Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
Follow the Eagle Peak trail upwards from Longmire (~2800') on a well-graded and well-maintained series of switchbacks for ~3.6mi to the saddle between Eagle Peak and Chutla Peak. Elevation gain to this saddle is ~2800'.
From the saddle, head south along an obvious user trail which seems to dead-end shortly atop a steep cliff. Back up a few feet and look to the right to locate a user trail concealed by the trees/bushes that drops down throug the trees to descend below the cliff face. Continue along the ridge following the user-trail up and down - bypassing the occasional high point along the ridge and making your way towards Chutla's summit. The route does not require any gear, but extensive use of the "veggie-belay" (e.g. roots & branches) is probably recommended. There is a bit of slightly exposed rock scrambling along the way (class 3-4).
For primo summit photos on a good day -- have folks stay on the summit and walk down the southern ridge a short distance for terrific background views of Mt. Rainier.
Activity Notes
Climb was changed to Eagle Peak (from Unicorn) on the day of the climb due to weather (continuing rain overnight into the morning).
UPDATES!
Weather Resources: Mountain Forecast, NOAA, Windy, MeteoBlue
The plan is to start from the Snow Lake Trailhead in Rainier National Park. We'll leave at 7 AM and hike on snow, using crampons and ice axes as needed on the approach. When we reach the summit crag we'll leave our packs and climb via the easier 5th class pitch on the east side of the rock. With good weather we'll take in the view of Mt. Ranier to the north before rappelling back to our packs and hiking out. Round trip is about 5 miles with roughly 2500' of elevation.
This is a great climb for recent BCEP graduates, utilizing both snow travel and rock skills.
I plan to have camp sites at the Cougar Rock campground in the park Friday and Saturday nights. Climbers can come up and camp Friday or meet the team at the trailhead Saturday morning. Cost for the campsite will be shared among those who opt to camp.
I'll also be leading a climb of Pinnacle Peak on June 11th. While these are not officially linked, I encourage climbers to apply for both if they are available!
Note: Vehicle entry into Mount Rainier National Park is $30 per car (this is good for 7 days). Please keep the park fee and camping costs in mind when deciding to apply.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 150 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 3 hours |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Relevant Books | Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass by Fred Beckey 75 Scrambles in Washington by Peggy Goldman |
| Relevant Maps | Google map |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
