Route: Black Peak - South Ridge (North Cascades)
Mountain Information:
- Name: Black Peak
- Region: North Cascades
- Summit Elevation: 8970 ft / 2734 m
- SummitPost:
- Peakbagger:
- WTA Link:
- Mountaineers Link:
- North Cascades National Park:
Driving Directions:
- Trailhead:
- Address: N Cascades Hwy, Winthrop, WA 98862
- Elevation: 4,800 ft
- Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
- Directions:
- SummitPost:
"From Seattle, Washington, drive north on I-5 for about one hour to the exit for Highway 20 (just past the town of Mt. Vernon, in Burlington). Drive Highway 20 to Rainy Pass (about two hours further, three hours total from Seattle, about the same from Vancouver BC). Turn right into the picnic area parking lot and find the sign for Lake Ann/Heather Pass Trail. "
- Food
- Road condition
- Weather forecast
- Avalanche danger forecast:
Route Information: South Ridge
- Approach from SummitPost:
- Start at the Rainy Pass trailhead off Highway 20. Note this road is closed in winter and typically doesn't open until late April or early May. Hike up the Lake Ann Trail from the Rainy Pass parking area for about a mile to a signed junction. Take the right fork uphill (Heather Pass/Maple Pass Trail) and proceed up the nice trail towards Heather Pass. The left fork heads down to Lake Ann. There is an obvious short fork on the right leading a few feet to the small meadow at Heather Pass which is about 2 miles from the trailhead. Now the peak and the route can be seen. Continue along the climber's path for 1 mile across two talus fields to Lewis Lake, which can be seen the entire traverse. This traverse descends about 400 feet and it is best to stay to the lower end of the talus slopes further right where the rocks are more stable and the trail more defined. Continue around the left (south) side of the lake, staying on the path. Eventually the path takes a sharp right up a moraine in a larch grove which displays spectacular foliage in late September. Continue on the path to Wing Lake which is about 2.5 miles from Heather Pass. There is good camping here at the lake. Although the climb can (and often is) done in a day, an overnight trip is highly recommended to get the benefit of good lighting and ambiance in this exceptional area.
- Ascend from SummitPost:
- From the lake, hike around its right (north) side and aim for the obvious talus/snow gully heading to the couloir to the left (south) of Black Peak. After working up this for awhile, work your way up the slope angling right from the gully to avoid the cliffs just below the actual south col. This section is some of the loosest ball bearing rock I have ever been on in Washington, and to the inexperienced it can be scary. Just place your feet carefully. There are some small bivy sites where the route meets the south ridge at just below 8000 feet. Once you crest the ridge you see your first views of Mount Goode and its classic NE buttress.
- From here, ascend the ridge following cairns when possible until forced into a gully just on the left (west) side of the ridge. Follow this considerably loose gully for quite a ways and stay right when the gully forks. Most of the way up you should be just to the west of the ridge crest. Once at the top of the gully re-gain the crest and ascent a short ways to the base of the false summit. Cut right and traverse a ledge at the base of the summit area along its south side all the way until you get to the east edge of the summit area. Do not try and climb up too soon, this traverse lasts longer than one may think it would. Wait until the far east side and ascend a class 3 section which leads up to the summit. Views in all directions are absolutely fantastic with Goode Mountain and Storm King to the west, Baker and Shuksan to the north and much of the Glacier Peak Wilderness to the south.
- Descend from SummitPost:
- Descend the way you came. Be very careful to avoid knocking rocks down on people below you. Most of this route is loose especially the descent off the south col where even the best of us may slip. Keep in mind you will have to re-climb the 400 feet from Lewis Lake to Heather Pass on your way back.
Misc
- Videos:
- Trip Reports:
- Mountaineers trip reports
- CascadeClimbers trip reports
- Nwhikers.net trip reports
- Notes:
- A Grade II climb with class 4 rock and snow up to 30° to the summit of one of the higher non-volcanic peaks in Washington State. The approach passes multiple lakes where established camp sites can be found. The route has loose rock in many places therefore care must be taken to reduce the risk of party-inflicted rockfall.
- The summit sits on the border between North Cascades National Park and the Okanagan National Forest. Most will chose to camp east of the peak and no permit is required. Camping in the National Park requires a permit, which can be obtained in either Winthrop or Marblemount, depending from which direction you are coming.
- Camping is possible at Lewis and Wing Lakes, with Wing Lake having by far the better spots. There is fee camping at the trail head.
- Since this peak is at Rainy Pass, Marblemount weather is likely to be more pertinent than east side weather.
- Hike east around Wing Lake, up the moraine and onto a gentle permanent snowfield to an obvious col in the south ridge. A broad gully on the west side leads to the final summit blocks. About 150 below the false summit, traverse east at one of several notches below the summit. Any number of Class 3 ways can be found to the summit.
- From Rainy Pass, follow the Lake Ann side of the Lake Ann/Rainy Lake loop trail. When almost at the top of the ridge (Heather Pass on the map), the main trail swings left and a line of rocks are meant to keep hikers on the main trail. This is where the trail to Wing Lake leaves. Drop about 200 feet on a long traverse above Lewis Lake (there is a well defined trail), crossing 2 prominent rock slides. Bypass the lake on the south and continue towards the prominent morraine. Stay north below the morraine and hike through a series of larch meadows to Wing Lake. There are good camping spots near the lake.
- Be sure to bring an ice axe, crampons, sturdy boots, and a helmet. Other than that, just basic hiking gear should be brought, with a little extra warm clothing because of the exposure and elevation. Plan on at least most of a day for this route. If you're fast and go solo it can be done in half a day but take time to enjoy the scenery. If camping, the best place to camp is in the larch groves just below Wing Lake. There are also a few good spots at Wing Lake or you can camp at one of the bivy sites at the south col. Camping at Lewis Lake was almost non existent.
- Latest update from NPS: The upper south face gullies are completely snow free and are marked very well with cairns for route finding. The broad snow gully to approach the upper section is still mostly snow, with some steep loose talus at the top. This may be the most unpleasant part of the route. A lovely climb over all.
- Black Peak could be climbed via the NE Ridge route. First 3rd of the climb is chossy and crappy. Rock quality gets better as you go.
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