Trip Date: September 1-3, 2001

Kololo Peak Climbing Trip

North Fork Sauk River Valley
White Pass
White River Meadows
Foam Pass
White Chuck Glacier
Glacier Gap
Kololo Peak (8200+ ft)
White Mountain (7030 ft)

Trip Report Summary

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Regions: East Sauk Mountains & DaKobed–White Range

Area: Glacier Peak Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: North Fork Sauk River Trailhead at end of North Fork Sauk River Road (Elev. 2050 feet)

Way Points: North Fork Sauk River & Red Creek & White Pass & White River Meadows (trail hike) 

Campsite: White River Meadows

Sidetrip: Foam Pass & White Chuck Flats (off-trail hike & rock scramble)

Summit: Kololo Peak (ice hike & snow climb & rock scramble via White Chuck Glacier—Glacier Gap—White River Glacier—West Ridge)

Summit: White Mountain (off-trail hike via East Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 30 miles traveled; 9500 feet gained & lost.

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Full Trip Report

Day 1: Trailhead to White River Meadows

On rainy Saturday morning, Jim, Dee and I donned raingear and tarped our packs for the 12-mile trek up the North Fork Sauk River trail to White Pass and beyond to the White Chuck Glacier basin and base camp. The North Fork Sauk River trail was in excellent condition. A few short 50-yard stretches were a little bit brushy. The crossing of Red Creek was interesting but not difficult. Jim pioneered the way across, aided by a large stick that he wedged into the creek bottom and used for balance and support.

By the time we reached White Pass, the rain had stopped, the visibility continued to improve, and there were occasional sun breaks. We could see Mt. Saul and Mt. David, and what we thought might be Kololo. We almost camped at White Pass, given that we were getting tired, but since there were three tents already in the camping area, we decided to explore further toward our objective for a campsite. We had enough energy for another hour of hiking, so we shouldered our packs (despite the rain tarps, they seemed to be 20 pounds heavier!), and headed up a nice well-defined and benched trail that contoured below the White Mountain ridge toward Foam Basin. We found a nice, secluded campsite on a small knoll (6.6 hours from TH) about a mile up the abandoned but very well-defined trail.

Day 2: Kololo Peak Summit Climb + White Mtn Ascent

The next morning was absolutely gorgeous! The sky was nearly clear, with some scattered high clouds. The breeze had stilled, and we dispatched our cold breakfasts and headed up the trail to the saddle separating Foam Basin from the White Chuck Glacier basin.

There are many camping opportunities along this trail, and in beautiful Foam Basin, as well as in the stark, rock and snow world of the White Chuck Glacier basin, which had many small tarns.

We donned crampons when we reached the edge of the White Chuck Glacier. It was icy toward the bottom, with most of the small crevasses fully open. Further up the glacier, the ice diminished and the top inch or two of snow began to soften. We decided to cross at Glacier Gap, and descend to the White River Glacier and approach Kololo Peaks from the south.

The White River Glacier had a section of blue ice that was very opened up (a shallow “icefall”) near the center where the grade steepens a bit.

We negotiated the crevasses and reached softer snow after about 200 yards, headed up the snow-covered headwall to first to the east summit, and then to the west summit (4.5 hours from camp).

It was a glamorous, easy scramble from the top of the snow. We hung out and played “name that peak”, and built a summit cairn to house our improvised zip-lock bag summit register.

We descended the glaciers in short time, and soon found ourselves at the Foam Basin saddle, looking up at White Mountain and the ridge that appears to have a path all the way over. Jim suggested a traverse of the ridge to White Mountain, since we had lots of daylight left. The ridge was delightful – the views down into both valleys tremendous. We met a solo hiker traveling from White Mountain over to our saddle. After many ups and downs, we reached the summit of White Mountain. What a grand view!

We headed down the opposite side, following a path on the opposite ridge to the junction with the main trail at White Pass. The campers at White Pass turned out to be a Forest Service trail crew that was doing trail maintenance work in the area, including blasting! While we were on the ridge, we heard a particularly loud “boom” that reverberated through the Sauk River valley, and I could swear I felt it through the rock beneath me.

We reached our camp in late afternoon (5.3 hours from summit).  All night the wind picked up until finally, late into the night, we heard raindrops on the pyramid.

Day 3: White River Meadows to Trailhead

Monday morning, we packed up inside in the steady rain, which was heavy at times. Decked out once again in rain gear with our packs tarped, we headed down the trail to the car and clean, dry cotton, 10 miles and 4300 feet below, at our car (4.7 hours from camp).

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