September 29-30, 2001

Big Chiwaukum Peak Climbing Trip & Deadhorse Traverse:  Chiwaukum Creek to Wildhorse Creek

Chiwaukum Creek
Chiwaukum Lake
Ewing Basin 
Larch Lake & Cup Lake
Cup Lake Saddle
Big Chiwaukum Peak (8081′)
Deadhorse Pass
Wildhorse Creek Valley

——————– Trip Report Summary ——————–

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Chiwaukum Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting Point: Chiwaukum Creek Trailhead (Chiwaukum Creek Road)

Way Points: Chiwaukum Creek & Chiwaukum Lake & Ewing Basin & Larch Lake & Cup Lake & Cup Lake Saddle & Deadhorse Pass & Deadhorse Basin & Wildhorse Creek & Whitepine Creek (trail hike & off-trail hike & rock scramble)

Ending Point: Whitepine Creek Trailhead (White Pine Road)

Campsite: Larch Lake

Summit: Big Chiwaukum Peak (ascent & descent via East Ledges—South Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 22.5 miles traveled; 7100 feet gained; 6100 feet lost.

——————– Related Trip Reports ——————–

Deadhorse–Grace Traverse + Big McWaukum Peak – October 5, 2016
High Chiwaukum Traverse + Big McWaukum Peak + Big Chiwaukum Peak + Ladies Peak – September 7, 2016
Deadhorse Traverse: McCue Ridge to Wildhorse Creek – October 5, 2009

——————– Full Trip Report By Laura Zimmerman ——————-

The Deadhorse Traverse begins at the Chiwaukum Creek Trailhead and follows the Chiwaukum Creek trail to Larch Lake and Cup Lake. From Cup Lake, the route ascends talus, scree, and heather benches to Deadhorse Pass. From Deadhorse Pass, the route descends cross-country to intercept the Wildhorse Creek Trail, which is followed to the Whitepine Creek Trail, and eventually ends up at the Whitepine Creek Trailhead.

Day 1 – Chiwaukum Creek Trailhead to Larch Lake:

Jim, Mike and I met at the Monroe Starbucks on a gorgeous Fall morning. We left Mike’s trusty Subaru Outback at the Whitepine Trailhead, and then drove to the Chiwaukum Creek Trailhead in my Jeep. We left the trailhead at 10:00am. The Chiwaukum Creek trail was beautifully maintained.

Right before we crossed Chiwaukum Creek, Mike was the first to notice an old smoke smell. We discussed the summer’s fires, and thought that maybe it was drifting on the breeze from the Icicle Fire Complex. However, not 200 yards later in a clearing near the creek crossing logs, I saw a small 4-inch-diameter gray circle in the forest duff, from which was issuing a thin plume of smoke. The ignition source was not identifiable, but it was probably either a match or a cigarette! Stupid, careless people!! Mike had a plastic grocery sack that he used to dip water from Chiwaukum Creek and drown the smoldering fire. The duff had burned down several inches deep, and at least one foot in diameter at the deepest part. All it needed was a good puff of air to start a potentially major conflagration in the dry undergrowth.

The scenery of Ewing Basin was breathtaking as the trail wound through sparse forest on the climb from Chiwaukum Lake to Larch Lake. Our group reached Larch Lake at 5:00pm (7.1 hours from TH). The larches are just beginning to turn, and should be at their peak color within the next week. We quickly set up camp and changed into dry, warm clothes. The temperature during the hike alternated from hot in the sun to pleasantly cool under occasional thin cloud cover, but as the sun went below the neighboring peaks, the temperature dropped quickly.

Not long after dinner, we heard shouts echoing off the rock walls across the lake. I thought to myself it was either rowdies or someone needing help. It turns out it was our friend Jon and his friend Ryan! We hustled them to camp, where in no time they were cooking up a burrito feast that would make the Ramos brothers jealous! Jon had worked that morning, but came to work packed and ready, and fortunately was able to slip out, meet up with Ryan, and get to the trailhead by 1:30 Saturday afternoon. The fact that they completed the distance and elevation (4500 vertical and 12 miles!) and made it to camp by 7:00pm amazed us. Not only was it a feat of stamina, but also of routefinding! Armed with only a trip synopsis (no topographic map), they managed to track us by our footprints on the trail all the way to the Larch Lake basin.

Day 2 – Larch Lake to Whitepine Creek Trailhead + Big Chiwaukum Peak Summit Climb:

It was frosty that night, with the temperature hovering just below freezing. By morning, there was frost on the grass and on the inside of our tent from condensation. After hot breakfasts, we were on the move by 9:00am.

Our route ascended a scratch path to Cup Lake, and then up talus and scree to the crest of the ridge at 7400 feet on the south side of Cup Lake.

Deadhorse Pass lay to the northwest at a slightly lower elevation. We dropped packs at the ridge and traversed south over boulders, talus, and polished slabs of beautiful Chiwaukum Schist to our objective – the (apparently) broad summit of Big Chiwaukum Peak.

After crossing a tiny snowfield, we ascended a left-trending Class 3 ledge to the summit ridge. The travel was easy, but the drop off from the ledge was a bit unsettling. We reached the ridge without incident, and dropped over to the west side of the ridge for delightful Class 2 scrambling to what appeared to be the summit. On top of this moderate spire, our hearts sank when we looked across a chasm in the ridge and saw a higher, craggier spire with a small cairn on top. What happened to this broad summit’ Big C held many surprises for us!

The travel was easier than it looked, and after crossing a narrow slot, delightful third-class scrambling led to the airy summit, which we reached around noon (3.2 hours from camp). We enjoyed excellent visibility and views of surrounding peaks.

A reading of the summit register was a trip down memory lane, with a veritable who’s who of the local renowned peak-baggers. After a good half hour of “name that peak” and photos, we headed back down to our packs. The travel back to the packs was not nearly as intimidating as when we ascended. Funny how things that seemed scary on the way up aren’t that bad on the way down after what we’d already been through. We reached our packs and shouldered the loads for the traverse across the rocky slope to Deadhorse Pass.

We contoured at approximate elevation 7100 feet on a small bench to the pass at 7200 feet, and dropped down the other side, plunging down dirt and scree to two lovely meadows, one at about 6600 feet and the other at 5600 feet. The meadows would make excellent camp sites earlier in the year when water flows from snowfields above, but they were dry when we passed through.

We followed a small ridge toward a balanced boulder that looked like a Sasquatch in a moment of thought. From here, we plunged down the ridge into the timber, where it became brushy. Jim found a dry stream bed which we followed allowing us to avoid the thicker sections of brush, but all in all the bushwhacking was not all that unpleasant. After descending 500 feet through the brush, we emerged onto the beautifully maintained Wildhorse Creek trail a mere 5.5 miles from the trailhead and clean cotton.

We arrived at the Whitepine Trailhead at 6:10pm (5.4 hours from summit), and then we all piled all five of us into Mike’s Outback, packs and all, to retrieve my Jeep and clean cotton clothing, and keep our date with burgers and shakes at the 59er Diner.

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