Seven Fingered Jack - 7.19.2010
We started the hike/climb from the Phelps Creek Trailhead (3500')... located at the end of the Chiwawa River Road.
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3.2 miles from the trailhead... iraman crossing Leroy Creek.
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Immediately after crossing Leroy Creek, take the steep Leroy Creek Trail.
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It doesn't take long to get this view of a waterfall in Leroy Creek.
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First good look at Seven Fingered Jack on the left and Mt. Maude on the right.
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At 5.2 miles we have reached Leroy Basin (6000')... now we are looking for a good route through the brushy cliff band.
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iraman has found a good route through the cliff band.
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Looking back across the valley and over Phelps Ridge to Buck Mountain (I think).
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Our general route to the Seven Fingered Jack summit.
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High enough now to get a nice view of Glacier Peak.
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Pano shot including Buck Mtn and Glacier Peak... with Leroy Basin below.
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A good place to pump some water.
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Water, rock, flowers, snow, fingers and sky.
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iraman mulling over the possibilities.
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Looking over at Mt. Maude.
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iraman and our plan.
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Every step higher gives a better view of Mt. Maude.
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iraman ascending below the fingers.
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At ~8000 feet and traversing north... underneath the fingers... don't slip here.
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Looking through the col between Seven Fingered Jack and Mt. Maude... is there a Little Maude?
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Doing an upward traverse beneath the fingers.
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Enough of the traverse... let's head up.
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iraman heading up... nope, that isn't the summit.
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We are at ~8600 feet... time to turn left and get on the rock for the last 500 feet of elevation to the summit.
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We have dropped all of our gear for the last 500 feet of elevation gain... the summit is slightly higher than the bump on the right.
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A bad pano stitch... but it gives perspective... on the summit (9077') now... looking at the north face of Mt. Maude... with Entiat Meadows 3000 feet below on the left.
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iraman points to the north face of Mt. Maude that he climbed a few years ago.
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ragman points to a huge boulder that has a cairn on it that is visible from 500 feet below.
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iraman on the Seven Fingered Jack summit.
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ragman was there also.
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Glacier Peak from the summit.
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Mt. Maude... with the false summit of Seven Fingered Jack in the foreground.
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Looking north to Mt. Fernow... the highest summit in the Entiat Mountains.
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Bonanza Peak (I think) in the top center of the photo... the highest non-volcanic peak in Washington.
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Looking down 3000 feet to Leroy Basin.
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iraman on the way down from the Seven Fingered Jack summit.
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A couple of fingers.
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Another party of climbers ascending... with Mt. Maude in the center of the photo.
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iraman testing the consistency of the snow.
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iraman ready to start a short traverse that will get us on easier terrain.
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ragman traversing... using an ice axe and one pole... looking for friendlier terrain.
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Good thing I remembered which hand the ice axe was in when I slipped.
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Beneath several of the seven fingers.
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Much easier terrain now... we will go back down on the easiest route that we can find.
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iraman heading over towards Mt. Maude... where a farmer has apparently been doing some plowing in the snow.
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A closeup of the farmer's plowing.
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Our general route up and down Seven Fingered Jack... we are still several hundred feet above Leroy Basin.
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Back down in Leroy Basin... still 5 miles of hiking to do on weary legs.
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iraman dancing across Leroy Creek... on top of rocks.
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ragman crossing Leroy Creek... uh, not quite as graceful as iraman... 3.2 miles of easy hiking to get back to the car.
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