Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Route: Mount Logan - Fremont Glacier (North Cascades)

Mountain Information:

Driving Directions:

Route Information: Fremont Glacier

  • Ascend from Mountaineers: 
    • Ascend on a gradual traverse for 2 mi northward, around a broad ridge, then up to the gentle Fremont Glacier at 8,000 ft. Terrain is open heather and high alpine meadow and rock fields. Ascend glacier northeast towards the middle of the shallow cirque formed by Mount Logan's true summit and middle Peak (at the south end of the cirque). Ascend a snow finger up the middle, or left-middle, of the rock face of the cirque and scramble broken rock up and left to the low pass in the summit ridge. Cross to east side of summit ridge and traverse north for 0.3 mi on generally solid rock and boulders, staying below ridge crest. A final short, steep rock scramble leads to summit.

Misc 

  • Notes: 
    • This is to be considered the Standard route by many up Mount Logan. It consists of a long approach, glacier travel, and a class 4 scramble at the end of it. This route had some of the best alpine climbing I've ever had, what one would call a 5 star route. But I will admit that it will not be easy and usually takes between 3 and 4 days to complete.
    • The snow finger may melt out in late season, leaving a bergschrund problem
    • The traverse along the summit ridge varies between Class 2, 3 and 4. Several sections are steep and exposed, and some may want a belay.
    • Alternative Approach: Drive to Lake Chelan. Take ferry to Stehekin. Sign in and get permit at Stehekin Ranger Station. Take shuttle bus and/or walk 18.5 mi to Park Creek trailhead (2,300 ft). Hike 8 mi to Park Creek Pass (6,100 ft) and continue thru pass to off-trail camp at 6,350 ft.
    • Backcountry permits are required for camping which you'll most likely need them for a cross-country zone. They can be picked up at the NPS office in Sedro-Wooley, Marblemount or Stehekin.
    • There is also camping at the Colonial Creek Trailhead (Thunder Creek Trailhead) which costs $12 per night and is based on a first come first serve bases. 
    • The Best months to climb Mount Logan are July through September, although you might be able to sneak in a October ascend. Be warned that if it is a unusual amount of the snow that year, I recommend waiting until at least late July. The standard route can be quite treacherous if snow covered due to the high exposure in a few places along the ridge to the summit.
    • Get yourself to Park Creek Pass either from Stehekin or the North Cascades Highway. From the pass, take the trail about 1/3 mile down the Thunder Creek side, to the first stream crossing. From here, head cross-country through heather and scrubby trees, on an upward traverse. Direction of travel should be NE towards the Fremont Glacier. You'll enter into an open talus-filled basin below the southern edges of the glacier. This is all fairly open country with little to prevent travel. Pretty typical cascades alpine slopes and rockslides. Climb up to 8,000' to the bottom edge of the Fremont Glacier near its southern edge. A good bivi spot with a rock wall exists where the logical climber route reaches the glacier.
    • Camping is not permitted at Park Creek Pass. Other nice bivy spots with year round water can be found by following the trail 1/3 mile North from Park Creek Pass and investigating the meadows near a first stream crossing. The best one on Mount Logan is near Point 8248 just near the edge of the Fremont Glacier.
    • Whether the weather is bad or not, head literally north east from here. If visibility is poor, head a little more to your right to stay closer to the rock walls. If visibility is fine, it will be quite obvious which way you have to travel to a part of the route people call "The Hogsback". At first glance it is an amazing formation on the mountain which has a almost perfect semi circle going from one edge of the mountain to the other. The part of the Hogsback that is on the left and is the higher one is the main way you want to go. If you reach a rock wall without traveling up this, you are off route.
    • On the edge of the Fremont Glacier and near Point 8248 there is a great place to pitch your tent, or simply a good place to cook food and filter water.
    • Once on the glacier, proceed NE below a prominent rock tower that is part of the middle summit. The glacier itselff is fairly low angle and seldom has any crevasse issues. Head north and uphill along the glacier, avoiding any small openings. From the highest point on the glacier, use a small 'hogsback' feature to gain the rocky crest. note how the 'hogsback' features and glaciel topography leading to both summits is similar. Make sure you are climbing the peak intend to climb. 
    • The harder (4th class) sections of the rock portion are the first and last bits. Getting from the snow to the ridge crest involves a potentially dicey step-across, then a leftward ramp. Follow ledges and ramps along the crest and on both sides of the ridgeline. Blocky third and fourth class leads to the summit. Time of travel would likely be about an hour on the glacier and 45 minutes on the rock. 
    • You come across at least 1 false summits before obtaining the real summit. At the false summit you have to now carefully descend a class 4 move to get down to the gap between the two summits.
    • Once you get down, stay on the eastern side of the ridge which leads you to the final summit scramble which may be considered class 3-4, but with great holds. From here you crawl over to the summit. Congratulations, you earned the moment of success!
    • Mount Logan can be climbed via Douglas Glacier or Banded Glacier
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