Axis Peak - 5.21.2014
Directions to the Stuart Lake Trailhead from the junction of Hwy 2 and the Icicle Road.
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rodman's GPS track of this hike/climb in October 2009... basically the same route that we used on this trip... 11.2 miles roundtrip, gaining 4297 feet of elevation.
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A google earth look at Axis Peak and the surrounding area.
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Gearing up at the Stuart Lake Trailhead (3540').
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After hiking about 1.75 miles we made the only bridge crossing on this trip... Mountaineer Creek is running very fast.
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After hiking ~3.5 miles we reached a large meadow and got this look at Argonaut Peak (left), Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart.
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After hiking a total of 4.5 miles we have reached Stuart Lake... Mountaineer Ridge on the other side of the lake... with Mt. Stuart in the distance on the right.
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A closeup of Mountaineer Ridge (foreground) and Mt. Stuart.
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Leaving Stuart Lake and heading up the boulder field toward Axis Peak.
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We can't see the Axis Peak summit yet. We will stay on the boulders until we can get beyond the brown patches of slide alder.
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madman, Snowdog and BarbE ascending the boulder field above Stuart Lake.
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madman on the boulder field above Stuart Lake... Mt. Stuart on the left.
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Gaining elevation quickly now... Mountaineer Ridge in the foreground... Argonaut Peak on the left... with Mt. Stuart on the right.
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Snowdog on steep terrain.
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madman heading for the snow cover.
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BarbE working her way over to the snow... Aasgard Pass on the right edge of the photo.
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High enough above Stuart Lake now to see Sherpa Peak on the far right... Argonaut Peak in the center... with Dragontail Peak and Colchuck Peak on the left.
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Off of the snow and back on dirt, gravel and boulders as we keep ascending.
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Using crampons and spikes now.
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Continuing up on snow.
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Not much snow on the ridge... BarbE, madman and Snowdog are heading for what looks like the summit... but I'm not so sure.
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That looks like the summit to me... Icicle Ridge in the distance on the left... with Aasgard Pass in the distance on the far right.
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Everyone is coming over to where I am after realizing that they were on a false summit.
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Awesome boulders on the summit ridge.
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Someone has found the summit (7550') register... we were the first to sign in this year.
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Colchuck Lake from the Axis Peak summit... with Aasgard Pass in the top-center of the photo... Cannon Mtn and Enchantment Peak are left of Aasgard... Dragontail and Colchuck Peak are right of Aasgard.
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Argonaut Peak (left), Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart from Axis Peak.
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Hi-Jack (left) and Eightmile Mtn (far right) from Axis.
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A closeup of Aasgard Pass (far left), Dragontail Peak (center) and Colchuck Peak.
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A closer look at Colchuck Lake and Aasgard Pass above... Enchantment Peak on the left... Dragontail Peak on the right... we can see McClellan Peak beyond Aasgard Pass.
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Enchantment Peak and a mostly melted-out Colchuck Lake... Aasgard Pass is starting to melt as well.
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Group shot in front of Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart... Snowdog, BarbE, madman and ragman.
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A selfie plus three on Axis Peak.
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Looking down valley to Icicle Ridge... Cannon Mountain in the distance on the right.
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Looking down on Eightmile Lake from Axis Peak... Cashmere Mountain on the right... with Glacier Peak in the distance on the left.
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Eightmile Mountain (center)... with Hi-Jack on the left... Mt. Daniel in the distance on the left... Glacier Peak in the distance on the right.
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Avalanche on Mt. Stuart... we heard the explosion and it had already slid this much before I could get my camera out.
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Snowdog descending... we stayed on the snow as much as possible on the way down.
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BarbE descending toward Stuart Lake.
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Descending toward Stuart Lake... Mountaineer Ridge in the foreground... Colchuck Peak and Argonaut Peak on the left... with Sherpa Peak on the right.
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Mountaineer Ridge in the foreground... with Sherpa Peak and Mt. Stuart beyond... you can see the recent avalanche on Stuart... it almost reaches the valley floor.
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Still descending... Aasgard Pass on the far left... with Dragontail Peak, Colchuck Peak and Argonaut Peak.
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Off of the snow and on dirt and gravel for the last 800 feet of elevation loss back to the lake.
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madman soaks up the awesome view... still a few hundred feet above Stuart Lake.
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Finally back down to Stuart Lake... it is 5:30 pm and we still have a 4.5 mile hike back to our car.
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