May 25, 2003

Little Pirate Peak Day Climb

Monte Cristo Townsite
Glacier Basin
Little Pirate Peak (6600’+)

——————– Trip Report Summary ——————–

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Monte Cristo Mountains

Area: Henry M. Jackson Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Monte Cristo Roadhead at Barlow Pass (Mountain Loop Highway)

Way Points: South Fork Sauk River & Monte Cristo Townsite (bike ride);  Glacier Creek & Lower Glacier Basin & Ida Creek slope (trail hike & off-trail hike & snow climb)

Summit: Little Pirate Peak (ascent & descent via South Ridge—Southeast Face)

Approximate Stats (excluding bike leg): 9.5 miles traveled; 4400 feet gained & lost; 5.5 hours up; 3.5 hours down.

——————– Full Trip Report ——————–

Kevin and I mounted our bicycles at Barlow Pass on a cool, cloudy morning and followed the recently repaired gravel road up to Monte Cristo.  Our goal was to climb Foggy Peak (6810 feet), one of this region’s major peaks.

After locking our bikes, we hiked up the Glacier Basin trail to 4000 feet, where a large snow dam allowed us to cross raging Glacier Creek.  We ascended a remarkably steep but brush-free forest strip to 4700 feet, at which point we popped out of the trees and onto the big snowfields of Addison Ridge.

Low clouds and fog mostly obscured the summits above, but we managed to sneak a peak at our objective long enough to match up features from the photo in CAG.  It appeared surprisingly far away!

We contoured snowfields for over an hour, then cut upward into an ever-steepening snow finger.  The final 30 feet angled from about 45 to 70 degrees, prompting rope and snow flukes to come out of our packs.  A final curving traverse brought us to the appropriately foggy summit, where we saw a cairn but no register.

Instead of enjoying ourselves, though, Kevin and I were both feeling something was amiss.  Several minutes later, when the meteorological fog cleared momentarily, our mental fog thickened.  We could see significantly higher peaks to each side!  We must not be on Foggy, but what had we climbed?

Several hours later, we stood again on the Glacier Basin trail.  The clouds had risen, giving us a clear vantage of Addison Ridge.  In a flash, we realized that we’d traversed completely under Foggy Peak and climbed the 6600+ foot point closely west of Sentinel Gap!  With our “mis-peak” being a satellite of Pirate Peak, I dubbed it Little Pirate Peak.  Our only consolation (besides having a fine day of climbing) was that it happens to be one of the most impressive and desirable-looking summits visible from the Glacier Creek valley and the Monte Cristo townsite.

——————– Photo Gallery (click to enlarge) ——————–