Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
Unicorn Peak, the highest point in the Tatoosh Range on the southern end of Mt. Rain-Here National Park, is a fine choice for an easy snow-rock climb. "A good early season ascent", says Beckey. If you try it in late season, most or all of the snow will be gone and the pitch or two of 35-40 degree snow will not be an issue - but the tedious scree will be exposed.
Along with a park entrance fee, all of the Tatoosh peaks offer spectacular views of Mt. Rainier - on clear days. If you are a backcountry skier or boarder, bring your toys if you try this climb in early season (before mid June) - the bowls west of the main peak are beautiful. Climb the summit pinnacle on the east side, which is around to the right (counterclockwise) from where you approach it from the south. This east side is mucho mas easier than the south side of the summit block.
A few small cams and stoppers are a good idea to protect the short rock pitch. Rock shoes are not needed. Short rap off the top. Great glissading in early season! "Tatoosh" means 'nourishing breast " in the local native American language.
Combine with nearby yet seldom climbed Boundary Peak for a doubleheader day of peak bagging, or for a long three peak day, add Stevens Peak at the far east end of the range. Check the Tatoosh Peaks for other options for Tatoosh climbing.
Activity Notes
We will depart the Snow Lake trailhead at 7 AM on June 26th and hike along the trail until we reach Snow Lake. From there, we will ascend on snow using crampons and ice axes as conditions dictate. We will use a fixed line to ascend the summit pinnacle. After enjoying the views, we will rappel off the summit pinnacle and retrace our route to return to the trailhead.
Climb team members can either join us at a campsite at Big Creek campground the night before the climb or drive up early on the morning of the climb.
Additional Costs: depending on how many people and cars we have at the campsite, camping will cost an additional $5-15 per person. Vehicle entry into Mount Rainier National Park is $30 per car. Our ability to carpool to share costs will be limited due to COVID restrictions. Please keep these costs in mind as they are not covered by the climb application fee.
What to Expect After Applying: please apply by May 23rd for initial consideration. After May 23rd, I will select the climb team and alternates and notify everyone via email of their status by the end of May. My goal in selecting a climb team is to create a well balanced group with a diverse range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences.
Financial Aid: please see this page for information about the Mazamas' financial aid program.
Note: Christine Troy will be leading this climb as a provisional lead with full climb leader Lynne Pedersen supervising and evaluating.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 150 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 3 hours |
| General Route Info | The Tatoosh is a prominent subrange near Mt. Rainier National Park’s southern boundary. It’s a pretty mini-mountain range, with the world’s best view of Mt. Rainier. Unicorn, the highest and most enjoyable Tatoosh peak, offers relatively “painless” (your leader is not into pain this time of year) mixed scrambling and rock climbing in a spectacular alpine area (imagine a half-size scale model of Mt. Jefferson, close to the road). See Beckey’s Cascade Alpine Guide for more detailed look at this area’s geologic and climbing history. |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Interesting Features | Lake(s), Mountain Views, Spectacular Views |
| Relevant Books | Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass by Fred Beckey |
| Relevant Maps | Maps: USGS 7 minute series, Tatoosh Lakes and Mt. Rainier East; Green Trails: Mt. Rainier East / Packwood Google map https://www.google.com/maps/@46.744344,-121.7047081,15.14z/data=!5m1!1e4?hl=en |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
