Sahale Peak via Boston Basin (and out through Cascade Pass)

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Leave TH: 3:30 am (30 minutes later than planned)

Elevation: 8680 feet (Class 3 Summit Scramble with one Class 4 move)

Gain: 5480 feet (from BB TH)

Total Time: 13 Hours

Parking: From Marblemount, drive 21.7 miles on Cascade River Road (start the count after the turnoff from Highway 20) and park at small pullout area (3200 feet) directly opposite of NE face of Jberg. We decided to car camp at Cascade Pass TH versus Boston Basin TH as there is a bathroom and a bit more parking. When we woke, we drove down the road to BB TH and hiked out from there. This means an additional 1.5 miles at the end of the climb (as you have to walk down the road from CP TH to the BB TH parking).

Route: We hiked past the mine site (though it remained unseen at that hour for us), then climbed steep and eroded trail for thirty minutes. The trail continued through downed trees for several hundred yards traversing west to cross four streams and multiple creeks in .5 miles. We switchbacked through the trees until reaching Boston Basin (5700 feet). From where the trail enters BB, we followed the trail north towards the moraine (6300 feet) to where it ends (6900 feet), heading left over the rock and shallow water flow. Then, we crossed the crest of the moraine and ended up just below the western edge of the Quien Sabe Glacier (7500 feet). We roped up here (we were one of two rope teams on the entire route that day, shocking!), ascending the glacier (past Sharkfin Tower) as it curves to the right (East and South) below Boston Peak and climbing through the crevasses (crevasses were easy to skirt around, follow the foot path), up the east side of slope to the col between Boston Peak and Sahale Peak. From the col (where we unroped), we climbed exposed rock and a snow ridge (crampons were necessary on the snow ridge, so icy, fixed line not possible) to the base of the summit pyramid. Although it may not have been necessary, we decided to rope up again for the final push. It was an easy scramble; I decided to place a lot of pro for practice (chokestones were plentiful). There was an anchor and two rap stations at the top. It was crowded at the summit, and there were quite a few climb teams coming up from Sahale Glacier. We decided to be quick about our summit and rapped down to the other side. Once we got down, we roped up and descended onto Sahale Glacier. Truly, it was too soft for crampons, but we decided to keep them on until we took the rope off. There was a crevasse crossing, solid snow bridge that was cool to walk over. When we got to the first large moraine, we chatted with a ranger for a bit (she was on the look out for a pair of young male climbers who had set up camp without a permit). Then, we popped in our iPods and headed down to the TH. The weather was perfect (start early!!), scenery amazing, and great company (Jess and Margaret, you were both very entertaining, as always!). The only bummers were that bugs were increasingly abundant as we neared the TH and that it was Sunday. Alas…

Gear: (I know, I could have skinnied down the pro.)

10 Essentials (Extra batteries for headlamp as we were out in the dark for several hours, changed my battery once. AND, bugspray!!!!!!!)

Crevasse Gear (Pulley, Chest Harness, Prusiks)

Crampons

Harness

Helmet

Ice Axe

Gaitors

2L Water (or at least the capacity to carry this much)

4 Double Runners, PA, ATC, Pearabiners (I was belaying two climbers, so I had two with an ATC BD Guide), 1 Locking Biners, .4 Cam with wiregate, .75 Cam with wiregate, BallNutz #4 with wiregate, Nut #4 with wiregate, 2 wiregates, Gloves

Group Gear:

First Aid

Altimeter

Rope (I opted for two 60M ropes 9.5 and 10.2 diameter rock ropes, since I was belaying two climbers. I didn’t want to bring an alpine rope as well. We ended up wrapping half of the rope around the lead during the glacier portion of the climb.)

Rack

Pickets (Never used them, but the last ice traverse to the summit pyramid might have been a good spot for them, too icy though)

Water Filter (There was lots of water for filtering)

Emergency Shelter (SilTarp)

Emergency Beacon (I had a friend who had an issue on Mix-Up last week, so I was pretty conservative on this climb.)

Images

View Sahale Peak via Boston Basin (and out through Cascade Pass) Image Gallery - 1 Images