Trip Date: August 11-13, 2018
Cowlitz Chimneys Climbing Trip
Summer Land aka Summerland
Fryingpan Lakes
Panhandle Gap
Banshee Peak (7400’+)
Middle Cowlitz Chimney (7421′)
Main Cowlitz Chimney (7605′)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Southern Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Mt. Rainier Massif
Area: Mt. Rainier National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Fryingpan Creek Trailhead Sunrise Road (Elev. 3800 feet)
Way Points: Fryingpan Creek & Summer Land & Fryingpan Lakes & Panhandle Gap & Panhandle Flats (trail hike & off-trail hike)
Campsite: Panhandle Flats
Summit: Banshee Peak (off-trail hike via West Slope; descent via East Ridge)
Summit: Middle Cowlitz Chimney (off-trail hike & rock scramble via South Face)
Summit: Main Cowlitz Chimney (rock scramble & rock climb via Southwest Face—South Chute)
Approximate Stats: 16 miles traveled; 5800 feet gained & lost.
Related Posts
Main Cowlitz Chimney via Southwest Face—South Chute – August 2003
Middle Cowlitz Chimney via West Slope – October 2001
Full Trip Report
For Eileen’s first post-injury climb, we chose the Cowlitz Chimneys in Mt Rainier National Park. This turned out to be a good choice; it had lots of side-hilling, plenty of loose scree, and just enough semi-technical climbing to really test out her physical and mental condition.
Day 1: Trailhead to Panhandle Flats
We parked at the Fryingpan Creek TH and hiked up the Wonderland Trail to Summer Land, stopping to admire the old stone shelter there (3.6 hours + 2150 feet from TH).
- Footlog Over Lower Fryingpan Creek
- Historic Summer Land Shelter
We then continued up the rocky trail, past Fryingpan Lakes, to 6800-foot Panhandle Gap (5.7 hours + 3000 feet from TH).
- Hiking Past Fryingpan Lakes
- Wonderland Trail At Panhandle Gap
From there, a well-defined boot path led us over to Panhandle Flats, where we found a nice campsite on a 6650-foot gravel bench (6.3 hours + 3050 feet from TH). The weather had been cloudy all day, and it finally started to rain just before dark.
- Camp At Panhandle Flats
Day 2: Banshee Peak & Cowlitz Chimneys Summit Climbs
After a night of moderately heavy rain, we awoke to a cold, foggy marine layer shrouding all of the local hills. We delayed our departure until mid-morning, in the hopes the clouds would dissipate—which they eventually did.
The ascent of Banshee Peak involves a long hands-in-pockets stroll up a beautiful arctic tundra.
- Hiking Up Tundra To Banshee Peak
- Eileen On Banshee Peak Summit
We reached to summit in late morning (1.1 hours + 730 feet from camp). Our next two objectives—Middle and Main Cowlitz Chimneys—were clearly visible to the east.
- North & Middle & Main Cowlitz Chimneys From Banshee Ridge
- Main Cowlitz Chimney From Banshee Peak
We descended about 400 feet to a saddle, then scrambled up the Middle Chimney via Class 2 ledges.
- Eileen On Summit Of Middle Cowlitz Chimney
- Mt Rainier & Banshee Peak From Middle Cowlitz Chimney
The Main Chimney towered above the intervening ridge—a dirt hogback that probably represents an eroded volcanic dike.
- Main Cowlitz Chimney From Middle Cowlitz Chimney
We traversed across the crest of the hogback, then dropped down loose talus slopes to the right until able to wrap around and under the southern face of the Main Chimney.
- Traversing To Main Cowlitz Chimney
- Looking Up Route On Main Cowlitz Chimney
When directly below the “solitary spiry fir” (per Beckey), we traversed out to the east on a Class 3 face. There, we roped up and climbed back to the west, crossing over a black rock rib. Two short pitches of exposed Class 4 rock ended at the hanging gully, which we ascended to a ridge crest.
- Eileen Belaying On Main Cowlitz Chimney
- Scrambling Toward Summit Of Main Cowlitz Chimney
Several hundred feet of Class 2-3 scrambling along the crest and up a slot gully got us to the summit in mid-afternoon (6.5 hours + 2000 feet from camp).
- Eileen On Summit Of Main Cowlitz Chimney
The colors and textures of the layered volcanic rock surrounding us were quite intriguing.
- Middle Cowlitz Chimney From Main Cowlitz Chimney
- Tamanos Mtn From Main Cowlitz Chimney
A new register in an aluminum geo-cache tube had been placed on the summit only a few weeks earlier.
- Register Tube On Main Cowlitz Chimney
We descended via our up-route, using running belays at the exposed rock rib. On our way back to camp, we encountered a very large herd of 40+ mountain goats on the hillside beneath Banshee Peak. It was the biggest herd either of us had ever seen.
- Large Goat Herd In Banshee Basin
After contouring around Banshee Peak, we made the easy descent to camp, arriving shortly before dark (4.0 hours + 600 feet from Main Chimney summit).
- Mt Rainier Above Panhandle Flats
Day 3: Panhandle Flats to Trailhead
Once again, marine fog pervaded our camp in the morning, but it had started to dissipate by the time we were packed up and moving. Between Panhandle Gap and the trailhead, we passed dozens of day-hikers and Wonderland Trail loop hikers. Although this was a Monday, it seemed to be high-season in the park. We reached our car in mid-afternoon heat (5.9 hours + 200 feet from camp).
Photo Gallery
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