Three Way Peak - 7.1.2016
We started from the large parking area just east of Chinook Pass... our trip was 8.4 miles roundtrip, gaining 2572 feet of elevation.
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From the parking area we found the Pacific Crest Trail and started hiking NE... as the trail stays 200 feet above Hwy 410 for more than a mile.
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After hiking ~2 miles we arrived at Sheep Lake... another mile of hiking will get us up to Sourdough Gap... which is the low point on the ridge above.
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Looking south from Sourdough Gap.
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Looking north from Sourdough Gap... our target is Three Way Peak.
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We will follow the PCT to a point ~200 feet below the ridgeline on the far right.
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Leaving the PCT and heading up toward a saddle on the east ridge of Three Way Peak... we followed the PCT from Sourdough Gap in the upper right corner of the photo.
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BarbE and Snowdog near the saddle on the east ridge of Three Way Peak.
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We tried to find a good summit route from the saddle on the east ridge of Three Way Peak... but we were unsuccessful... so we will go back down ~100 feet and traverse to the west underneath steep cliffs and see if we can find a way up to the ridge.
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We traversed underneath steep cliffs for an eighth of a mile and found a gully that looked like it might go... there weren't any guarantees at this point, but we decided to try it.
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The gully was steep and in loose scree, but we were able to handle it by using a few veggie belays.
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The summit is right there, but we weren't sure of this... we will stay to the right here and see if the ridge will offer easier terrain. That's a nice arch up there on the left.
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Sure enough... the ridge offers easier terrain.
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BarbE, Izzy and Snowdog on east ridge of Three Way Peak... nearing the summit now.
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50 feet below the summit now.
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A peek at Mt. Rainier as we near the Three Way summit.
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Elle watches BarbE work her way over to the summit.
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A selfie from the summit (6796') of Three Way Peak.
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Crystal Peak and Crystal Lake in the foreground... with Mt. Rainier in the distance on the right... you can see the PCT reaching Sourdough Gap on the far left.
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Looking down on Placer Lake from the Three Way summit... and out to American Ridge and Nelson Ridge.
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The Crystal Mountain ski area from the Three Way summit... the lodge is on the far right... with Silver King, Silver Queen and the summit house area on the left.
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BarbE leaves the summit.
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Off of the easy terrain now... and time to deal with loose scree.
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BarbE looks for the best way down... the Three Way summit is above her head.
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Ugh... plenty of loose scree to negotiate.
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Almost done with the loose scree.
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Back on the PCT... time to take a short break at this patch of snow.
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As we neared Sourdough Gap we decided to take the short walk over to the gap that offers a nice look down on Crystal Lake.
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Looking down on Crystal Lake.
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Almost back to Sourdough Gap... where a three mile hike on the PCT will get us back to our car.
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