Mount Stone

 

Just an FYI, took a side trip up the Hamma Hamma to check out the area and about 11.5 miles up the road, a huge boulder has crashed down upon the road creating quite a deep rut in the road. A high clearance vehicle should have no problem navigating it, but I was hesitant to do it in my Lancer. I'm going to predict that some travelers will take the time to fill in the rut in short time making the road passable to all vehicles again.

Mount Stone Meadow

Skokomish from Route 1

"Moss Glissade"

Easiest Route

The easiest route up Mount Stone requires some class 3 scrambling which some feel should be considered class 4 in a couple spots (rating is debatable and depends on route). Route 1 is the standard route up and is rated as class 3 in the Olympic Mountains climbing guide. The Putvin Trail is known for it's steepness and includes a couple short sections of class 3 up rocks and tree roots before reaching a basin. Shortly after reaching the basin you come to a small pond affectionately known as "Frog Pond". From here the route goes largely cross country although there are a few boot paths/climbers trails that you will find along the way.

After the basin containing Frog Pond you can veer right to scramble up a brushy gully to reach a talus/boulder field just below St. Peter's Gate. This route is excellently outlined by Klenke in this photo:



Alternately, the talus/boulder field can be reached by following the trail to the Lake of the Angels past Frog Pond until you reach a creek crossing. Prior to crossing the creek a bootpath can be found following the creek for a short distance before becoming faint and leading to a bushwhack. You may also find a boot path leading north from the Lake of the Angels for those staying the night at the lake which also leads to the talus/boulder field.

Once into the talus/boulder basin you will notice St. Peter's Gate, an obvious notch with cliffs on each side. You will not be heading up to St. Peter's Gate, but rather heading left under the long band of cliffs up and around to the left where you will reach a pass and a class 3 section starting on your right.



It is possible to ascend the other side of St. Peter's Gate to meet up with the standard route which is described here in the Stone Pond - St. Peter's Gate route.

Once you navigate around the cliff band the rest of the route is class 3 (with some class 2) up to the summit. Several sections of scrambling are viewed here:

Initial class 3 chimney

Nearing the summit

Summit Block Beta

Summit crux

Total Distance: 9-10 miles round trip
Total Elevation Gain: 5100+
Total Time: 6 hours (very fast) 10 hours (average) 14 hours (leisurely pace)

Red Tape

No passes required for parking at the Putvin Traihead.

If you're planning on camping within the national park, a backcountry permit is required. See the "Mountain Conditions" section below for details on obtaining one.

Note that some of the national park rules (no weapons, no pets, no bicycles) apply to the section of the Putvin Trail not only within the national park but also within the Mount Skokomish Wilderness area.

When To Climb

"Normal climbing season" - July through September - offers the most stable weather. Early season and winter climbs will obviously be made more difficult by the snow-closures of the Hamma Hamma River Road (trailhead is at approximately 1500 - 2000 feet).

Camping

A backcountry camping permit is required for all overnight stays within the Olympic National Park. Contact the Wilderness Information Center (see above) regarding permits. The most likely camping destination for a Mount Stone climb is at the Lake of the Angels, a popular destination for hikers, backpackers, and climbers.

Mountain Conditions

Contact the Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC) in Port Angeles, WA at 360-565-3100. You can also visit their (fairly good for NPS) website: WIC website . The rangers there are very helpful and usually well-informed as to trail conditions etc. Note that some but not all areas within ONP are subject to camping quotas. The rangers readily accept reservations.

Guidebook

The only known guidebook to list Mount Stone is the Climber's Guide to the Olympic Mountains. It discusses three possible summit routes as well as routes for the two subsummits. The descriptions are brief but fairly accurate (for the most part). The book also has a 3D projection sketch of Stone and vicinity.

External Links

• Eric's Base Camp
  This is an EXCELLENT (and constantly growing) collection of climb reports for many of Washington's mountains (and others). An early season climb of Mt. Stone is described here.
• Climb Photos
  A nice collection of Mt. Stone climb photos (via standard route).