September 16, 2000
Three Fingers Mountain Day Climb
Saddle Lake
Goat Flats
Camp Saddle
Three Fingers Mountain: north peak aka North Finger (6870′)
——————– Trip Report Summary ——————–
Region: North-Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: West Sauk Mountains
Area: Boulder River Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Saddle Lake Trailhead (Tupso Pass Spur Road #4160)
Way Points: Saddle Lake & Goat Flats & Camp Saddle (trail hike & rock scramble)
Summit: North Finger (ascent & descent via West Couloir—South Face)
Approximate Stats: 14 miles traveled; 5600 feet gained & lost; 6.3 hours up; 5.1 hours down.
——————– Full Trip Report By Laura Zimmerman ——————-
Five of us left the Three Fingers trailhead shortly after 8:30 Saturday morning for the purpose of simultaneous climbs of the South Finger and North Finger. The “trail” was one of the roughest any of us had been on all summer! We knew that it would be a long day, and were hoping that we wouldn’t have to descend it by headlamp. The weather forecasters called for sunny skies, but the thick overcast above us apparently did not get the message. We pushed onward and upward in a light misty drizzle.
We reached Goat Flats, where the high overcast turned into a thin fog. By the time we hit Camp Saddle, the fog appeared to be beginning to lift. We could see both summits clearly ahead of us. We enjoyed a lunch break at Camp Saddle, and finalized our plans. Jim and Kevin were pumped on going to the North Finger, but I was feeling sluggish, and felt I would hold them back. Instead, I decided to lead the South Finger team, which included Dee and Derek. Not a bad consolation prize!
- North, Middle, and South Fingers From Trail
I watched Jim and Kevin as they descended the glacier and appeared to make great progress on their way over to the base of the North Finger. While we were finishing lunch and preparing to depart for the South Finger, we were able to observe a solo hiker with a hiking stick hacking his way across the first snow patch. The fog began to roll in and fill the valley. We could no longer see our other teammates. For that matter, we could barely see more than 50 feet in front of us. Shoving gear and food back into our packs, we pushed ahead on the well-trodden trail.
The first snow patch was fairly steep (40 degrees), somewhat icy, and had a treacherous runout. We donned crampons and unleashed our ice axes for the crossing. We crossed several additional snow patches on the way to the summit. The first snow patch was the most dangerous, but is not the steepest. The second snow patch has melted back enough and formed a moat. We were able to walk behind the snow in the moat on a scrambly rock path. The trail continued around the backside, and then to the front side, where we had to descend a steep snow ridge. The solo hiker found a way behind the snow on the rock, but having the technical gear, we opted to downclimb the snow.
The remainder of the trail was gentle snow or bare trail. The final several hundred feet to the lookout was all snow covered. When we got to the base of the summit finger, the clouds thinned, and we were able to climb above them. It was glorious! The sun was bright and hot. The final rock scramble was a blast – as we rounded the corner to the ladders, I looked over my shoulder in time to see Jim and Kevin on the North Finger heading up the final Class 2 scramble to the top. We reached the summits within minutes of each other, and hooted and hollered across the col.
- Middle and South Fingers From North Finger
Below us stretched a sea of clouds from the Sound to the Stuart Range. We could see the tops of Baker, Shuksan, and the Picket range to the north; Sloan, Glacier, and Pugh to the east; majestic Rainier and too many other peaks to list poking through the white fluff. We hung out at the lookout, playing “name that peak,” and watching our other teammates on the North Finger take pictures.
After a relaxing hour at the lookout cabin, we reluctantly began our descent and were soon enveloped by the fog bank. We waited about 30 minutes after reaching Camp Saddle before Jim and Kevin emerged from the fog to meet us before the descent to the cars. They had a wonderful climb of the North Finger (6.3 hours from TH). Jim said that the route was straightforward and the rock was not as bad as Beckey’s book made it seem. He said it reminded him of Chimney Rock, and rated the route Class 4 with one Class 5 move in the chimney, then easing to Class 2 and 3 near the summit.
- Kevin Traversing North Finger Ledges
Dee and Kevin forged ahead, running where they could, to avoid having to travel the lower trail by headlamp. Derek kept a fast pace, while Jim and I (“Team Advil”) brought up the rear. We almost made it out without turning on the headlamps, but at least we got past Saddle Lake (where people tend to get lost) before it got dark. We ended up using headlamps for the last mile.
Climbing Notes: The South Finger is not a walk up! There are steep snowfields that need to be crossed, and ice axes are highly recommended. Crampons are also advisable in cooler weather for added security when the snow firms up. In leaner snow years, the trail most likely melts out by now, and it may indeed be a walk-up. The scramble to the lookout cabin is exposed and not recommended for the timid.
—————– Photo Gallery (click to enlarge) —————————
