Trip Date: July 1-3, 2000

Glacier Peak Climbing Trip

White Chuck River Valley
Kennedy Glacier
Frostbite Ridge
Rabbit Ears
Glacier Peak aka DaKobed (10,541/10,544 ft)
Boulder Basin
Sitkum Creek

Trip Report Summary

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Glacier Peak Massif

Area: Glacier Peak Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Old White Chuck Trailhead at end of White Chuck River Road (Elev. 2350 feet)

Way Points: White Chuck River & Kennedy Ridge & Glacier Creek & Kennedy Glacier Moraine & Kennedy Creek Bench (trail hike & rock scramble)

Campsite: Kennedy Creek Bench (Elev. 6200 feet)

Summit: Glacier Peak (snow climb via Lower Kennedy Glacier—Frostbite Ridge—Rabbit Ears;  descent via Sitkum Glacier—Boulder Basin—Sitkum Creek—Kennedy Creek—Kennedy Ridge—Glacier Creek—Kennedy Glacier Moraine)

Approximate Stats: 27 miles traveled; 12,100 feet gained & lost.

Related Posts

>>> Lost–Glacier–White Loop + Black Mtn + Glacier Peak Carry-Over + Kololo Peak – August 2013

>>> Glacier Peak attempt via Ptarmigan Glacier—Frostbite Ridge—Rabbit Ears – September 1995

>>> Glacier Peak via Kennedy Campground—Boulder Basin—Sitkum Glacier – July 1975

Full Trip Report

Day 1: Trailhead to Kennedy Creek Bench

Eight of us set out for Glacier Peak via the Frostbite Ridge route. We started out at the White Chuck River Trailhead, and were greeted in short order by an immense, 4-foot diameter twin blowdown! I remember reading another person’s report, and they weren’t kidding that the only way around it was to grovel on your hands and knees, hoping all the gear attached to your pack doesn’t get hung up!

There were lots of blowdowns of various sizes on the trail, most could be negotiated by going over or around. But on Kennedy Ridge, another blowdown that we named “the carwash”, forced us once again to our hands and knees!

Snow patches started around 5,000 feet, and became continuous at about 5,600 feet. We camped at about 6,200 feet on a bench beside Kennedy Creek (6.6 hours from TH), at the base of the Kennedy Glacier.  We were on snow with plenty of running water.

Day 2: Glacier Peak Summit Climb

The Frostbite Ridge route is awesome! The Kennedy Glacier is in great shape, with a few huge open crevasses, and some smaller ones starting to emerge. The new snow and cold temperatures made the rock scramble at the “rabbit ears” very manageable, keeping the loose stuff in place.

The snow on the route was fairly frozen and hard, with a thin coating of rime ice on the surface. We were able to generate good snow fluke and picket placements on the ascent of the steeper 45 to 50 degree slopes.

We broke out of the clouds about 7,500 feet, and enjoyed blue sky and sun! Four of our party stayed in base camp and we were feeling guilty, basking in the warm rays while they were huddled in fog-shrouded tents in damp sleeping bags! (Turns out they also had some sun breaks.)

We summited in mid afternoon (7.6 hours from base camp).  Today was the day before Jim’s 25th anniversary of his first Glacier Peak summit, and the day before Jon’s 25th birthday. Serendipitous! There were several others who would join us on the summit from the Sitkum Glacier route.

We decided to descend the Sitkum Glacier, as the steep and icy conditions on Frostbite Ridge would be difficult to descend in a timely manner. We figured we could hump the extra 4.5 miles from Boulder Basin to the Kennedy Glacier easier than we could downclimb. We were right, even if it was a long march. The Sitkum appeared to also be in good shape, with few open crevasses, and a pretty good trail stomped out.

On our travels back to base camp, we descended the “Staircase” from Boulder Basin (brutally steep!!) and joined up with the PCT. The creek crossing at Kennedy Creek was difficult and interesting but not impossible. I guess most parties stay on the White Chuck Trail and go past the Kennedy Hot Springs rather than deal with this stream crossing.

We got back to base camp by 7:20pm (5.5 hours from summit) and were greeted with cheers, Easy Cheese, and a sprinkle of rain. Looks like the weather window opened for a limited period, and we crawled through just in time.

Day 3: Kennedy Creek Bench to Trailhead

The hike out was a cold and wet experience, but at least the grovelly sections were dry underneath the massive logs. On our way, we met up with a Forest Service trail crew, and we asked them how they planned to deal with such a large snag. They said one word: “Explosives!”

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