Trip Date: October 12-13, 2013

FROZEN LARCH OUTING:  ICICLE MOUNTAINS

Jackaroo Peak Climbing Trip

Lake Stuart
Horseshoe Lake
Goat Pass
Jackaroo Peak (7893′)

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Icicle Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Lake Stuart / Colchuck Lake Trailhead on Eightmile Creek Road (Elev. 3400 feet)

Way Points: Mountaineer Creek & Lake Stuart & Stuart Meadows & Horseshoe Lake (trail hike & snow hike)

Campsite: Horseshoe Lake

Sidetrip: Goat Pass & Jackaroo Peak summit (snow climb & rock scramble)

Summit: Jackaroo Peak (rock scramble via South Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 20 miles traveled; 5500 feet gained & lost.

Full Trip Report

After getting snowed out of the high country a week before, I teamed up with Lisa, Keely, Kevin K, and Maria to find golden larches over this past weekend. We chose Horseshoe Lake near Mt. Stuart as our destination, figuring that there would be relatively little snow, few people, and a good helping of golden larches. We were pretty much correct in all three assumptions.  Due to a federal government shut-down, no permits were needed.

Day 1: Trailhead to Horseshoe Lake

On Saturday, we hiked up to Lake Stuart, then continued up the well-trodden fisherman’s path to Horseshoe Lake. Two shut-down forest rangers were just leaving the lake when we arrived, so we had our pick of campsites. We selected a rocky knoll overlooking the partly frozen-over lake. The larch trees were in full autumn color.

There was about 12 inches of snow at camp, which lay in the shadow of Mt Stuart’s daunting northwest face. Early in the evening, another couple arrived and set up camp down by the lake shore. When their stove malfunctioned, we invited them to join us for dinner. (This act of hospitality on our part was actually a clever ploy to preempt their inevitable complaints about our rowdy camping behavior.)

Day 2: Jackaroo Peak Summit Climb & Exit

We awoke on Sunday to clear, blue skies and frosty air. The morning sun highlighted Jack Ridge above camp, and glanced off the Stuart Glacier. Our goal for the day was Point 7893, which sits immediately north of Goat Pass. This rocky knob is fairly small (especially in comparison to nearby Mt. Stuart) but forms the highest crag of Jack Ridge and looks quite appealing from Horseshoe Lake. “Jackaroo Peak” seems like a fitting name for this little rascal.

We scoped out a reasonable-looking traverse route from camp to the base of the snow couloir leading up to Goat Pass. Our chosen route contoured between cliff bands at an elevation of about 6400 feet.

As it turned out, the most difficult part of our route was just outside of camp. We had to negotiate a field of huge granite boulders ranging in size from refrigerators to double-car garages. Thin snow bridges covered gaps that dropped 10 to 20 feet between the boulders. After an hour of mentally and physically taxing work, we had managed to travel a whopping 200 yards and gain 100 feet!

In the midst of the boulderfield, we passed some fresh animal tracks. It appeared to be a cougar stalking a small mammal of some sort. Both seemed to be navigating through the boulders with more deftness than we were.

After 2 hours, we reached to base of the Goat Pass couloir. Our progress improved immensely as we climbed along the sharp crest of a moraine and then up a rocky slope to Goat Pass. Ingalls Peaks and Ingalls Lake greeted us from the south.

From Goat Pass, it was an easy jaunt to the summit of Jackaroo Peak. This excellent vantage point gave views of the Stuart Range to the east, Jack Ridge to the north, Snoqualmie peaks to the west, and several lakes below—all highlighted by a thin blanket of snow.

We made better time getting back to camp, but the boulderfield was just as tedious and nerve-wracking as before. Maria was waiting for us there, after having spent the day greeting day hikers and backpackers coming into the lake basin. We packed up and headed out in late afternoon. Darkness caught up to us at Lake Stuart, requiring a headlamp finish to a satisfying Frozen Larch Trip.

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