Eightmile Mountain - 6.22.2011
rodman's GPS route of our climb of Eightmile Mountain... 13.5 miles roundtrip, gaining 4850 feet of elevation.
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rodman's GPS route from the lake to the summit... showing our up and down routes... along with the wildernessed route from May 2008.
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A google earth look at our approximate route from Eightmile Lake to the summit.
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Reach the trailhead by driving the Icicle Creek road for ~8.5 miles... turn left onto FS7601 and drive ~3 miles to the trailhead (3320').
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In less than a half-mile of hiking you will get a view of Dragontail Peak (center) and Colchuck Peak (right).
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rodman crossing Pioneer Creek (water is coming from Lake Caroline) at the .75 mile mark.
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After hiking for 2.8 miles we reached Little Eightmile Lake (~4400').
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At 3.3 miles we reached Eightmile Lake (4641')... Jack Ridge is at the end of the valley... Eightmile Mountain in the center of the photo.
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Hiking around the north side of Eightmile Lake and looking at Axis Peak.
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Near the west end of the lake there has been a recent burn.
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rodman in the recent burn near the west end of the lake.
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Eightmile Creek feeds the west end of Eightmile Lake.
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rodman crossing the creek at the west end of Eightmile Lake.
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Eightmile creek was roaring.
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From the west end of the lake we are now hiking cross country... and will stay close to the creek for a half-mile... looking for an avalanche swatch that will signal the spot to start going uphill.
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rodman nearing the avalanche swatch... there is a ton of down trees in the area.
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From the avalanche swatch we can see our general destination... but can't see the summit from here.
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rodman heading uphill near the west end of the avalanche swatch... choosing to deal with down trees instead of slide alder.
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We didn't expect to see a porcupine... and I doubt if he expected to see us.
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rodman ascending... occasionally we found cliffy areas which helped us avoid the down trees and slide alder.
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Looking down on the avalanche swatch.
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rodman on one of the cliffy areas... Eightmile Lake in the distance... the avalanche swatch is on the right.
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rodman checking his GPS... Mount Stuart starts to show itself.
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Axis Peak.
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We are at ~5800 feet... looking for a basin at 6400 feet.
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rodman ascending.
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ragman ascending.
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Fairly continous snow at ~6000 feet... the summit is in the center of the photo.
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Axis Peak (left) with Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart on the right.
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rodman checking his GPS as we near the 6400 foot basin.
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A closeup of Sherpa Peak (left) and Mt. Stuart as we near the 6400 foot basin.
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rodman nearing the 6400 foot basin.
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Eightmile Lake... Cannon Mtn, Enchantment Peak and Axis Peak... avalanche swatch below.
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From the 6400 foot basin we can see the Eightmile Mountain summit (center)
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A pano shot from the basin... the summit is right-center.
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Looking across valley to Argonaut Peak, Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart.
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From the basin we will take the path of least resistance towards the summit.
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ragman heading up from the basin... waterfall on the left.
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rodman kicking steps up from the basin.
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rodman kicking steps and looking for the SW ridge of Eightmile Mtn.
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rodman ascending... nice view of the Stuart Range... Aasgard Pass is in the center of the photo.
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Looking across Axis Peak to Enchantment Peak, Aasgard Pass, Dragontail Peak, Colchuck Peak, Argonaut Peak and Mt. Stuart.
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A closeup of Argonaut Peak, Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart.
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A closeup... looking across Axis Peak to Enchantment Peak, Aasgard Pass, Dragontail Peak, Colchuck Peak and Argonaut Peak.
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rodman heading for Eightmile's SW ridge.
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Getting closer to the SW ridge.
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We have reached the SW ridge (~7600 feet)... and views to the west... Hi-Jack Peak is on the left.
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Part of the Stuart Range from the SW ridge.
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Ascending the SW ridge now... looking back at Point 7793 and Point 7720+ at the end of the ridge... Jack Ridge on the left and Hi-Jack Peak on the right.
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Looking at the Eightmile summit from the SW ridge... still 300 feet of elevation are left to reach the summit.
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rodman ascending the SW ridge... Sherpa and Stuart in the distance on the left... Ingalls Peak is just left of Points 7793 and 7720+.
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rodman demonstrates a veggie belay... didn't plan on climbing a tree on this trip.
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rodman ascending.
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Getting closer to the summit now... but the going is slow.
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Will we ever get there?
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ragman... still 200 feet below the summit.
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rodman nearing the Eightmile summit.
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Almost on the summit... looking north... Glacier Peak on the horizon (top-center).
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The Eightmile Mountain summit (7996')... looking NE to Cashmere Mountain.
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Looking north from the summit... Trout Lake in the center of the photo.
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Clouds forming to the west.
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Hi-Jack Peak in the center of the photo.
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A poor attempt at a group photo on the summit.
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rodman heading down from the summit.
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rodman descending... we decided to avoid as much of the SW ridge as possible on the way down... the snow travel was much quicker.
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Looking back at our tracks.
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rodman getting close to the 6400 foot basin.
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We chose to get back down to the avalanche swatch by staying on the snow as long as we could... then bashing through 700 feet of slide alder... ugh!
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rodman pumping water before we enter the slide alder... we are still 4 hours from the car... double ugh!
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