Trip Date: September 11-12, 1993
Eldorado Peak Climbing Trip
Sibley Creek Pass
Triad Glacier
Eldorado Glacier
Inspiration Glacier
Eldorado Peak (8868/8873 ft)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Northwestern Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Thunder Mountains
Area: North Cascades National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Hidden Lake Trailhead at end of Sibley Creek Road #1540 (Elev. 3600 feet)
Way Points: East Fork Sibley Creek & Sibley Creek Pass & Sibley Knoll & West Triad Col (trail hike & off-trail hike & rock scramble)
Campsite: West Triad Col (Elev. 7000 feet)
Sidetrip: Triad Glacier & East Triad Col & Triad Ridge Saddle & Eldorado Peak summit (snow climb & rock scramble)
Summit: Eldorado Peak (snow climb via Eldorado Glacier—East Rib—Upper Inspiration Glacier)
Approximate Stats: 15 miles traveled; 6000 feet gained & lost.
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Full Trip Report
Day 1 (PM): Trailhead to Triad Glacier
Craig and I headed out from the Hidden Lake Trailhead around noon on an overcast Saturday. We hiked up the trail to a point at Elev. 5400 feet, where it begins a long southwesterly traverse across the hillside. There, we left the trail and hiked directly up steep, meadowy slopes to 6200-foot Sibley Creek Pass, then we turned left and followed a footpath up the northern side of the pass. This footpath gained the crest of a grassy ridge leading over toward The Triad. A long up-and-down hike along the crest ended at a narrow, rocky col immediately below West Triad. We scrambled down from this col and, shortly before dark, pitched our tent on a flattish area atop the Triad Glacier at about 7000 feet.
Day 2 (AM & PM): Eldorado Peak Summit Climb
After a frigid night, we awoke to find several inches of fresh snow blanketing the rocks and snowfield. Eldorado Peak was visible across Marble Creek Cirque, about 3 miles away and looking quite foreboding with its dark, snow-dusted rock.
We began traversing across the Triad Glacier, which consisted of rock-hard ice under fresh snow. Once past all three Triad peaks, we were able to scramble up some ice-coated rock leading to a another col immediately east of East Triad. Morning sun was highlighting the line of snowy summits to our north and east.
After scrambling down the other side of the col, we continued traversing in a northeasterly direction across unstable, snow-covered talus. It was a great relief to finally get off this treacherous slope and set foot on snowfields. We donned crampons and proceeded across the Roush Creek Cirque, generally aiming for the Eldorado-Inspiration Saddle.
Our views steadily improved as the cloud cover dissipated. We eventually gained the Eldorado Glacier and crossed through the Eldorado-Inspiration Saddle, then began angling steeply upward on the Inspiration Glacier. The views across Moraine Lake to Forbidden Peak were spectacular!
Our ascent was fairly moderate at first but gradually became quite steep and icy, so we roped up. The summit appeared to be a benign snow dome at the top of this slope, so we had no inkling of what lay ahead.
I had taken the lead on the Inspiration Glacier and was completely surprised when the glacier slope abruptly ended at a knife-edge snow arete. Wow! I belayed Craig up to my position, and we both stood there with our eyes and jaws wide open. The snow arete swept upward to join an adjacent arete, thereby forming a perfect pyramid. It looked like something you would expect in the Himalayas or Andes! Craig took the lead and carefully cramponed up the arete, first staying just right of the edge and then crossing over to the left side. We were wishing that we’d brought some pickets or ice screws, so it was an unspoken agreement that if he fell on one side, I would lunge to the opposite side.
When the rope went taut, I followed Craig’s crampon marks up the arete. The climbing was incredibly exposed but incredibly scintillating! At the top of the pyramid, the arete became nearly horizontal, and I saw Craig strolling along the right side of the crest, about 50 yards away. He stopped on a tiny point of snow and reeled me in.
Day 2 (Late PM): Summit to Trailhead
This incredible summit demanded a long stay, but it was now mid-afternoon and we had a long descent ahead of us. Somewhat reluctantly, we began retracing our up-route along the arete and down the glaciers. Thankfully, today’s sunny weather had melted all fresh snow off the talus and all ice from the col, so we were able to move much more quickly. Nonetheless, it was early evening when we reached our campsite below West Triad Col.
We hastily packed up our tent and headed back along the grassy ridge. Headlamps came out in mid-traverse. To complete a day of alpine surprises and delights, we were treated to a grand display of the Northern Lights as we neared Sibley Creek Pass!
Somewhere around midnight, we stumbled into the trailhead, feeling exhausted but satisfied. It took Craig and me many more days to fully process this one long, incredible day in the mountains.
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