)

Sidetrip: Lake Grace (trail hike)

Approximate Stats (excluding sidetrips): 23 miles traveled; 5500 feet gained; 6800 feet lost.

Approximate Stats (including sidetrips): 27 miles traveled; 7200 feet gained; 8500 feet lost.

Bullseye Traverse + The Bull’s Head + The Bull’s Tooth – September 2005

Full Trip Report

When wildfires, road closures, and heavy smoke thwarted our planned mountain trip in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, Eileen, Brooke, and I quickly recalculated. We ended up completing the Bullseye Traverse in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This was a close re-enactment of a traverse that I did with Beth, Deborah, Janet, and Julie in 2005. Although the smoke eventually caught up to us, we all got a good dose of mountain lakes as well as a major alpine crag summit.

Day 1: Stevens Pass Trailhead to Chain Lakes

We parked at Stevens Pass on a mild Friday morning and headed south on the Pacific Crest Trail. It had been very smoky in the Puget Sound lowlands, but the blue skies overhead confirmed that our revised plan was a good choice. We crossed over 5200-foot Tye-Mill Pass, passed by Lake Susan Jane, and stopped for lunch at Josephine Lake (3.2 hours + 1600 feet from TH).

Because Brooke has been deprived of cold, clear, mountain lakes in recent years, a lunchtime swim was essential in her mind. It was warm enough that even I couldn’t resist a quick dip.

After lunch, we continued hiking down the Icicle Creek Trail to the Chain Lakes Trail junction (5.6 hours +1750 feet from TH), then turned left and ascended steep switchbacks up Chain Creek for 3 miles. Filtered sunlight was warming the nearby hillslopes and cliffs when we arrived at Chain Lakes in early evening. Several other parties were camped in the lake basin, but we found a nice site adjacent to Middle Chain Lake (8.0 hours + 3600 feet from TH).

Evening Light On Bulls Head From Middle Chain Lake

Day 2: Chain Lakes to Frosty Ridge + The Bull’s Tooth

At the end of a cool, calm night, we awoke to a glassy water surface and hazy skies. Breakfast was enjoyed on a rock outcrop overlooking the lake, with a view of The Bull’s Head to the southeast.

Today’s itinerary called for a climb of The Bull’s Tooth, followed by a hike out to Frosty Pass. We started with a short romp up to 6200-foot Bullseye Pass, which cuts through the divide between Chain Lakes and Doelle Lakes.

Upper Doelle Lake From Near Bullseye Pass

Just beyond Bullseye Pass, we dropped backpacks and began a cross-country hike/scramble up to the southeast on steep heather and white talus. The Bull’s Tooth—an imposing granite cuspid—soon appeared in front of us. We crossed over a high shoulder, then made a Class 2-3 traverse on a west-side ledge. This ledge took us beneath the summit to a small cleft that provided an easy scramble back up to the ridge crest.

The Bulls Tooth stands above Bullseye Pass as seen during the Bullseye Traverse — Bulls Tooth From Above Bullseye Pass

Working around an impressive chockstone chimney atop the cleft, we found ourselves in a small gap between The Bull’s Tooth and an adjacent bird-shaped pinnacle—later dubbed “The Bullfinch.” We roped up here, and Eileen led up the south ridge, which features fun Class 3-4 climbing on blocky granite. Beth and I had stumbled upon this route during our 2005 trip, so I knew it was feasible with our 40-meter rope and minimal pro.

Eileen stretched out the rope and continued upward with running belays until encountering a short, steep horn closely below the summit. She brought Brooke and me up to a belay ledge so we could assess our options.

From our high belay station, I made an awkward Class 5 traverse around the horn. Eileen and Brooke soon joined me in a tiny notch between the horn and the summit. We then took turns climbing up to the narrow summit via some sporty bouldering moves. By 1:00pm (3.3 hours + 1100 feet from Camp 1), we had all tagged the summit.

Brooke & Eileen Below Bulls Tooth Summit

Three short rappels got us down the south ridge. Although this ridge is not terribly steep or difficult, it is very exposed on both sides.

We traversed back across the west ledge and dropped down heather slopes to reach our pack stash (4.5 hours RT), then headed down the trail to Doelle Lakes. The air had become considerably smokier during the past several hours, reducing visibility to about ½ mile. At least the local views were still good.

Bulls Tooth & Bullseye Pass From Upper Doelle Lake

After a quick water stop at Lower Doelle Lake (6.8 hours from Camp 1), we continued down to Doughgod Meadow on an overgrown trail. Autumn color was starting to tinge the vegetation here, and the huckleberries were deliciously ripe.

From Doughgod Meadow, an abandoned but well-defined trail makes a ½-mile contouring traverse across the western flank of Frosty Ridge before ascending to a 5550-foot saddle in the ridge crest. The trail then continues southward, generally staying either on the crest or on the eastern flank.

Our original intent was to reach Frosty Pass today; descend to Icicle Creek and hike back up to Josephine Lake tomorrow; and finish at Stevens Pass the next day. However, the eerie, smoke-induced twilight and declining air quality prompted us to recalculate once again. We stopped in a small basin on the eastern side of the ridge and made camp shortly before 7:00pm (9.0 hours + 2000 feet from Camp 1). Eileen then used a satellite texter to contact Jim A, our inveterate ground man, and arrange for a pickup at the Whitepine Creek Trailhead tomorrow.

Day 3: Frosty Ridge to Whitepine Trailhead + Lake Grace

The night had again been calm, dry, and overcast. In the morning, a Martianesque sun—barely visible through the dense smoke—rose over the ridge to our east.

We broke camp and continued hiking southeastward along Frosty Ridge, passing through a series of colorful meadows. Brooke was delighted when we encountered a large colony of furry marmots along the way. Within an hour, we arrived at 5750-foot Frosty Pass.

Turning northward on the Wildhorse Creek Trail, we hiked over to the Lake Grace Trail junction (1.7 hours + 250 feet from Camp 2). Eileen proceeded down-valley at a leisurely pace, whereas Brooke and I took the opportunity for a sidetrip up to Lake Grace (2.5 hours + 1150 feet from Camp 2). Naturally, Brooke took a cooling dip in the lake.

Feeling refreshed, we returned to our backpacks (2.2 hours RT) and hurried down-valley. We reached the Whitepine Creek Trailhead at 5:00pm (8.0 hours + 1600 feet from Camp 2). Jim A and Sarah B were waiting there with Eileen, ready to whisk us back to our car at Stevens Pass. Their willingness to provide bail-out service during this extremely smoky weekend adventure was greatly appreciated!

Nomenclature Comments

For purposes of describing features on the arcuate ridge encircling Chain Lakes, I let myself get carried away with the “bull” theme. I applied the following names to the main features (listed from north to south):

The Bull’s Hoof (6604-foot triangulated point just northwest of Bullseye Pass)
Bullseye Pass (6200-foot trail pass between Chain Lakes and Doelle Lakes)
The Bull’s Tooth (6680-foot+ untriangulated point just southeast of Bullseye Pass)
The Bullfinch (bird-shaped pinnacle immediately south of The Bull’s Tooth)
The Bull’s Head (6840-foot+ untriangulated high-point of ridge)
Bull Roar Point (triangulated Point 6807, erroneously labeled “Bulls Tooth” on USGS map)