Big Lou Mountain and Big Jim Mountain - 7.23.2011
The red line shows our approximate off-trail route to Big Lou Mountain and Big Jim Mountain. From our base camp (6400') we hiked the Icicle Creek Trail to 7320 feet... then off-trail along the ridge to Big Lou... back to 7320' and off-trail along the ridge to Big Jim... back to 7320' and back down to base camp... ~7 miles roundtrip, gaining ~3000 feet of elevation.
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A google earth look at the area.
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Drive US 2 to the Wenatchee River bridge opposite Tumwater Campground... turn onto the Hatchery Creek Road (FS 7905) and drive 2.4 miles to the trailhead (~2800').
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After hiking 3 miles (~5320'), stay on the Hatchery Creek Trail where it junctions with The Badlands Trail.
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At ~4 miles enter a silver forest.
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The silver forest was full of wild flowers.
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Lupine
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Jacob's Ladder
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BarbE and Denali Girl taking a break in the silver forest.
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Paintbrush
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We found patchy snow at ~6200 feet.
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After ~6.5 miles of hiking we took the Icicle Ridge Trail.
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Big Lou Mountain (left center) and Point 7760+ on the right.
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We continued ~1 mile on the Icicle Ridge Trail and found a nice camp site in Cabin Creek Basin (~6400').
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Cabin Creek Basin was filled with Glacier Lilies and Western Anemones.
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Glacier Lilies.
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Western Anemone.
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Lake Augusta sits at the base of the ridge above... Point 7571 is left center.
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From Cabin Creek Basin... Big Lou Mountain on the right.
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A closeup of Big Lou Mountain from Cabin Creek Basin.
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Still some snow in Cabin Creek Basin.
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BarbE and Denali Girl preparing dinner near our campsite.
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The sound of Cabin Creek made it very easy to get a good night's sleep.
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Preparing breakfast the next morning... Denali Girl and I were testing our 2.5 pound Big Agnes tent.
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The Big Agnes tent was pretty cozy... however, did I mention that it only weighs 2.5 pounds.
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Water flowing out of Lake Augusta.
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Looking back at Cabin Creek Basin as we head up to Lake Augusta.
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Denali Girl approaching Lake Augusta... Big Lou Mountain above on the right.
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A pano shot of Lake Augusta (6854')... Point 7571 on the left.
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On the south side of Lake Augusta and heading for the ridge above.
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Denali Girl heading for the ridge on the west side of Lake Augusta.
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BarbE is almost on the ridge.
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Lake Augusta from the ridge just south of Point 7571... Big Jim Mountain in the distance on the left.
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Looking south and west from the ridge above Lake Augusta.
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A closeup of Mt. Rainier from the ridge above Lake Augusta.
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BarbE on the ridge above Lake Augusta... Point 7571 on the left... Big Jim Mountain in the distance on the right.
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Our journey to Big Lou will take us over Point 7443 (foreground)... then down and up to Point 7760+ (right)... and finally, down and up to Big Lou (in the distance on the left).
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Looking north to Glacier Peak.
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Denali Girl and BarbE on Point 7443... Point 7760+ on the right... Big Lou (center).
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From Point 7443 we are looking back at Lake Augusta, Point 7571 (left) and Big Jim Mountain.
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BarbE contemplates our route to Big Lou Mountain.
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Denali Girl working her way over to Point 7760+... Point 7443 in the foreground.
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Looking across Point 7313 and Frigid Mountain to Mt. Daniel... Grindstone Mountain on the right behind Frigid Mountain.
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Working our way along the ridge towards Point 7760+.
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Looking back along the ridge to Point 7443, Point 7571 and Big Jim Mountain.
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BarbE on the ridge heading for Point 7760+.
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Sometimes it was easier to be on the snow.
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BarbE ascending towards Point 7760+.
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BarbE checks out the cliffy area ahead.
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Some Class 2 work just below the top of Point 7760+.
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Looking at the ridge that goes from Point 7760+ to Point 7443... then to Point 7571... and on over to Big Jim Mountain.
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Denali Girl decided to relax and wait for us to come back from Big Lou.
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ragman on Point 7760+... Cashmere Mountain and The Stuart Range are on the left.
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The ridge leading from Point 7760+ over to Big Jim Mountain.
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Looking west across Point 7313, Frigid Mountain and Grindstone Mountain to Mt. Daniel.
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BarbE on Point 7760+.
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A closeup of Cashmere Mountain (foreground) and part of the Stuart Range... Aasgard Pass in the distance on the left with a peek at the snow-covered Little Annapurna.
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Carter Lake in the center of the photo.
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BarbE heading for the Big Lou summit.
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Big Jim Mountain (top center) as we continue for the Big Lou summit.
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Looking back at Point 7760+ as we head for the Big Lou summit... Mt. Daniel on the far left... Big Chiwaukum on the far right.
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BarbE is almost on the Big Lou summit (7763').
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Cashmere Mountain and the Stuart Range from Big Lou Mountain.
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Point 7760+ from the Big Lou summit.
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A closeup of Lake Ida from the Big Lou summit... Grindstone Mountain is the huge mountain in the center of the photo.
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Looking over to Lake Augusta and Big Jim Mountain from Big Lou.
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A closeup of Lake Augusta and Big Jim Mountain from Big Lou.
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Old friends... sitting on mountain tops... like bookends.
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We've come back from Big Lou to Point 7760+ and BarbE is heading down.
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BarbE and Denali Girl heading for Point 7571... our route to Big Lou Mountain is behind them.
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Point 7571... we will go up and over it on our way to Big Jim Mountain.
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Denali Girl ascending Point 7571.
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Denali Girl ascending Point 7571 above Lake Augusta.
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BarbE on top of Point 7571.
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Lake Augusta from Point 7571.
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Denali Girl and BarbE are going to stay on Point 7571 until I find a good route through a cliffy area along the ridge.
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I've found a good route (Class 2)... but Denali Girl and BarbE aren't going to follow me.
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Still some Class 2 work to do before I can get to easier terrain... Big Jim in the distance.
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One last bump to get over... Big Jim in the distance.
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A casual stroll from here to the Big Jim Mountain summit.
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Looking at the ridge that runs from Big Lou (far left) to where I'm standing on the Big Jim Mountain summit (7763').
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'Middle E' said that he wasn't able to open the Big Jim summit register when he visited on July 2... of course it opened like butter for me... so I signed him in.
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Looking south from the Big Jim summit.
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Looking down to one of the two Big Jim Mountain Lakes.
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Heading back from Big Jim towards the cliffy area that leads over to Point 7571 (left).
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One last jumble of rocks to get past... then I'll be back to Point 7571.
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BarbE heading back down to Lake Augusta.
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A beautiful waterfall below Lake Augusta... just a half-mile left to get back to our base camp.
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After a good night's sleep Denali Girl packs up for the 7.5 mile hike back to the trailhead... stats... trailhead to base camp, 7.5 miles gaining ~4000 feet of elevation... day hike to Big Lou and Big Jim, ~7 miles roundtrip gaining ~3000 feet of elevation... base camp to trailhead, 7.5 miles gaining ~450 feet of elevation.
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