Frigid Mountain - 6.21.2012
We did this trip as a one night backpack trip... spending the night between the two stream crossings at ~4400'... then doing the climb the next day and packing out after the climb... ~9 miles roundtrip, gaining ~5000 feet of elevation.
|
Drive the Icicle Creek Road to the end of pavement... then drive the gravel and dirt road for 2.3 miles to the Chatter Creek trailhead (2600').
|
Crossing Chatter Creek at ~3140 feet.
|
Eightmile Mountain and Hi-Jack Peak as we gain elevation on the Chatter Creek trail.
|
Cashmere Mountain as we gain elevation on the Chatter Creek trail.
|
Balsamroot and Lupine along the Chatter Creek trail.
|
Cashmere Mountain, Eightmile Mountain and Hi-Jack Peak.
|
Tweedy's Lewisia.
|
rocman crossing Chatter Creek (~4400') on this very convenient log.
|
Our campsite at ~4400 feet.
|
A short distance from camp we found this makeshift bridge at ~4440 feet.
|
At ~4600 feet take note of this easy crossing of water flowing down from Frigid Mountain... from here it is ~70 steps to a seasonal water crossing.
|
The seasonal water crossing... from here it is ~30 steps to the junction with the fisherman's trail that leads up the gully to Frigid Mountain.
|
~30 steps from the seasonal water crossing the main trail turns left... look for the dead tree leading uphill... this is the start of the path that leads up to Frigid Mountain.
|
Another look at the dead tree... marking the beginning of the path up to Frigid Mountain.
|
There is reasonable tread on this steep fisherman's path.
|
Jacob's Ladder.
|
rocman looks like he is brush bashing here... but he is on a pretty good path.
|
Out of the brushy section and the start of the boulder field.
|
Cairns help guide the way up the boulder field.
|
As we gained elevation we got better views of Grindstone Mountain.
|
At ~5000 feet the boulder field widens.
|
We didn't expect to see this so far off of the main trail.
|
For most of the gully hiking we were able to stay just to the west of the big boulders.
|
rocman heading up.
|
Reasonable tread on the west side of the big boulders.
|
Some patchy snow at ~5600 feet.
|
Broader views as we gain elevation in the gully... Cashmere Mountain on the left... Mt. Stuart, Eightmile Mountain, Hi-Jack Peak, Hawkins Mountain, Scatter Peaks, Harding Mountain and Bootjack Mountain.
|
rocman turning the corner just below the Frigid basin.
|
Still gaining elevation.
|
Just a couple hundred feet below the basin now.
|
At last we can see the basin (~6400')... Point 7313 above.
|
rocman leads us into the basin... Point 7313 above.
|
Gaining elevation in the basin and looking back to Cashmere, Stuart, Eightmile, Hi-Jack, Hawkins, Scatter, Harding and Bootjack.
|
rocman continuing up Frigid basin.
|
Looking back as we get higher in Frigid basin.
|
Still heading up the basin.
|
Looking back.
|
The high point of Frigid Mountain is in the center of the photo.
|
Looking back as rocman comes up the Frigid basin.
|
Cashmere Mtn, Sherpa Peak, Mt. Stuart, Eightmile Mtn and Hi-Jack Peak.
|
rocman heading for the easiest route to the col between Point 7377 and the Frigid summit.
|
rocman is almost ready to start up the snow field.
|
rocman starting up the last 200 feet that will get us to the col between Point 7377 and the Frigid summit.
|
Steep here... but the snow was cooperative.
|
The ridge leading from the col out to Point 7377.
|
Nearing Point 7377.
|
Big Jim Mountain (far left) and Big Lou Mountain (far right) from Point 7377.
|
From Point 7377 we are looking along the ridge over to the true summit of Frigid Mountain.
|
From Point 7377 we are looking at Cashmere Mountain and The Stuart Range... Lower left is the Frigid basin.
|
Grindstone Mountain from Point 7377... Mt. Daniel to the left.
|
rocman working his way over to the Frigid summit.
|
rocman on the Frigid Mountain summit.
|
Grindstone Mountain from the Frigid summit.
|
From the Frigid summit we are looking at the ridge leading over to Point 7377.
|
On the way down from the Frigid summit we took a more direct route in order to reduce the amount of steep snow.
|
rocman backing down the steepest portion of the snow.
|
rocman heading down Frigid basin... with a nice view beyond.
|
Back to the gully... which went a lot smoother than we had anticipated.
|
It will take about an hour to get from the basin back down to the Chatter Creek trail... then break camp and hike out.
|
