Trip Date: August 23, 2003

Main Cowlitz Chimney Day Climb

Summer Land aka Summerland
Fryingpan Lakes
Panhandle Gap
Banshee Peak (7400+ ft)
Main Cowlitz Chimney (7605 ft)

Trip Report Summary

Region: Southern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Mt. Rainier Massif

Area: Mt. Rainier National Park

Starting & Ending Point: Fryingpan Creek Trailhead on Sunrise Road (Elev. 3800 feet)

Way Points: Fryingpan Creek & Summer Land & Fryingpan Lakes & Panhandle Gap & Panhandle Flats & Banshee Basin (trail hike & off-trail hike)

Summit: Banshee Peak (off-trail hike via West Slope; descent via East Slope)

Summit: Main Cowlitz Chimney (rock scramble & rock climb via Southwest Face—South Chute)

Approximate Stats: 18 miles traveled; 5000 feet gained & lost; 7.0 hours up; 5.2 hours down.

Related Posts

>>> Middle & Main Cowlitz Chimneys – August 14, 2018

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Full Trip Report

Laura and I had viewed the Main Cowlitz Chimney two years ago while climbing the adjacent Middle Cowlitz Chimney.  The “Main” is a steep, jointed, oxide-stained, rhyolite plug with a very impressive—even intimidating—west face.  After reading Stefan Feller’s report of a climb several weeks ago, we were encouraged to revisit the area last Saturday.

We had a pleasant hike up Fryingpan Creek to Panhandle Gap (3.0 hours from TH), then romped across the Sound-of-Music-esque slopes of Banshee Peak.

The Main Chimney first comes into dramatic view at this point.  We dropped into a rolling basin directly below the west face and climbed back up scree and rock slabs to the base.  The route is not at all obvious from here—in fact, it doesn’t even look feasible—but we followed Beckey’s detailed description and found that the route unfolded before us.

Locating the “spiry, solitary fir” below the southwest face is a key to success.  From there, we ascended 20 yards to the “fence of trees” and turned left on a short path, which ended at a narrow rock ledge.  We roped up and made the exposed “Class 3” traverse (good holds and solid rock, but we thought the exposure justifies a Class 4 rating) to a shallow cave.  A 15-foot vertical slot extending above the cave involves fun climbing on really nice rhyolite, with a Class 5.0 move to surmount a little chockstone.

We scrabbled up loose scree to the ridge crest, then traversed northward to the final cliff.  A deep cleft cuts through the middle of the cliff, so we tried this.  It goes mostly Class 2, with a short Class 3 constriction (which Beckey calls Class 2) near the midpoint.  Easy heather ledges finish off the climb.

We were on top by mid-afternoon (7.0 hours from TH) and spent a half hour admiring the views of Rainier, Little Tahoma, the Goat Rocks, and Adams.  Closer to the southeast, probably down near Stevens Canyon, smoke billowed up from a small forest fire.  There was no summit register to be found, nor did we have a film can to leave.

We descended via our ascent route, doing one short rappel at the Class 5.0 slot and belaying across the exposed traverse.  The hike back up Banshee Peak (nearly over the summit again) was tiring, but we got to feel like Julie Andrews on the long walk down the other side.  We stumbled into the parking lot several hours later, right at nightfall (5.2 hours from summit).

Route Comments 

Overall, the route is interesting and enjoyable, and Beckey’s blow-by-blow description is right on the money.  However, our impression was that everything is about one step harder than Beckey’s rating, and Stefan’s report seemed to confirm this.  We brought a 25-meter scramble rope, five runners, and a set of stoppers.  There are adequate horns and cracks for protection, as well as several bomber rappel anchors above the slot.

Photo Gallery

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