Good stuff. Sketchy scramble to the notch. Took the 2nd ramp, then up to the first rap station. Not too bad from there. Bring a 60 meter rope for some cool raps on the way down. Forget downclimbing--that did not look like fun.
Bob Burd - Jul 22, 2006 2:23 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2006
North Ridge
Tried three days earlier but turned back due to crappy weather. Second time was successful in gorgeous weather. Climbed with Matthew and Rick as part of a 9 day Cascade tour. Trip Report
Route Climbed: north ridge Date Climbed: August 1st 2004.
It was the second mountain in as many days. Three fingered jack bieng the first. I would say we started out relunctantly bieng we were all pretty tired from the 13 hours on the trail the day before. We quickly broke into stride gathering yet more momentum for a long scree slog up the ridge to the mountain saddle. The mountain is awsome but very loose. Thje first pitch is quite exposed you can really feel your butt hangin in the wind. The summit erea is quite a bit larger than you might think when gazing up at it. The views are tremendous and the lightening storm was approaching time to bail.
Beautiful day, no clouds, wasn't too hot either. Too many ATVs at Big Lake though. From the notch there are 3 horns slung with rap rings to protect/rap the more difficult sections. Great climb with great views!
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 19, 2003
This was my first technical climb and it was great! The weather was perfect, but I could have done without the swarms of flying ants at the summit. The repel was a little tricky due to some high winds, but overall it was a great trip!
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: October 2, 2004
Lots of waiting due to 15 people ahead of us on the route. We scrambled up to a big horn at the top of the second ramp this time and belayed a very short pitch. The crux comes right out of the belay and then unprotected third class leads to the top of "the nose". I just used one large hex and a long sling for pro. From there we scrambled up to the summit and back down to the rap station unroped. I recommend taking the second ramp over the first ramp because rope drag isn't as horrendous and the climbing is shorter on more "solid" rock.
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: August 10, 2004
Climbed a looser variation on the first pitch and then some more solid variations on the second and third pitches. Flying ants were swarming at the summit this time.
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 27, 2004
See Cornvallis's entry below. There's definitely more than one way to climb "the nose" just above the notch. I'm not sure that a standard route exists. First ramp or second ramp? Just gives me a reason to try the second ramp sometime. I placed a new register book in the summit ammo can.
Route Climbed: North Ridge Variation Date Climbed: July 27, 2004
Another early start for dkantola and myself. Left Salem by 3:00 AM and were on the trail by 5:30. Took the first ramp. Wow, just a bit of exposure as you climb the first chimney and find yourself hanging over the east face. No worries, David led the route well and placed solid pro (as solid as you could on this heap). Would not recommend climbing this variation unroped! Free climbed the next two pitches to the summit. Flies were overwhelming on the true summit, but 50 ft. to the north they left you alone.....king of the hill eh? Rapped the first pitch back to the notch. Don't believe the hype about the great rock on Washington, are holds supposed to move?
Have climbed it 3 times now. Was the first mountian I climbed....was in 2000. Scared me climbing the pinnicle the first time since it was just before sun set and the winds were high. Slept on top that trip. Second time set out to sleep on top again in early June 2002 but missed the trail up the North Ridge and ended up going up the NW Ridge and traversing to the saddle. We ran into high winds again and this time ran out of daylight. Had to bivouc down from the saddle and tie into the only tree we could find due to the steep slope. Hairy night sleep listening to the rock fall all night and not being able to see outside the clouds. Did not summit the next day due to time crunch. Thrid time summited no problem and back down in a day in late June of 2003. Glad to get to the trees by the time the lightning started. Awesome mountian. Love the adventure.
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: July, 1998
A fine summer climb --- but don't forget the DEET. We would have been dead of anemia had it not been for a friendly camper!
Washington is the best (only) volcano around that has climbable rock. Zoomed up the west ridge to a small saddle below the summit. There we broke out the rope and led about half a pitch --- that's all that was sketchy, with a nasty drop to the left. Purely positional belay since the pro was mostly weak. Nice summit --- until a storm came out of nowhere. We rapped the pinnacle, then plunge-stepped (ran?) down a NW snowface with lightning coming down all around. Exciting...
Unusually beautiful weather for late October. Got really hot slogging up the ridge to the saddle, but was nice climbing in the shade. Saw dog prints on the summit and the last entry in the register was from a solo climber and her dog!
Route Climbed: North Ridge Variation Date Climbed: July 12, 2003
This was one of my first outings as a climb leader for the Ptarmigans climbing club. I lead 9 others to the top of this mountain doing a variation of the North Ridge Route. We had sunny weather except for the wind which was blowing very hard. Congrats to all the attendees of this outing for their successful summit.
PeterOrth - Jul 24, 2006 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2006
North RidgeGood stuff. Sketchy scramble to the notch. Took the 2nd ramp, then up to the first rap station. Not too bad from there. Bring a 60 meter rope for some cool raps on the way down. Forget downclimbing--that did not look like fun.
Bob Burd - Jul 22, 2006 2:23 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2006
North RidgeTried three days earlier but turned back due to crappy weather. Second time was successful in gorgeous weather. Climbed with Matthew and Rick as part of a 9 day Cascade tour. Trip Report
olsenn - Jul 10, 2006 8:56 pm Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2006
North Ridgeroute was essentially snow-free. Lots of mosquitos until the ridge.
cascadetraveler - Jan 20, 2006 9:47 pm
Route Climbed: north ridge Date Climbed: August 1st 2004.It was the second mountain in as many days. Three fingered jack bieng the first. I would say we started out relunctantly bieng we were all pretty tired from the 13 hours on the trail the day before. We quickly broke into stride gathering yet more momentum for a long scree slog up the ridge to the mountain saddle. The mountain is awsome but very loose. Thje first pitch is quite exposed you can really feel your butt hangin in the wind. The summit erea is quite a bit larger than you might think when gazing up at it. The views are tremendous and the lightening storm was approaching time to bail.
mandrake - Oct 31, 2005 7:41 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2003Loose & crumbly. Three raps off the summit block back to the notch -- glad to not do any downclimbing!
jamminjman - Jul 28, 2005 7:10 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: 7/24/05Beautiful day, no clouds, wasn't too hot either. Too many ATVs at Big Lake though. From the notch there are 3 horns slung with rap rings to protect/rap the more difficult sections. Great climb with great views!
DagiTig - Jun 8, 2005 2:11 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 19, 2003This was my first technical climb and it was great! The weather was perfect, but I could have done without the swarms of flying ants at the summit. The repel was a little tricky due to some high winds, but overall it was a great trip!
Pawel Krol - Mar 3, 2005 12:47 pm
Route Climbed: Lion's Head Date Climbed: 29 Dec 2004Bad Weather, cold and total witheout
dkantola - Oct 5, 2004 1:57 am
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: October 2, 2004Lots of waiting due to 15 people ahead of us on the route. We scrambled up to a big horn at the top of the second ramp this time and belayed a very short pitch. The crux comes right out of the belay and then unprotected third class leads to the top of "the nose". I just used one large hex and a long sling for pro. From there we scrambled up to the summit and back down to the rap station unroped. I recommend taking the second ramp over the first ramp because rope drag isn't as horrendous and the climbing is shorter on more "solid" rock.
Gail J - Aug 15, 2004 1:15 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 12, 1998A long but easy approach with a short 5.4 summit. A nice, moderate day.
dkantola - Aug 11, 2004 12:25 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: August 10, 2004Climbed a looser variation on the first pitch and then some more solid variations on the second and third pitches. Flying ants were swarming at the summit this time.
e.acar - Aug 10, 2004 9:48 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: Aug 8,04Climbed with Chemetakans in the leadership of Steve Dougherty. Beautiful day, clear skies.
dkantola - Aug 2, 2004 10:59 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 27, 2004See Cornvallis's entry below. There's definitely more than one way to climb "the nose" just above the notch. I'm not sure that a standard route exists. First ramp or second ramp? Just gives me a reason to try the second ramp sometime. I placed a new register book in the summit ammo can.
Cornvallis - Aug 2, 2004 12:32 am
Route Climbed: North Ridge Variation Date Climbed: July 27, 2004Another early start for dkantola and myself. Left Salem by 3:00 AM and were on the trail by 5:30. Took the first ramp. Wow, just a bit of exposure as you climb the first chimney and find yourself hanging over the east face. No worries, David led the route well and placed solid pro (as solid as you could on this heap). Would not recommend climbing this variation unroped! Free climbed the next two pitches to the summit. Flies were overwhelming on the true summit, but 50 ft. to the north they left you alone.....king of the hill eh? Rapped the first pitch back to the notch. Don't believe the hype about the great rock on Washington, are holds supposed to move?
dkantola - Jul 25, 2004 6:58 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 24, 2004I found the rock not to be as solid as advertised. Many flies swarming at the summit rocks. The summit register needs a new book.
Pawkala - Jul 1, 2004 11:47 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: MultipleHave climbed it 3 times now. Was the first mountian I climbed....was in 2000. Scared me climbing the pinnicle the first time since it was just before sun set and the winds were high. Slept on top that trip. Second time set out to sleep on top again in early June 2002 but missed the trail up the North Ridge and ended up going up the NW Ridge and traversing to the saddle. We ran into high winds again and this time ran out of daylight. Had to bivouc down from the saddle and tie into the only tree we could find due to the steep slope. Hairy night sleep listening to the rock fall all night and not being able to see outside the clouds. Did not summit the next day due to time crunch. Thrid time summited no problem and back down in a day in late June of 2003. Glad to get to the trees by the time the lightning started. Awesome mountian. Love the adventure.
eckdoerry - Nov 28, 2003 1:12 pm
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: July, 1998A fine summer climb --- but don't forget the DEET. We would have been dead of anemia had it not been for a friendly camper!
Washington is the best (only) volcano around that has climbable rock. Zoomed up the west ridge to a small saddle below the summit. There we broke out the rope and led about half a pitch --- that's all that was sketchy, with a nasty drop to the left. Purely positional belay since the pro was mostly weak. Nice summit --- until a storm came out of nowhere. We rapped the pinnacle, then plunge-stepped (ran?) down a NW snowface with lightning coming down all around. Exciting...
cluck - Nov 3, 2003 2:31 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: 10/26/03Unusually beautiful weather for late October. Got really hot slogging up the ridge to the saddle, but was nice climbing in the shade. Saw dog prints on the summit and the last entry in the register was from a solo climber and her dog!
jhalz - Jul 30, 2003 9:05 am
Route Climbed: North Ridge Date Climbed: July 26, 2003First pitch was a perfect example of rotten volcanic rock. Beyond that everything was much more soild. Beautiful day, had the mountain to ourselves.
tymelero - Jul 15, 2003 9:34 am
Route Climbed: North Ridge Variation Date Climbed: July 12, 2003This was one of my first outings as a climb leader for the Ptarmigans climbing club. I lead 9 others to the top of this mountain doing a variation of the North Ridge Route. We had sunny weather except for the wind which was blowing very hard. Congrats to all the attendees of this outing for their successful summit.