Trip Date: August 16-18, 2013

Snowgrass Mountain Climbing Trip

Wildhorse Creek
Grace Lakes
Snowgrass Mountain (7993′)

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Chiwaukum Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Whitepine Creek Trailhead at end of White Pine Road (Elev. 2800 feet)

Way Points: Whitepine Creek & Wildhorse Creek & Lower Grace Lakes & Grace Creek Rib (trail hike & off-trail hike)

Campsite: Lower Grace Lake

Sidetrip: Upper Grace Lake (off-trail hike & rock scramble)

Summit: Snowgrass Mountain (rock scramble via Northwest Ramp—East Slope; descent via East Slope—Northeast Face—North Notch)

Approximate Stats: 20 miles traveled; 7000 feet gained & lost.

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Full Trip Report

Eileen and I picked Snowgrass Mountain as a destination for our second annual “boys trip” with Derek and Luke.  We felt that this was a suitable step up from last year’s trip to Chikamin Peak.  It also gave us a nice opportunity to see Grace Lakes, an appealing cluster of three lakes that sit on the western flank of the Chiwaukum Mountains.

Day 1: Trailhead to Grace Lakes

We started hiking up the Whitepine Creek Trail, then took the left fork up Wildhorse Creek.  We followed the well-maintained trails for 7 miles or so to the crossing of Grace Creek (the Grace Lakes outlet stream).  Rather than heading straight up from here, however, we continued another ½ mile to a point where Eileen’s I-phone topo map showed a spur trail cutting back northward to the lakes.  Because Green Trails maps and Topo software maps do not show this spur trail, we doubted its existence but figured it was worth trying to find just in the name of science.  There was no visible trail junction at the designated spot, but after hiking cross-country upward for 100 yards, we found something that looked like a well-beaten sheepherder’s trail traversing northward.  It continued across open terrain for a while and then abruptly switch-backed up a grassy draw before depositing us on a gentle ridge closely above Lower Grace Lake (7.1 hours from car).

We set up camp on a gentle rib between Lower Grace Lake and adjacent “Little Grace Lake.”  During our hike up, between about 4000 and 5500 feet the blackflies had ranged from annoying to infuriating, but—thankfully—there were none at the lakes.  This is really shaping up to be an exceptionally bad year for blackflies—one of the worst in recent memory.

Day 2: Snowgrass Mountain Summit Climb

Although the forecast had been pretty favorable, the morning sky was dark and threatening.  We gathered summit packs and headed up steep green slopes to Upper Grace Lake, then continued traversing around steep talus slopes.

Cold wind and fog engulfed us just as we reached a moraine below the daunting northwest face of Snowgrass Mountain.  Fortunately, I’d been able to scope out a right-slanting ramp that looked as though it might get us up the face.  We pushed on through the fog and teased out a Class 2-3 route up the ramp, which ended at a 7750-foot notch in the northwest ridge.

Not wanting to summit in the fog, we hung out at the notch for 45 minutes in hopes that it would ease up.  This strategy paid off;  the fog gradually dissipated, and we were able to climb the chossy east slope in clearing weather, summiting in early afternoon (4.3 hours from camp).

From the summit, we could look straight down at all three Grace Lakes.  Our tents stood out as little yellow and orange dots between the lower lakes.

Rather than descending the exposed northwest ramp, we tried traversing northeastward below Point 7955 and then crossing over the sharp eastern ridge closely beyond the point.  I took this opportunity to scramble up Point 7955 to get some photos of Snowgrass Mountain and Big Chiwaukum Peak.  The ruggedness of the Chiwaukum crest can be seen to great advantage from here.

The most difficult part of our descent route was down-climbing into a small notch in the north ridge of Point 7955.  I pulled out our 40-foot panic rope and belayed Derek, Eileen, and Luke down this very exposed Class 4 pitch, then I down-climbed with a prusik sling on the rope.  It was barely long enough to reach over the crux moves!

At the notch, we got a view of the impressive north and northwest faces of Snowgrass Mountain.  The metamorphic rock (Chiwaukum schist) that comprises this mountain creates interesting textural features.  The jointing planes form sheer, near-vertical, layered faces, whereas the mineral lineation (“grain”) forms irregularly stepped diagonal ramps.  The intersection of these two fracture surfaces creates impressive horns and spires along the ridge crests.

From the small notch, we traversed around another series of horns and then crossed through a col, which led into the Upper Grace Lakes cirque.  It was early evening when we reached camp at Lower Grace Lake (4.2 hours from summit).

Day 3: Grace Lakes to Trailhead

We awoke to cool but clear weather, indicating that yesterday’s cold front had moved past.  To provide the lads with a more adventurous exit day, Eileen led us on a traverse across the beautiful meadowy slopes north of Grace Lakes.  We found segments of old trail contouring around several ribs and basins—always staying at an elevation between 6000 and 6200 feet.  The vegetation, topography, geology, and trail segments in this area are very reminiscent of the Clark Mountain High Route.  It is easy to imagine that sheep were formerly run through these meadows for grazing.

The clear air gave us nice views into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and north to Glacier Peak.  Across the valley, the Bull’s Tooth and other granitic peaks were especially visible.

Once down on the Wildhorse and Whitepine Creek trails, we passed numerous trail-maintenance folks heading up toward Frosty Pass.  They told us that this was their first day of a two week work party.  Anyone heading up these trails after August can reasonably expect excellent trail conditions.

Route Map

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…