Trip Date: July 4-6, 2008
The Cradle & Paddy-Go Climbing Trip
Paddy-Go-Easy Pass
Paddy-Go-South Peak (6566′)
French–Meadow Saddle
The Cradle: south peak (7467′)
Paddy-Go-North Peak (6573′)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Regions: Cle Elum Mountains & Upper Icicle Mountains
Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: French Creek Trailhead on Cle Elum River Road #4330 (Elev. 3400 feet)
Way Points: Paddy-Go-Easy Creek & Paddy-Go-Easy Pass & Paddy-Go-Easy Bench (trail hike)
Campsite: Paddy-Go-Easy Bench (Elev. 6100 feet)
Summit: Paddy-Go-South Peak (rock scramble via Northwest Ridge; descent via Northeast Slope)
Sidetrip: Sprite Creek & French Creek & Meadow Creek Trail Junction & French–Meadow Saddle (trail hike)
Summit: The Cradle: south peak (off-trail hike & snow climb & rock scramble via Southwest Rib—East Slope—North Ridge)
Summit: Paddy-Go-North Peak (snow climb & rock scramble via Southeast Ridge—West Face)
Approximate Stats: 18 miles traveled; 7500 feet gained & lost.
Related Posts
Sherpani Peak + Paddy-Go-North Peak – November 2004
The Cradle + Highchair Mtn + Bootjack Mtn – June 1978
Full Trip Report
I spent Independence Day Weekend in the Cle Elum Mountains and Upper Icicle Mountains with Eileen, Beth, Mike M., Kerry, Greg, and Sarah. Our individual schedules and goals differed considerably: Eileen, Beth, and I were out for three days and hoped to tuck in three summits, whereas Mike, Kerry, Greg, and Sarah were out for two days and really didn’t care which summits they climbed.
Day 1: Trailhead to Paddy-Go-Easy Bench + Paddy-Go-South Peak Climb
We made the short but steep hike up to Paddy-Go-Easy Pass on Friday afternoon and established our base camp on a 6100-foot bench closely east of, and slightly below, the pass. In early evening, we all scrambled up 6566-foot Paddy-Go-South Peak for some evening color. Storm clouds were swirling overhead, but we were confident that things would clear up by morning. They didn’t.
- Ascending Paddy-Go-South Peak
- Climbing Paddy-Go-South peak
- Group On Paddy-Go-South Peak
We had a great view of Mt. Daniel, The Citadel, Cathedral Rock, and The Cradle from this summit. Still-frozen Sprite Lake was visible directly below us to the east.
- Storm Clouds Over The Citadel & Mt Daniel
- The Cradle and Sprite Lake
Day 2: The Cradle (South Peak) Climb
Saturday morning, Beth and Eileen and I headed for The Cradle while the others headed back to the trailhead. We found the trail leading down to the junction of the French Creek and Meadow Creek trails, then hiked upstream 1/2 mile before ascending through forest. We worked onto a SW spur of the mountain and followed this to the main south ridge.
- Traversing Toward The Cradle
From there, we traversed over and upward through fog and light rain until somehow stumbling onto the summit of The Cradle’s south peak (5.2 hours from camp).
- Climbing South Peak Of The Cradle
Although both peaks of The Cradle were triangulated at 7467 feet by the USGS, the south peak is regarded to be ever-so-slightly higher than the north peak, so this is where the Cradle’s summit register is located. The north peak was enveloped in fog.
- Beth and Eileen On Summit Of Cradle
Eventually, the north peak poked its head out of the clouds, so we made a modest effort to traverse over to it. I had hoped this would be my 30th anniversary ascent of both Cradle peaks (following a foggy-day climb in 1978), but lack of time and visibility conspired against us. Is it always foggy on The Cradle or what?
- North Cradle Peak From South Cradle Peak
We started our descent at 4:00pm and found a wonderfully open grassy slope that led all the way to the broad French-Meadow Saddle, which separates French Creek and Meadow Creek. It was raining steadily when we rolled into camp that evening, cold and wet.
- Descending To French Creek
Day 3: Paddy-Go-Easy Bench to Trailhead + Paddy-Go-North Peak Climb
It rained off-and-on all night, and Sunday began with dark clouds, but blue skies soon prevailed. After breaking camp and hiking up to Paddy-Go-Easy Pass, we scrambled up 6573-foot Paddy-Go-North Peak for morning views.
- Traversing To Paddy-Go-North Peak
- Climbing Paddy-Go-North Peak
- Beth and Eileen on Paddy-Go-North Peak
- Eileen, Jim, and The Cradle
In late morning, we began dropping to the trailhead. It felt like summer when we reached our vehicle at the end of this mostly fun, sometimes dreary, holiday-weekend adventure.
- Goat Mountain From Paddy-Go-Easy Pass Trail
Photo Gallery
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