Brian Jenkins - Aug 13, 2014 2:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2014
More than advertised
After doing Borah Peak in Idaho the day before, I headed up thinking I would easily bag this one as a throw-in on my way back home. The trail is easily the most ridiculously over-switchbacked one I've ever been on. Some switchbacks gain maybe 20 feet over hundreds of yards. And it's overgrown with chest-high (to me) weeds. You get to love on that for 1800 feet, then another 1200 through another overgrown area until you get to the lakes. I followed the route info but not sure what happened. I headed NW but ended up in loose Class 3-4 scree/dirt/talus ledges and had to make a few leap-of-faith moves to get out of trouble. Finally gained the ridge and then saw the real Krag down the ridge. Weather was now moving in so I raced the storm and summited about 1:30 pm. Wasted no time getting down as I heard a gentle rumble from one of the clouds. Descended to a tarn then down the correct SE ridge to the granite cliffs above Crater Lake and picked my way down through them to the lake. Was pumping water when the deluge began. Enjoyed a nice soaking hike down through the weeds after that. After Borah the day before and it's 5200 feet, then this 4500 foot climb today, I can safely say I am tired....
I'll post a beta shot but I would suggest going NE from the lake around the granite cliffs to the right before cutting back NW to gain the ridge. Actually, you don't even need to gain the ridge, you can pick your way to the summit pinnacle from the tarn above Crater Lake.
Troy B - Jul 1, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2012
Route: SE Ridge
Hiked in from Summit Lookout TH and camped at Crater Lake. Climbed up the SE Ridge from Crater Lake to the summit under clear skies.
Route Climbed: SE Ridge Date Climbed: Oct. 11, 2003
When we got to Crater lake snow started coming down and our planned climb to Red was not possible, but Krag Peak looked still doable, so Radek and I decided to give it a shot. Without packs we were able to move rather quickly, skirted some rocks NW of the lake before heading straight up to the ridge top which looked like the summit due to low visibility. Once on the ridge we could barely spot few other higher points. The ridge scramble was straightforward, first west then north over snow covered very loose rocks and scree we reached the summit. There were few exposed sections but we had no views. Came down the same way. The next day when the skies cleared we were impressed by the nice shape of the mountain.
Brian Jenkins - Aug 13, 2014 2:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2014
More than advertisedAfter doing Borah Peak in Idaho the day before, I headed up thinking I would easily bag this one as a throw-in on my way back home. The trail is easily the most ridiculously over-switchbacked one I've ever been on. Some switchbacks gain maybe 20 feet over hundreds of yards. And it's overgrown with chest-high (to me) weeds. You get to love on that for 1800 feet, then another 1200 through another overgrown area until you get to the lakes. I followed the route info but not sure what happened. I headed NW but ended up in loose Class 3-4 scree/dirt/talus ledges and had to make a few leap-of-faith moves to get out of trouble. Finally gained the ridge and then saw the real Krag down the ridge. Weather was now moving in so I raced the storm and summited about 1:30 pm. Wasted no time getting down as I heard a gentle rumble from one of the clouds. Descended to a tarn then down the correct SE ridge to the granite cliffs above Crater Lake and picked my way down through them to the lake. Was pumping water when the deluge began. Enjoyed a nice soaking hike down through the weeds after that. After Borah the day before and it's 5200 feet, then this 4500 foot climb today, I can safely say I am tired....
I'll post a beta shot but I would suggest going NE from the lake around the granite cliffs to the right before cutting back NW to gain the ridge. Actually, you don't even need to gain the ridge, you can pick your way to the summit pinnacle from the tarn above Crater Lake.
Troy B - Jul 1, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2012
Route: SE RidgeHiked in from Summit Lookout TH and camped at Crater Lake. Climbed up the SE Ridge from Crater Lake to the summit under clear skies.
hkutuk - Oct 15, 2003 6:53 pm
Route Climbed: SE Ridge Date Climbed: Oct. 11, 2003When we got to Crater lake snow started coming down and our planned climb to Red was not possible, but Krag Peak looked still doable, so Radek and I decided to give it a shot. Without packs we were able to move rather quickly, skirted some rocks NW of the lake before heading straight up to the ridge top which looked like the summit due to low visibility. Once on the ridge we could barely spot few other higher points. The ridge scramble was straightforward, first west then north over snow covered very loose rocks and scree we reached the summit. There were few exposed sections but we had no views. Came down the same way. The next day when the skies cleared we were impressed by the nice shape of the mountain.