Ivyaakers - Jul 20, 2021 7:04 am Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2021
White Chuck River Trail Impassible
Hoped to get extra solitude and a little extra adventure by going up GP via the Sitkum. About 7 miles into the Write Chuck Trail we came across a washout that was so bad we ultimately bailed. In that last mile downed trees and washout slowed our pace dramatically. It looked like others had passed this section with a rap down to the riverside and a scramble back up the slope. With overnight packs and not knowing how many more sketchy crossings were ahead we decided it wasn't worth it.
aggubin - Aug 20, 2020 7:54 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
Lost Creek Ridge, Stikum, Summit
Decided to explore Lost Creek Ridge trail to avoid the crowds. Spent 1st night at Hardtack Lake, then followed the trail down to White Chuck River. There is no bridge, but there is huge pile of logs ~100 yards upstream from where Kennedy Creek meets White Chuck River. Very easy crossing. Found a trail (Kennedy creek trail, I guess) to the left of the crossing. It's in good shape and visible. At the PCT, unlike this route describes, you don't need to go North, just cross the PCT and look for trail/path going East to Sitkum creek. Path is barely visible, but you can hear the creek. I had lunch at the creek, admiring the waterfall to the left. Crossed the creek, found climbers trail - it's old but still visible in the dense fir forest. The path follows the ridge between Sitkum creek and unnamed creek to the right. After about 1.2 miles I've emerged from the forest to the apline meadow.
From there you can see snow fields, glaciers and the summit (weather permitting). I followed rock ridges going south east all the way up to a snow field leading to Sitkum Spire. Crossed the snow field (going mostly North), saw 1 crevasse to the left - easy to go around, then followed pumice ridge to summit block.
Arrived at the summit block by 8:30, watch sunset, decided to summit in the morning. Camping is sketchy - the is no space for a tent and there is rock-fall danger, but I was tired, so I took my chance and slept behind big rock (no tent, just the mattress).
Summitted at 5:50am, watch sunrise over North Cascades - very impressive. Then packed the camp and followed standard route back (Cool glacier, Glacier Gap, White Pass etc). There were some nasty crevasses on Cool glacier, but I was able to go around them. Bootpack is solid.
Overall distance travelled 40 miles, hitchhiked from North Sauk River trailhead back to the car at Lost Creek Ridge trailhead
cascadescrambler - Aug 6, 2019 6:21 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 1977
Half-Sitkum
We probably did a half-Sitkum. I wasn't route finding so I have no idea except that we stepped onto the glacier from the south about halfway up it and saw people way below us coming up.
Ivyaakers - Jul 20, 2021 7:04 am Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2021
White Chuck River Trail ImpassibleHoped to get extra solitude and a little extra adventure by going up GP via the Sitkum. About 7 miles into the Write Chuck Trail we came across a washout that was so bad we ultimately bailed. In that last mile downed trees and washout slowed our pace dramatically. It looked like others had passed this section with a rap down to the riverside and a scramble back up the slope. With overnight packs and not knowing how many more sketchy crossings were ahead we decided it wasn't worth it.
aggubin - Aug 20, 2020 7:54 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
Lost Creek Ridge, Stikum, SummitDecided to explore Lost Creek Ridge trail to avoid the crowds. Spent 1st night at Hardtack Lake, then followed the trail down to White Chuck River. There is no bridge, but there is huge pile of logs ~100 yards upstream from where Kennedy Creek meets White Chuck River. Very easy crossing. Found a trail (Kennedy creek trail, I guess) to the left of the crossing. It's in good shape and visible. At the PCT, unlike this route describes, you don't need to go North, just cross the PCT and look for trail/path going East to Sitkum creek. Path is barely visible, but you can hear the creek. I had lunch at the creek, admiring the waterfall to the left. Crossed the creek, found climbers trail - it's old but still visible in the dense fir forest. The path follows the ridge between Sitkum creek and unnamed creek to the right. After about 1.2 miles I've emerged from the forest to the apline meadow.
From there you can see snow fields, glaciers and the summit (weather permitting). I followed rock ridges going south east all the way up to a snow field leading to Sitkum Spire. Crossed the snow field (going mostly North), saw 1 crevasse to the left - easy to go around, then followed pumice ridge to summit block.
Arrived at the summit block by 8:30, watch sunset, decided to summit in the morning. Camping is sketchy - the is no space for a tent and there is rock-fall danger, but I was tired, so I took my chance and slept behind big rock (no tent, just the mattress).
Summitted at 5:50am, watch sunrise over North Cascades - very impressive. Then packed the camp and followed standard route back (Cool glacier, Glacier Gap, White Pass etc). There were some nasty crevasses on Cool glacier, but I was able to go around them. Bootpack is solid.
Overall distance travelled 40 miles, hitchhiked from North Sauk River trailhead back to the car at Lost Creek Ridge trailhead
cascadescrambler - Aug 6, 2019 6:21 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 1977
Half-SitkumWe probably did a half-Sitkum. I wasn't route finding so I have no idea except that we stepped onto the glacier from the south about halfway up it and saw people way below us coming up.