Vesper Peak and Sperry Peak - 8.4.2009
rodman's GPS route of our trip to Vesper and Sperry Peaks... 9 miles roundtrip, gaining 5168 feet of elevation.
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A 3D-ish look at our hike... this is our general route and not a GPS route.
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Drive 28.8 miles from the 4-way stop in Granite Falls and turn onto the Sunrise Mine Road (FS4065)... then drive ~2 miles to the road end to find the trailhead (2280').
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After hiking a half-mile, BarbE and rodman cross the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River.
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After hiking 1 mile enter Wirtz Basin (3000')... which looks like a box canyon.
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Looking back on Sperry Peak from the head of Wirtz Basin.
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From the head of Wirtz Basin, BarbE and rodman start the last 400 feet of elevation gain to Headlee Pass.
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After hiking for 2.5 miles we've reached Headlee Pass (4600').
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Crossing the boulder field between Headlee Pass and the outlet of Lake Elan... Vesper Peak in the distance.
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BarbE near the outlet of Lake Elan... with Vesper Peak on the left.
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A good place to pump some water... the high point between Vesper Peak and Sperry Peak is in the distance.
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rodman and BarbE start hiking towards Vesper Peak.
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On the way to Vesper Peak we are looking across Lake Elan to Sperry Peak.
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BarbE and rodman are above the trees and continuing towards the Vesper Peak summit.
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BarbE and rodman on Vesper's granite slabs.
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As we gain elevation on Vesper, Glacier Peak and Sloan Peak come into view.
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Morning Star Peak, Del Campo Peak and Gothic Peak... taken on the way to the Vesper Peak summit.
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rodman and BarbE take a break as we get closer to the Vesper summit.
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rodman and BarbE make the final push to the Vesper Peak summit.
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rodman and BarbE at the Vesper Peak summit (6214').
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Copper Lake between Little Chief Mtn (left) and Big Four Mtn (red).
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From the Vesper summit we are looking beyond Sperry Peak to Glacier Peak and Sloan Peak.
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BarbE and rodman start down from Vesper Peak... Morning Star Mtn, Del Campo Peak and Gothic Peak are the 3 close ones.
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BarbE and rodman do some boot skiing on the way over to the Vesper/Sperry saddle.
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Glissading on the way to the Vesper/Sperry saddle.
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rodman and BarbE are working their way underneath the high point between Vesper and Sperry... on the way to the Vesper/Sperry saddle... Vesper Peak has a sheer north side.
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We are near the Vesper/Sperry saddle... looking across Lake Elan to Morning Star Peak and Gothic Peak.
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Sperry Peak from near the Vesper/Sperry saddle.
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Vesper Peak from the Vesper/Sperry saddle... the high point between Vesper and Sperry is on the right.
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rodman is a few hundred feet below the Sperry Peak summit.
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rodman and BarbE are nearing the last two hundred feet of brush and boulders that lead to the Sperry Peak summit.
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Weaving through the brush and boulders.
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rodman is just below the Sperry Peak summit (6120') on the right.
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BarbE on the Sperry Peak summit... with Vesper Peak in the distance.
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Del Campo Peak, Morning Star Peak and Gothic Peak... taken from the Sperry Peak summit.
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Some of the Monte Cristo Peaks... taken from the Sperry Peak summit.
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Big Four Mtn from the Sperry Peak summit.
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A closeup of Vesper Peak from the Sperry Peak summit.
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rodman and BarbE coming down from Sperry Peak.
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Looking back on Sperry Peak as BarbE and rodman come across a boulder field.
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BarbE coming down from the Vesper/Sperry saddle... on the way to Lake Elan.
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We've reached the north end of Lake Elan... with views of Morning Star Peak and Gothic Peak.
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rodman and BarbE on the west side of Lake Elan.
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rodman and BarbE crossing the boulder field leading to Headlee Pass (left-center of photo)... with Morning Star Peak above.
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Sperry Peak on the right... taken from the head of Wirtz Basin... 2 miles left to get back to the car.
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