Trip Date: August 27-29, 2020
Lemah Thumb & Chikamin Peak Climbing Trip
Mineral Creek
Park Lakes
Spectacle View Saddle
Glacier Lake
Chikamin Lake
Lemah Thumb aka Lemah One (6960+ ft)
Chikamin Peak (7000+ ft)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Snoqualmie Range
Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Mineral Creek Trailhead at end of Cooper Pass Road #46 (Elev. 2400 feet)
Way Points: Kachess River crossing & Mineral Creek crossing & Upper Park Lake & Spectacle View Saddle & Glacier Lake & Upper Glacier Creek crossing & East Chikamin Col & Chikamin Lake (trail hike & off-trail hike & rock scramble)
Campsite: Chikamin Lake Meadows (Elev. 5800 feet)
Summit: Lemah Thumb (rock scramble & rock climb via Southwest Slope—Southwest Face)
Sidetrip: Lemah–Chikamin Saddle (off-trail hike & rock scramble)
Summit: Chikamin Peak (rock scramble via Northeast Slope—East Ridge Notch—Southeast Slope—South Ridge; descent via South Ridge—Southeast Slope—Lower East Ridge—Northeast Slope)
Approximate Stats: 20 miles traveled; 7700 feet gained & lost.
Related Posts
>>> Chikamin Peak via Glacier Lake + Chikamin Lake – August 2012
>>> Kendall–Mineral Traverse + Chikamin Peak via Southwest Chute – July 1998
Full Trip Report
Armed with an excellent weather forecast, I headed into the Snoqualmie Range with Eileen and Lisa to climb Lemah Mountain. We didn’t get Lemah’s main summit, but we did get two nice consolation summits, saw some gorgeous alpine landscapes, and made a new furry friend.
Day 1: Trailhead to Chikamin Lake
We pulled into the Mineral Creek Trailhead parking lot on a warm, sunny Thursday morning and headed up the perpetually brushy trail. About 1 mile above Upper Park Lake, we left the formal trail and hiked up to Spectacle View Saddle (5.4 hours + 3000 feet from TH) on a well-beaten side trail. The mountain and lake views from this saddle never fail to astound me, even after numerous visits.
A sketchy path took us down to Glacier Lake, across the outlet stream, and around the far shore. Very quickly, the path disappeared in a field of huge andesite boulders, but we found it again on the uphill side of a distinctive free-standing boulder that has the appearance of a giant arrowhead pointing toward the sky.
The bootpath continues up-valley, generally following Glacier Lake’s inlet stream past a series of delightful little waterfalls and pools. When the path climbed onto a rib of glacially polished rock, things got confusing. We should have turned right at an obscure junction, but instead we proceeded straight ahead and ascended a stream gorge (this later proved to be a longer and more difficult route).
The stream gorge opened into a tarn cirque with a broad talus slope rising to the right. We ascended the talus slope and continued upward as it funneled us into a rock and snow chute that ended at a 6000-foot col in Chikamin Peak’s east ridge.
Chikamin Lake sat in a shady bowl below the col, whereas Lemah Thumb stood resolutely above the lake in the last rays of sunlight. A cold, autumnal wind blew through the col.
After a quick inspection, we discovered a steep, rocky slot and a talus slope that took us down to the windswept shore of Chikamin Lake in early evening (9.0 hours + 4300 feet from TH). Camp was established in a sheltered meadow closely below the lake outlet.
Day 2 (AM): Lemah Thumb Summit Climb
We awoke to crystal clear skies at 6:30am, feeling pretty optimistic about our summit goals—even to the point of adding Lemah Thumb (aka Lemah One) to the day’s itinerary. Chikamin Lake and its surrounding meadows were resplendent in the morning sunlight.
From camp, we headed up a series of green benches, weaving back and forth around cliff bands. More tarns appeared around every corner, and Chikamin Lake presented a new look with every elevation stage.
The cliff bands eventually gave way to open heather slopes that led us up toward the summit block of Lemah Thumb. Across the lake basin, Chikamin Peak culminated in a visually inviting summit horn.
Upon arriving at the summit block, we scoped out several ascent options and selected a short crack on the southwestern face. Eileen eagerly took the lead on this Class 4 crack, using a scramble rope and several slings for protection.
We all topped out by 10:45am (2.3 hours + 1200 feet from camp) and found ourselves confronted by the stupendous facade of Lemah Mountain’s higher peaks (Lemah Two and Lemah Three). I tried to assure Lisa and Eileen that there really is a reasonable scramble route up the main peak, but they still seemed doubtful—and I wasn’t so sure myself after so many years!
After making a belayed down-climb of the summit block, we descended the south ridge toward a documented gully that supposedly provides access onto the Lemah Glacier. We located the access gully but were horrified by its condition. Although this gully might be feasible in early season, when filled with snow, it presently looked like a rubble-choked death chute!
With Lemah Mountain now appearing to be inaccessible, we quickly decided to spend our afternoon climbing Chikamin Peak as a consolation prize. Moderate heather and talus slopes took us down to the Lemah–Chikamin Saddle at the head of Chikamin Lake in time for lunch.
Day 2 (PM): Chikamin Peak Summit Climb
From the lake saddle, we headed southward up easy rock slabs and meadow benches on Chikamin Peak’s northeastern flank. There was uncertainty as to what difficulties might be encountered on the northern side of the summit horn, so we elected to cross over to the southeastern flank (Eileen and I had previously climbed the peak from that side). With this strategy, we traversed toward a conspicuous 6600-foot notch in the east ridge.
Crossing through the east ridge notch required a short climb up a steep snowfinger and grungy dirt slot, followed by a Class 3 scramble down the other side. Once on the southeastern flank, we traversed over to the south ridge and intersected the standard route heading up.
We gained the summit at 3:40pm (4.4 hours + 1200 feet from lake saddle) and were immediately joined by a female mountain goat. This docile nanny had a plush white coat, a stoic demeanor, an ear tag, and a tracking collar. We named her “Betty.”
When it came time for us to head back down the south ridge, Betty watched our descent with what seemed to be a mixture of curiosity and concern. She then accompanied us as we angled down the southeastern flank, crossed over the east ridge at a position east of the 6600-foot notch, and descended a rock ramp leading onto the northeastern flank.
Once Betty became satisfied that we could navigate back to Chikamin Lake without further assistance, she released us to our own devices. Thanks for the escort, Betty! We finished with a descent of steep snow and rock slopes above Chikamin Lake and arrived back at camp in early evening (2.2 hours + 100 feet from summit).
Day 3: Chikamin Lake to Trailhead
Following two days of dry, cloud-free weather, it was surprising to awake to a cold fog blowing across Chikamin Lake. We hastily packed up and headed down to Glacier Lake by following the well-trodden fishermen’s path rather than retracing our approach route over the east col. This path starts alongside the outlet stream and passes a marvelous little infinity pool.
Farther down, the path disappears on a series of glacially polished benches and ramps before reappearing on lower heather slopes. Glacier Lake comes into view from the lower path.
In contrast to the solitude of Chikamin Lake during the past several days, Glacier Lake was bustling with campers and day-trippers on this Saturday morning. We crossed the outlet stream, ascended to Spectacle View Saddle (2.9 hours + 700 feet from camp), and then made a brushy hike down Mineral Creek to the jam-packed trailhead parking lot, arriving in mid-afternoon (7.2 hours + 850 feet from camp).
Route Map & Sketch
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Photo Gallery
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