Redwic - Aug 16, 2020 7:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
Fogged In
The route to the former lookout site is very good and well-traveled. The route from there is sketchy. I encountered hard-pack snow on the north side, steep/loose gullies and slopes, and vampire fog near the summit. It was a lot of effort for only several hundred feet of gain. Due to the fog, no views and I did not stick around with hopes that the weather would clear up (which it did, 30 minutes later).
Only had time to make it to old lookout site, but the views were super pretty up there, and was plenty happy with just that, for a warmup hike for later climbs
cascadescrambler - Aug 26, 2019 10:51 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 1997
Dicey
The gully we took was down-sloping with some loose rock and exposure. Had to be very careful
dogone - Jun 30, 2019 7:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2019
Church Mountain - WA
Hiked and scrambled this today. Road up is in great condition. No bugs to speak of. Only one patch of snow past the meadows and very little mud. Followed a GPS track from a peak bagger and it worked fine. A few places with exposure and some of the areas had some moss but overall very good. Nice day to be out.
Youliana - Oct 28, 2018 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2018
Church mountain, WA
Easy trail to the alpine. Rewarding scramble to the true summit.
From the old lookout site I followed the faint climber's trail up to the top, bits of class 3 and exposure throughout. On the south side there are cairns to guide you up. The most exposed spots were on the last bit of the trail where it crosses back to the north side of the ridge. Not terribly sketchy or confusing overall if you make effort to stay on the trail.
Luciano136 - Oct 13, 2016 1:05 am Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2016
Gorgeous area!
Absolutely perfect day with bluebird skies! Not having researched any routes, I didn't see a good way through the cliffs to the true summit but not the end of the world.
Headed up to the Baker area for a nice day of goofing off near Artist Point; made a last minute decision to climb Church. Easily reached the lookout point but didn't have time for the scramble to the true summit, so I bagged east Church instead. Steep and loose in places on the way up, but there's a super easy to follow bootpath all the way up. The bootpath is so well worn that I get the impression people mistake this for the true highpoint. Gorgeous views for 360 degrees; Kidney Lakes were frozen already.
The scramble isn't nearly as gnarly as I've been led to believe, I'll be back next year to finish this.
Snidely Whiplash - Nov 11, 2013 12:17 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2004
Nice Exposure
Pretty exciting summit scramble.
JLuthanen - Oct 6, 2013 7:25 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2013
Church Mtn attempt
Made an effort on the peak early - started hiking at 7:15am, got to fire lookout 3 hrs later. Snow was deemed just sketchy enough not to traverse to saddle - enough to cover rocks with wet, thick melting layer, not enough to hold weights, etc. Turned back - fun first N Cascades hike - scenic (bluebird day, 70deg F)
RyanHoover - Aug 28, 2012 1:36 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2011
Almost!
Went straight up the snow slopes with no map or beta. Ended up about 100 feet shy of the true summit. Turned around due to time, although looking back I now wish I would have taken the extra hour!
Fantastic hike! I went to the top of the hiking section and did not attempt the true summit. The views of Shuksan, Baker, et al were sublime, and the meadows were full of wildflowers.
PeakBeggar - Sep 2, 2010 8:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
Nice hike!
easy hiking/scrambling. Did not go to the true summit, just the top of the hiking section This was the day after my ascent of shuksan, so comparably it was much more tame. Very enjoyable and the views were great. Weather was perfect.
gimpilator - Jul 26, 2010 1:03 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2010
11,780 Feet of Vertial Gain in Under 48 Hours
Climbed 4 peaks this weekend and this was number 2 on the list. I stopped 100 feet short of the true summit. (((ATTENTION))) if you don't have rock climbing experience, DO NOT attempt the true summit. There is a lot of loose down-sloping rock and too much exposure. This is the last time I attempt a Dow Williams route page.
geosean - Oct 6, 2009 8:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
Exhausting day.
Initially I attempted the wrong gully to cross the ridge to the south side; it was beyond my abilities so I gave up and lay in the sun by Kidney Lake. Looking back up the mountain from this distance I immediately saw the correct route, and since it was early decided to go for it. The wrong route plus the descent to the lake adds quite a few more hundred feet that I wasn’t expecting, but it was a great climb anyway.
Glad they fixed the road (although I still had to walk a mile of it).
Redwic - Aug 16, 2020 7:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2020
Fogged InThe route to the former lookout site is very good and well-traveled. The route from there is sketchy. I encountered hard-pack snow on the north side, steep/loose gullies and slopes, and vampire fog near the summit. It was a lot of effort for only several hundred feet of gain. Due to the fog, no views and I did not stick around with hopes that the weather would clear up (which it did, 30 minutes later).
DawnchaserTheAdventurer - Oct 13, 2019 12:30 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2019
Only went as far as old lookout siteOnly had time to make it to old lookout site, but the views were super pretty up there, and was plenty happy with just that, for a warmup hike for later climbs
cascadescrambler - Aug 26, 2019 10:51 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 1997
DiceyThe gully we took was down-sloping with some loose rock and exposure. Had to be very careful
dogone - Jun 30, 2019 7:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2019
Church Mountain - WAHiked and scrambled this today. Road up is in great condition. No bugs to speak of. Only one patch of snow past the meadows and very little mud. Followed a GPS track from a peak bagger and it worked fine. A few places with exposure and some of the areas had some moss but overall very good. Nice day to be out.
Youliana - Oct 28, 2018 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2018
Church mountain, WAEasy trail to the alpine. Rewarding scramble to the true summit.
Peaker - Sep 26, 2018 12:40 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2018
ChurchFrom the old lookout site I followed the faint climber's trail up to the top, bits of class 3 and exposure throughout. On the south side there are cairns to guide you up. The most exposed spots were on the last bit of the trail where it crosses back to the north side of the ridge. Not terribly sketchy or confusing overall if you make effort to stay on the trail.
Luciano136 - Oct 13, 2016 1:05 am Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2016
Gorgeous area!Absolutely perfect day with bluebird skies! Not having researched any routes, I didn't see a good way through the cliffs to the true summit but not the end of the world.
seano - Jul 27, 2016 4:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2016
Recovery hikeDidn't tag the summit, but it's a nice trail to a great view from the old lookout site.
teddycricket83 - Aug 9, 2015 4:03 am
Bro took me upa highlight of a trip to b-ham
tcingrum - Jul 14, 2014 12:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2014
churchNice hike with interesting finish
Cascade Scrambler - Nov 30, 2013 8:56 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2012
Ran out of timeHeaded up to the Baker area for a nice day of goofing off near Artist Point; made a last minute decision to climb Church. Easily reached the lookout point but didn't have time for the scramble to the true summit, so I bagged east Church instead. Steep and loose in places on the way up, but there's a super easy to follow bootpath all the way up. The bootpath is so well worn that I get the impression people mistake this for the true highpoint. Gorgeous views for 360 degrees; Kidney Lakes were frozen already.
The scramble isn't nearly as gnarly as I've been led to believe, I'll be back next year to finish this.
Snidely Whiplash - Nov 11, 2013 12:17 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2004
Nice ExposurePretty exciting summit scramble.
JLuthanen - Oct 6, 2013 7:25 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2013
Church Mtn attemptMade an effort on the peak early - started hiking at 7:15am, got to fire lookout 3 hrs later. Snow was deemed just sketchy enough not to traverse to saddle - enough to cover rocks with wet, thick melting layer, not enough to hold weights, etc. Turned back - fun first N Cascades hike - scenic (bluebird day, 70deg F)
RyanHoover - Aug 28, 2012 1:36 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2011
Almost!Went straight up the snow slopes with no map or beta. Ended up about 100 feet shy of the true summit. Turned around due to time, although looking back I now wish I would have taken the extra hour!
MMclimbhigh - Oct 4, 2011 8:50 pm
The holy churchClimbed the Church several times. It's fun to have a beer in Glacier and look up at the summit.
greglief - Jul 5, 2011 5:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2010
Awesome!Fantastic hike! I went to the top of the hiking section and did not attempt the true summit. The views of Shuksan, Baker, et al were sublime, and the meadows were full of wildflowers.
PeakBeggar - Sep 2, 2010 8:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2010
Nice hike!easy hiking/scrambling. Did not go to the true summit, just the top of the hiking section This was the day after my ascent of shuksan, so comparably it was much more tame. Very enjoyable and the views were great. Weather was perfect.
gimpilator - Jul 26, 2010 1:03 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2010
11,780 Feet of Vertial Gain in Under 48 HoursClimbed 4 peaks this weekend and this was number 2 on the list. I stopped 100 feet short of the true summit. (((ATTENTION))) if you don't have rock climbing experience, DO NOT attempt the true summit. There is a lot of loose down-sloping rock and too much exposure. This is the last time I attempt a Dow Williams route page.
geosean - Oct 6, 2009 8:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
Exhausting day.Initially I attempted the wrong gully to cross the ridge to the south side; it was beyond my abilities so I gave up and lay in the sun by Kidney Lake. Looking back up the mountain from this distance I immediately saw the correct route, and since it was early decided to go for it. The wrong route plus the descent to the lake adds quite a few more hundred feet that I wasn’t expecting, but it was a great climb anyway.
Glad they fixed the road (although I still had to walk a mile of it).
metasyn11 - Jul 6, 2008 11:36 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2008
Church Mt TrailHiked with Travis. Snowy and foggy for July but an excellent climb nonetheless.