Sunday, July 31, 2016

Mt. Maude 9082', Glacier Peak Wilderness

Over the last few years I've seen Mt. Maude from almost every angle and always had it on the shelf as a canned trip to do sometime. Some last-minute scheduling changes had me looking for a new idea and it seemed like it was finally a good time to fulfill my one-drive-up-Chiwawa-River-Road-per-year quota (ugh; next time I head up there someone else is driving...).

Starting from Phelps Creek, I took the Carne Mountain trail, Carne-Leroy "high route" (trail...), Ice Lakes high route to the standard south ridge route for Maude from the east side, back to the Carne-Leroy route, down Leroy creek and loop back via a few miles on Phelps creek.

~18 miles, 7800'+ gain

Saw the Buck Creek fire smoke as I was driving down to the Chiwawa. :(

Alpine Creek basin, southeast slope of Buck Mountain; cool visible dykes
Scarlet gilia (skyrocket)
Basin below Carne Mountain, with Chiwawa, Fortress, Buck and Clark

Maude and the terrain of the Carne-Leroy route
Banded gneiss, Swakane terrane (Thanks Doug!)
Entiat range is lush and in bloom
Ice Lakes high route from the pass north of Chipmunk Creek
Upper section of Ice Lakes high route
Looking north to Spider Gap
Glacier Peak pumice shows up often on the main Entiat ridge (like here near Rampart Mountain); at the saddle above Ice Lakes
Zoom of Glacier Peak from the saddle above Ice Lakes, Phelps Ridge in the foreground
Maude, upper Ice Lake, North and South Spectacle Buttes
Little scramble step (25' or so) to the notch at 8000' to access Maude's south ridge
South (left) to west from Maude's south ridge
North (right) to west, from the summit of Maude
Gunsight, Sinister, Dome (in clouds), Spire Point, Saddle Bow, Buckindy area back left; northern Entiats in foreground
Rare view of Massie Lake, from the summit of Maude
Summit selfie with Seven Fingered Jack, Fernow and Bonanza
Chelan-Sawtooth across the lake, Entiat River valley in the foreground
Leroy Basin and Seven Fingered Jack



5 comments:

  1. Nice trip! Great views from there. I've only done Carne, but am looking forward to doing Maude one day.

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  2. Hi there, thanks for the trip report. thinking of heading up that way next week and wondering how much snow we can expect to encounter. Kind of hoping to wear running shoes and leave the axe at home...

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    1. Hi Brandon, I did it in trail runners and never used my axe or spikes. I'm sure you're aware the area currently is closed, though? http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices/?aid=35656

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    2. Nope, was not aware of that. Thanks for the response! Guess its time to come up with an alternate plan.

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