Trip Date: September 15-16, 2001
Three Queens Mountain Climbing Trip
Mineral Creek Valley
Park Lakes
Spectacle Point
Three Queens Mountain: main peak aka Main Queen (6687 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 (Elev. 2400 feet)
Way Points: Kachess River & Mineral Creek & Upper Park Lake (trail hike)
Campsite: Upper Park Lake (Elev. 4700 feet)
Sidetrip: Spectacle Point (trail hike)
Summit: Three Queens Mountain: main peak (rock scramble via North Couloir—North Face)
Approximate Stats: 17 miles traveled; 6300 feet gained & lost.
Related Posts
>>> Three Queens Mtn: Main Peak via North Face—West Ridge – August 2015
>>> Three Queens Mtn: Middle Peak via South Face—South Chimney – July 2007
>>> Three Queens Mtn: West Peak via West Ridge—West Face – October 1986
Full Trip Report
Text by Laura Zimmerman…
Day 1: Trailhead to Upper Park Lake
Striving for something normal in our lives in the wake of 9/11, Jim and I packed our gear and headed out into the backcountry for a much-needed energy recharge after a sad week. We arrived at the Mineral Creek Trailhead Saturday around 1:00pm. This was an atypical country-club start! Packing the last items at the trailhead, I thought to myself that it was the most “normal” thing I had accomplished all week. I shouldered my pack and began heading down the trail, enjoying the familiar feel of my mountain boots and backpack.
The trail was in excellent shape – someone had cut back the brush for the first 3.5 miles. Beyond, the trail became more overgrown, but the path was still visible in the tall brush. About mile 5.5, we encountered a further impediment to our progress toward camp – an abundant growth of prolific berry bushes! The whole basin was full of ripe huckleberries and blueberries – we picked to our heart’s content!
We reached Upper Park Lake at 4:30 pm (2.9 hours from TH). Shortly after we arrived at our camp, we saw two fighter jets fly by overhead. Even in the backcountry we could not completely escape the reminders of last week’s events.
- Camp At Upper Park Lake
After setting up camp, we took a quick swim in Upper Park Lake followed by a short hike to Spectacle Point to take in the view of Chimney Rock, Lemah Peaks, and our objective – Three Queens.
- Heading Toward Three Queens Mountain
The view was spectacular! We could see other campers at Spectacle Lakes, and saw a solo hiker or two on the PCT.
- Lemah Mountain and Chimney Rock
Day 2: Main Queen Summit Climb + Exit
To climb Three Queens, we decided to ascend the least technical route on the mountain, what we were led to believe would be an easy scramble. We headed up to the saddle on the PCT, and then traveled cross-country toward the peak on the north side. Beckey’s guide describes the route as ascending talus and scree to the notch between the Main and Middle peaks, from which (supposedly) either peak is easily accessed and presents no problems.
From below, there was no continuous defined route up to the notch, so we worked our way up loose and somewhat unpleasant talus slopes, across a zig-zag network of ledges and up more talus gullies to the notch. The notch was very exposed, and did not present any clear “easy” scramble options up either peak! We estimated both peaks to be Class 4 beyond the notch. Having no rope and no desire to hang it out, Jim suggested we poke around a bit to see if there was an easier way up somewhere else.
Jim found a key ledge that took us across the north face. When we were about halfway across the face, we noticed a section that was fairly steep, but was also vegetated with heather and grasses. Funny how a slope can look friendlier when it is vegetated. We chose to ascend here. The ascent involved 200 feet of generally sound rock with some loose sections, heather, and alpine fir.
We topped out on the summit ridge of the main peak, and dropped down over to the south side for the final short scramble to the summit. We topped out shortly before 11:00 am (4.3 hours from camp). What a grand view!
- Jim On Three Queens Mtn Summit
We hung out and enjoyed the sun, the view, and the occasional sound of a commercial jet airliner overhead. But the daunting task of descent still lay before us, so we didn’t linger too long.
Climbs are always harder on the way down, and this was no exception. After carefully descending the fairly exposed 3rd class slope to the ledge, we worked our way across the ledge, and down loose talus fields, across ledges, and down to elevation 5000 feet, where we could traverse west and intersect the PCT. The climb was much more than an easy scramble – it was “heads up” the whole time, either because of exposure or because the footing was tenuous on the scree and talus fields.
When we reached the PCT, we high-fived and marveled on how wonderful the trail was – reveling in the fact that every step did not have to be monitored, and that the ground was not moving beneath our feet. However, progress was halted for at least 15 minutes when we happened upon another field of ripe huckleberries before finally reaching camp (3.2 hours from summit).
We packed up camp and headed out to the car at the trailhead, which we reached at 5:30 pm (2.2 hours from camp). It was a much-needed trip out, and just what the doctor ordered.
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
