Trip Date: May 22-24, 2023
Revolution Peak & Russian Butte Climbing Trip
Granite Creek Valley
Revolution Peak (5454 ft)
Russian Butte attempt (5123 ft)
Thompson Point (5124 ft)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Lower Snoqualmie Range
Areas: Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Resources Conservation Area & Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest & Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Way Points: Granite Creek Connector Trail junction & Granite Creek Bridge & Granite Lakes Trail junction & Thompson Lake Trail junction & Thompson Point bench (trail hike & snow hike)
Campsite: Thompson Point bench (Elev. 4820 feet)
Sidetrip: Thompson-Revolution Saddle & Revolution Peak summit & Revolution-Russian Saddle & Russian Butte slope; return via Thompson Point summit (snow hike & snow climb & rock scramble)
Summit: Revolution Peak (snow climb via Southwest Ridge; descent via Northeast Slope)
Summit Attempt: Russian Butte (snow climb to 4700 feet on East Ridge)
Approximate Stats: 11.2 miles traveled; 6400 feet gained & lost.
Full Trip Report
Eileen, Brooke, Kellie, Andrew, and I made an early-season climbing attempt on Revolution Peak and Russian Butte in the Lower Snoqualmie Range. We were successful on the former summit but not on the latter. Although snow conditions were quite favorable for both summits, the weather refused to live up to our optimistic spin on a marginal forecast.
Day 1: Trailhead to Thompson Point Bench
Starting at the Granite Creek Trailhead on a cool, drizzly Monday morning, we hiked up the trail (an abandoned logging road) laden with camping gear, snowshoes, crampons, snow pro, and other climbing paraphernalia. Not knowing what snow and rock conditions we would encounter, it seemed prudent to prepare for almost anything, and this resulted in big, unwieldy backpacks.
Having hiked and snowshoed up this road-trail at the same time last year, I was surprised how much less snow there is this year. We didn’t hit patchy snow until an elevation of about 3300 feet, and continuous snow didn’t start until 4300 feet. A positive result was that snowshoes were not needed.
In mid-afternoon, we arrived at a 4800-foot bench on the south ridge of Thompson Point (5.2 hours + 5.5 miles + 3950 feet from TH). A large patch of bare ground here provided a nice campsite for our three tents. Unfortunately, we were enveloped in a cold fog with no view. Eileen and Andrew spent the remainder of our afternoon practicing some snow-climbing techniques, while Brooke and Kellie hunkered down in their tent and I melted snow for drinking and cooking water.
Day 2: Thompson-Revolution-Russian Traverse
After a night of rain showers, we awoke to dry but still-foggy weather, with visibility hovering around 75 yards. We began our traverse over to Revolution Peak by walking out a northeast-trending spur road and then cutting straight uphill to gain the Thompson-Revolution saddle. Most of this steep hillside was covered by firm snow that offered good step-kicking conditions without crampons.
Upon reaching the ridge saddle closely below Thompson Point, we worked our way northeasterly along the crest. This involved following a brushy climber’s path (getting soaked in the process), down-climbing a rock step with the aid of a fixed rope, and booting along a ribbon of snow.
Farther up the ridge, we veered slightly to the right and ascended a combination of snowfields and talus slopes to gain the summit of 5454-foot Revolution Peak (1.7 hours + 750 feet from camp). The summit register placed by Monty VanderBilt was full but indicated that this peak gets a dozen or so visitors each year. Sadly, views were non-existent.
To descend, we initially went down the east ridge and then angled across the northeast slope. At an elevation around 4700 feet, we began a long northward traverse through pleasantly open forest. Snow conditions were very good for booting, but wherever the snow was underlain by a talus field, our feet would unexpectedly punch through. This situation was very stressful and greatly slowed our progress.
Our traverse route took us below Point 4932 and along the crest of a 4560-foot saddle just to the north. At the next ridge knob, we got a bit too high (4800 feet) but were able to drop back down to 4600 feet and keep contouring northward until reaching the southeastern slope of Russian Butte. Here, we booted up a broad snowfield, trying to get a look at the summit block through the dense fog. Alas, there was no view to be had.
We continued traversing over to the peak’s east rib at a point about 400 feet below the summit. Kellie scrambled a short distance up the steep, mossy rock looking for an easy passage, but she determined that this was not a feasible route given our group size, poor weather, and limited time. As a last-gasp effort, we descended 200 feet in hopes of getting beneath the rib and finding an appealing snowfield on the northeastern side. Once again, we were stymied and now made the frustrating decision to turn around. So close but still so far!
Our return route generally stayed between elevations of 4550 feet and 4650 feet, where a natural sloping shelf provides the best travel. The pervasive fog chose this time to clear, giving us a look at still-frozen Thompson Lake.
Rather than climbing back over the summit of Revolution Peak, we crossed its east ridge at 5100 feet and then contoured into the Thompson-Revolution saddle. Our final deviation was to hike over the top of 5124-foot Thompson Point and then descend an old logging road down the west ridge.
Along the way, we passed the site of the former Thompson Point cabin. I first stumbled upon this curiously out-of-place structure during a ski tour with Fay Pullen in 2011. All that remains now is an array of foundation blocks and a lot of wooden boards. Middle Fork aficionado Monty VanderBilt has previously reported that the cabin was blown up by the FBI in 2018 as a training exercise!
We all assembled back in camp by 6:00pm (4.2 hours + 1100 feet from turnaround point), feeling satisfied by our successful summit, disappointed by our unsuccessful attempt, and wiser for the effort. Brooke, Kellie, and Andrew were eager to get home, so they packed up and headed out at 7:00pm. Meanwhile, Eileen and I enjoyed a leisurely dinner and a rain-free night in camp.
Day 3: Thompson Point Bench to Trailhead
Eileen and I were packed up and on the move at 8:15am. The morning started out very foggy, but sunlight was poking through by the time we arrived at the trailhead shortly before noon ( 3.6 hours from camp). During our hike out, a new strategy was devised for next year’s attack on the feisty Cossack!
Route Maps & Profiles
…
…
…
…
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
