Trip Date: May 19, 2012
Jumbo Mountain Day Climb
Squire Creek
Jumbo Mountain (5801′)
Trip Report Summary
Region: North-Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: West Sauk Mountains
Area: Boulder River Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Squire Creek Trailhead at end of Squire Creek Road (Elev. 1200 feet)
Way Points: Squire Creek & Jumbo Creek Rib (trail hike & off-trail hike & snow climb)
Summit: Jumbo Mountain (snow climb & rock scramble via Northwest Couloir—North Ridge)
Approximate Stats: 7 miles traveled; 5300 feet gained & lost; 6.9 hours up; 3.6 hours down.
Full Trip Report
Eileen and I joined Lisa L for a sunny Saturday climb of Jumbo Mountain, a modest-elevation but handsome alpine peak in the Darrington area.
We drove to the Squire Creek TH and hiked up the road/trail for about 1 mile to a washed-out stream crossing. From this stream, we backtracked 50 yards to pick up a vague miner’s path that ascended a densely forested rib. The path zig-zagged upward for 1000 feet or more, passing some monster old-growth cedars and firs along the way.
When the path petered out, the open forest afforded easy travel until scrub cedars closed in just below a large talus field at 3400 feet. We contoured rightward across very steep forest slopes to reach a snow chute, then cramponed up this chute for another 800 feet until able to make a rightward snow traverse over to Jumbo’s large northwest couloir.
- Climbing Lower Snow Chute
At a tiny notch north of the couloir, we met a party of four who had just decided to retreat due to the “late” hour (2:00pm) and unappealing prospect of having to bivouac on the descent. They showed clear disdain for our willingness to recklessly push on in these unfavorable circumstances: pleasantly sunny and warm weather, with darkness a scant 7 hours away. We assured them that we would limit ourselves to a reconnaissance of the upper couloir. (If we reconnoitered our way to the summit, so much the better!)
- Whitehorse Mountain Above Squire Creek Wall
An easy snow ramp led southward from the notch into the couloir, where excellent snow conditions (soft styrofoam) made for an enjoyable climb to the snow saddle closely north of the main summit block.
- Climbing Snow Couloir
- Lisa and Eileen On Upper Snowfield
A short Class 2 rock and snow scramble to the summit finished off our climb (6.9 hours from TH). We signed the well-inked register and took a long break to soak in the views of Whitehorse Mountain and Three Fingers, which were outstanding from this close vantage.
- Eileen and Lisa On Summit Ridge
- Lisa and Eileen On Summit
- Three Fingers From Summit
Our descent route closely followed our up route, except that we descended farther in the snow chute (to 3200 feet) before starting to traverse across the forest. This worked better and enabled us to reach the timber rib without encountering any significant brush. We headed straight down open forest and eventually found the old miner’s path. By mid evening, we were back at the trailhead (3.6 hours from summit) to end the splendid day.
- Descending Upper Snowfield
Photo Gallery
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