LEMKE CLIMBS
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    • Contact
  • Washington
    • North Cascades >
      • Sahale Peak, Boston Peak
      • Eldorado Peak, Klawatti Peak
      • Black Peak
      • Forbidden Peak West Ridge
      • Primus Peak Attempt
      • Big Snagtooth
      • Liberty Bell Beckey Route
      • Burgundy Spire North Face 5.8
      • Ragged Ridge - Katsuk, Kimtah and Cosho Peaks
      • Colfax Peak
      • South Early Winters Spire via SW Buttress
      • Chilliwack Mini-Slam
      • Mesahchie Peak
      • Inspiration Traverse
      • Mount Shuksan Ski
      • Full Pickets Traverse
      • Mount Goode NE Buttress & Storm King
      • Mount Baker North Ridge WI3
      • Snowfield Peak
      • Lincoln Peak
      • Silver Star Mountain
      • Mount Buckner & Horseshoe Peak
      • Azurite Peak
      • Tower Mountain & Golden Horn
      • Mount Logan
      • Custer Ridge & Easy Mox
      • Mazama Dome
      • Sherman Peak
      • Mount Ballard
      • Southern Pickets Traverse
      • Corteo Peak
      • Whatcom Peak
      • Castle Peak
    • Glacier Peak Wilderness >
      • Buck Creek Pass, Cloudy Peak, Spider Gap
      • Dome Peak, Spire Point
      • Mt. Maude and Seven Fingered Jack
      • Mount Formidable NE Face 5.6 Second Ascent
      • Dumbell and Greenwood Mountains
      • Glacier Peak Wilderness Mountain Massacre
      • Clark and Luahna Peaks
      • Sinister Peak
      • Chiwawa Mountain
      • Tupshin & Devore Peaks
      • Buck & Fortress Mountains
      • Glacier Peak
      • Snowking Mountain
    • Olympic Peninsula >
      • Buckhorn Mountain
      • Flapjack Lakes Hike
      • Grey Wolf Peak, High Divide Trail
      • Mount Ellinor
      • Mount Constance West Arete
      • Mount Olympus
    • Alpine Lakes Wilderness >
      • Chikamin Peak
      • PCT - Snoqualmie to Pete Lake
      • Necklace and Tank Lakes
      • Enchantments Day Hike
      • Granite Mountain (Snoqualmie)
      • Colchuck Peak
      • Cannon, Enchantment and Stuart
      • Ingalls Peaks
      • McClellan Peak
      • Dragontail Peak
      • Web Mountain
      • Mount Index Attempt
      • Snow Creek Wall Orbit 5.8+
      • The Tooth South Face
      • Eightmile Mountain
      • Argonaut Peak NE Couloir
      • Little Annapurna South Face 5.5
      • Snow Creek Wall Outer Space 5.9
      • Cashmere Mountain
      • Sherpa Peak North Ridge 5.8
      • Chair Peak NE Ridge
      • Lichtenburg Mountain
      • Mount Index
      • McClellan Butte
      • Chimney Rock
      • Alpine Lakes High Route
    • Pasayten Wilderness >
      • The Craggies
      • Tiffany Mountain
      • Pasayten Mini-Slam
      • Remmel Group
      • Jack Mountain
      • Robinson Mountain
      • Monument Peak Group
    • Mountain Loop Highway >
      • Vesper Peak
      • Mount Dickerman
      • Sloan Peak West Face 5.8
      • Mount Forgotten
      • Whitehorse Mountain
      • Gothic Peak
    • Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness >
      • Star, Courtney, and Grey Peaks
      • Hoodoo Peak and Raven Ridge
      • Abernathy Peak
      • Mount Bigelow
      • Reynolds Peak
      • Oval Peak
      • Gardner Peaks
      • Chelan Sawtooth Trio
    • Southern WA >
      • Mount Adams
      • Mount Rainier - Emmons Route
      • Mount Saint Helens
      • Goat Peak
      • Lane Peak, Plummer Peak (Tatoosh)
      • The Unicorn (Tatoosh)
      • Little Tahoma
      • Liberty Cap
    • WA Rock and Ice Cragging >
      • Index Town Walls
      • Vantage
      • Mount Erie
      • Exit 38
      • Leavenworth
  • Colorado
    • San Juan Mountains >
      • Mount Sneffels Lavender Snow Climb
      • Uncompahgre, Matterhorn Peaks
      • Redcloud, Sunshine Peaks
      • San Luis Peak
      • Vermilion, Fuller Peaks
      • Stewart Peak, Baldy Alto
      • Jones, Niagara, American Peaks
      • Wetterhorn Peak, Handies Peak
      • Wilson Group
      • Arrow Peak
      • Mount Sneffels SW Ridge
      • Jagged Mountain, Chicago Basin
      • Teakettle Mountain
      • Dallas Peak
      • Vestal Peak Wham Ridge, Greystone Peak
      • Organ Mountain
      • Phoenix Peak
      • Half Peak
      • Point 13832 Group
      • Golden Horn
      • Mount Sneffels Snake Couloir
      • Pigeon, Turret Peaks
      • Trinity Peaks
    • Elk Mountains >
      • Four Pass Loop
      • Castle, Conundrum Peaks
      • Snowmass Mountain
      • Cathedral Peak
      • South Maroon Peak
      • The Pyramids
      • North Maroon Peak, Sleeping Sexton
      • Capitol Peak, Mount Daly
      • Malemute Peak
      • Hagerman Peak
    • Sangre de Cristo Mountains >
      • Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point
      • Challenger Point
      • Mount Adams
      • Spread Eagle Peak
      • Humboldt, Obstruction, Columbia Peaks
      • Mount Lindsey, Huerfano Peak
      • Little Bear Peak
      • Crestone Needle Ellingwood Arete
      • California Peak
      • Crestone Peak North Buttress
      • Operation Dark Snake
      • Kit Carson Mountain
    • Sawatch Mountains >
      • Iowa Peak
      • Point 13,618 - Hunky Dory Lake
      • Gold Dust Peak, Notch Mountain
      • Mount Jackson
      • Mount Belford
      • Shavano, Tabeguache Peaks
      • Mount Antero, Cronin Peak
      • Twining Peak
      • Mount Massive
      • Casco Peak
      • Mount Huron
      • Mount Elbert
      • Mount Oxford
      • Mount Hope
      • Mount Yale
      • Lackawanna Peak
      • Mount Columbia
      • La Plata Peak
      • Rinker and Twin Peaks
      • Bull Hill, Mount Princeton
      • Missouri Mountain
      • Mount Oklahoma
      • French Mountain
      • Mount Ouray
      • Grizzly A, Garfield Peaks
      • Mount Harvard
      • The Three Apostles
      • Emerald Peak
      • Holy Cross
      • Mount Aetna
      • Deer Mountain
    • Greater Park Range >
      • Kneeknocker Pass, Piney Lake
      • Drift Peak
      • Sherman Peak, Dyer Peak
      • Gore Range Traverse
      • Quandary Peak
      • Pacific, Atlantic Peaks
      • Clark Peak
      • Crystal Peak, Peak 10
      • Fletcher Mountain
      • The DeCaLiBron
      • Loveland Mountain
      • The Mosquito Traverse
      • Mount Arkansas
      • Clinton Group
      • Eagles Nest, Peak C
      • North Star Mountain
      • Peak X
      • Wheeler Mountain
    • Front Range >
      • Mount Evans, Spalding
      • Mount Bierstadt
      • Mount Parnassus, Bard Peak
      • Cupid, Sniktau, Grizzly D Peaks
      • James Peak
      • Mount Silverheels
      • Grays and Torreys Peaks
      • Mount Edwards
      • Mount Flora, Longs Peak
      • Square Top Mountain
      • Petit Grepon South Face 5.8
      • Mount Meeker Dreamweaver Couloir
      • Santa Fe Peak
      • The Citadel & Pettingell
    • Colorado Ice Climbing >
      • Lincoln Ice Falls
      • Ouray Ice Park
      • Avocado Gully and The Drool
      • Hidden Falls
    • Colorado Rock Climbing >
      • Eldorado Canyon
      • The Flatirons
      • North Table Mountain
      • Colorado National Monument >
        • Independence Monument
  • Wyoming
    • Wind River Mountains >
      • Gone With the Winds
      • Union Peak - Solar Eclipse
      • Wind River Peak
      • Wind River Slam
    • Teton Range >
      • Grand Teton Owen Spalding 5.4
      • Mount Owen Attempt
    • Wyoming Absarokas and Gros Ventre Range >
      • Jackson Peak
      • Francs Peak
    • Yellowstone National Park >
      • Top Notch Peak
    • Bighorn Range and Great Divide Basin >
      • Boars Tusk
      • Loaf Mountain
      • Cloud Peak
      • Black Tooth Mountain
    • Devils Tower
    • Cody Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Montana
    • Beartooth Mountains >
      • Whitetail Peak Group
      • Beartooth Mountain
      • Spirit Mountain Group
      • Mount Peal
      • Granite Peak Group
      • Castle Rock Group
      • Castle Mountain NE Couloir
      • Mount Inabnit and Sylvan Peak
      • Mount Hague South Slopes
      • Mount Villard and The Granite Peaks Traverse - 5.4
      • Spirit Mountain NE Ridge - 5.4
      • California Ice WI 4
      • The Ramp 5.8
      • Linea Alba 5.10d
      • Iceberg Peak
      • Metcalf Mountain North Rib 5.8
      • Villard Spires HP West Ramp
      • Cairn Mountain
      • Snowbank Mountain
      • Mount Wood Group
      • Bears Tooth
      • Glacier Peak Catch-a-Sunrise FA
    • Southwest Montana Ranges >
      • Madison Range >
        • Koch Peak
        • Sphinx Mountain
        • Beehive Peak
        • South Sheep Mountain
      • Gallatin Range
      • Bridger Range >
        • Sacajawea Peak
        • Saddle Peak
        • Baldy Mountain
        • Ross Peak
      • Montana Absorakas >
        • Arrow Peak
        • Black Mountain
        • Mount Cowen
      • Tobacco Root Mountains >
        • Hollowtop Mountain
        • Belle Point
        • Noble Peak
        • Leggat Mountain
      • Crazy Mountains >
        • Crazy Peak
    • Glacier National Park >
      • A Taste of Glacier National Park
      • Divide Mountain
    • MT Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Utah
    • Uinta Mountains >
      • Kings-Emmons Ridge Run
      • Hayden Peak
      • Iron Hayden Wall Rock Climbing
    • Wasatch Range >
      • The Sundial Eleventh Hour 5.8
      • Mount Timpanogos
    • San Rafael Swell >
      • Ramp, Cistern Canyons
      • Salt Wash, Black Mountain, Moroni Slopes
      • Ding, Dang Canyons
      • Little Wild Horse, Bell Canyons
      • Quandary Canyon
      • San Rafael Knob
      • Miners Hollow (Knotted Rope Canyon)
      • Temple Mountain
      • Chimney Rock
      • Bottleneck Mesa
      • Window Blind Peak
      • Lower Baptist Draw & Upper Chute Canyon
    • Capitol Reef National Park >
      • Cathedral Valley Tour
      • Sheets Gulch
      • Halls Creek Narrows
      • Brimhall Canyon and Strike Valley Overlook
      • George Benchmark
    • Moab Area, Canyonlands, Arches >
      • Maze District
      • Needles District
      • Maze District
      • White Rim Trail Biking
      • Elephant Butte, Bullwinkle Tower and Lizard Rock
      • South Six Shooter
      • Elephant Canyon
      • Parriott Mesa
      • Ancient Art
      • Castleton Tower North Chimney 5.8
      • Klondike Bluffs
      • Mount Peale & Tukuhnikivatz
    • Robbers Roost Country >
      • Horseshoe Canyon, Goblin Valley
      • Bluejohn Canyon
      • Happy Canyon Narrows
      • Shenanigans, Leprechaun Slots
      • Larry Canyon
      • Merry Piglet Slot
      • Lower Maidenwater Canyon, Turkey Knob
      • Morocco Canyon
      • Monkey Business Slot
      • Hog Canyon Slots
      • Upper Maidenwater Canyon Slots
      • Mount Ellen
      • Buck Canyon
      • Point 4906
      • Alcatraz Canyon
      • Hard Day Harvey Slot
      • Mount Ellsworth
      • Good Day Jim Canyon
      • White Roost Canyon
      • Upper Stair Canyon
      • Dragon Canyon
    • Escalante National Monument >
      • Phipps Canyon and Arch
      • Red Breaks Slot
      • Dry Fork Slots, Coyote Gulch
      • Little Death Hollow/Wolverine Canyons
      • Egypt 3 Slot
      • Egypt 1 Canyon
    • Zion/Bryce >
      • Ataxia Tower Ashtar Command 5.9
      • Mount Kinesava Cowboy Ridge
      • Birch Hollow
      • Aires Butte
      • West Temple
      • Mystery Canyon
      • Crazy Streak
    • Cedar Mesa Region/Valley of the Gods >
      • Eagle Plume Tower Eagle Feather 5.10b
  • California
    • High Sierras, Southern CA Ranges >
      • Telescope Peak, Manly Beacon
      • Tahquitz Rock Whodunit 5.9
      • Tahquitz Rock Long Route 5.9
      • Palisade Traverse
      • White Mountain
    • Yosemite National Park, Central CA
    • Northern CA Cascades >
      • Lava Beds National Monument
      • Mount Shasta
  • Oregon
    • Oregon Volcanoes >
      • Three Fingered Jack
      • Mount Scott
    • Blue Mountains >
      • Twin Peaks
    • Trout Creek Rock Climbing
  • Alaska
    • Eagle Peak and Mount Ewe
    • Jatt Peak and Portage Pass
    • Rainbow Peak
    • Mount Brooks Attempt
    • Arrigetch Peaks Trek
    • Ab Mountain Hike
    • South Suicide Peak
    • Mount Hunter West Ridge Attempt
    • Cantata Peak Attempt
    • East Twin Peak
    • Mount Alice
    • Crow Pass and Hope Point Hikes
    • Indianhouse Mountain Attempt
    • Lynx Peak
    • Harding Icefield Hike
    • Hatcher Pass and Grapefruit Rocks Climbing
    • Mount Sanford
    • Mount Hunter West Ridge
    • Mount Fairweather
  • Nevada
    • Ginger Cracks 5.8
    • Mescalito Dark Shadows 5.8
    • Birdland and Olive Oil
    • Frogland 5.8
    • Johnny Vegas 5.8
    • Schaeffer's Delight & Triassic Sands
    • Solar Slab - 5.6
  • British Columbia
    • Mount Matier
    • Taiya Peak
    • Bugaboo Spire NE Ridge
    • Mount Sabine Easy Honey 5.10b
    • Mount Sir Donald NW Ridge Attempt
    • Black Tusk
    • Slesse Mountain NE Buttress
    • Warden Peak
    • Triple Peak
    • Gimli Peak
    • Mount Waddington
  • Alberta
    • Mist Ridge Hike
    • Mount Temple Attempt
    • East Wendell Peak
    • Loder Peak
    • Tower Mountain Attempt
    • The Rimwall
    • Mount Yamnuska Directissima 5.9
    • Mount Lawrence Grassi
    • Mount Lorette
    • Roche A Perdrix
    • Mount Edith Cavell East Ridge 5.3
    • Mount Louis Kain Route
    • Eiffel Peak
    • Mount Alberta
    • Canadian Rockies Ice Climbing
  • Other States
    • Arizona >
      • Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail
      • Beanfest at Cochise Stronghold
      • Baboquivari Peak
      • Humphreys Peak
    • New Mexico >
      • Philmont Trek August 2008
    • Yukon >
      • Canyon Peak
  • International
    • Mexico & Central America >
      • Mexico - Pico de Orizaba, Izta
      • Guatemala Volcanoes
    • South America >
      • Chile >
        • An Introduction to Patagonia
        • Exploring Pucon and Lanin Volcano
        • Cerro Puntado & Palo
        • Cerro Colorado
        • Cerro Puno & Agudo
        • Cerro Trinidad Attempt
        • Volcan Quetrupillan
        • Cerro Placas
        • Volcan Puyehue
        • Cerro Conico
        • Cerro Barros Arana
        • Cerro Cordillerano
        • Ojos del Salado
      • Argentina >
        • Nahuel Huapi National Park & The Frey
        • Cerro Helio Azul & Tronador Attempt
        • Aguja Guillaumet Amy Couloir
        • Nevado de Acay
        • Chiaro de Luna
      • Peru >
        • Cordillera Blanca - Tocllaraju and Urus
        • Cordillera Blanca - Ishinca Peak and Artesonraju
        • Cordillera Blanca - Quitaraju & Alpamayo
        • Exploring Southern Peru
      • Bolivia >
        • Pequeno Alpamayo
        • Huayna Potosi
        • Illimani
    • Oceania >
      • Exploring New Zealand's South Island
      • Puncak Jaya
      • Mount McPherson and Talbot
      • Single Cone
      • Mount Cook
      • Mount Aspiring
      • Manakau
      • Mount Wilhelm
    • Central Asia >
      • Kyrgyzstan 2021
    • Europe >
      • Iceland & Faroe >
        • Snaefellsjokull
        • Kaldbakur
        • Slaettaratindur
  • Sorted by Year
    • 2008 Trip Reports
    • 2009 Trip Reports
    • 2010 Trip Reports
    • 2011 Trip Reports
    • 2012 Trip Reports
    • 2013 Trip Reports
    • 2014 Trip Reports
    • 2015 Trip Reports
    • 2016 Trip Reports
    • 2017 Trip Reports
    • 2018 Trip Reports
    • 2019 Trip Reports
    • 2020 Trip Reports
    • 2021 Trip Reports
    • 2022 Trip Reports
    • 2023 Trip Reports
  • Vanlife
    • Conversion Journal >
      • Floor Installation
      • Folding Bed
      • Coffee Table
      • Thinsulate Installation
      • The Couch
      • The Wardrobe
      • Bookshelf
      • Water System
      • Electrical System
      • The Pantry
      • Refrigerator
      • Tire Upgrade
      • Heating System
      • Composting Toilet
  • About
    • Whats New
    • 2019 Goals/Wishlist
    • Contact
  • Washington
    • North Cascades >
      • Sahale Peak, Boston Peak
      • Eldorado Peak, Klawatti Peak
      • Black Peak
      • Forbidden Peak West Ridge
      • Primus Peak Attempt
      • Big Snagtooth
      • Liberty Bell Beckey Route
      • Burgundy Spire North Face 5.8
      • Ragged Ridge - Katsuk, Kimtah and Cosho Peaks
      • Colfax Peak
      • South Early Winters Spire via SW Buttress
      • Chilliwack Mini-Slam
      • Mesahchie Peak
      • Inspiration Traverse
      • Mount Shuksan Ski
      • Full Pickets Traverse
      • Mount Goode NE Buttress & Storm King
      • Mount Baker North Ridge WI3
      • Snowfield Peak
      • Lincoln Peak
      • Silver Star Mountain
      • Mount Buckner & Horseshoe Peak
      • Azurite Peak
      • Tower Mountain & Golden Horn
      • Mount Logan
      • Custer Ridge & Easy Mox
      • Mazama Dome
      • Sherman Peak
      • Mount Ballard
      • Southern Pickets Traverse
      • Corteo Peak
      • Whatcom Peak
      • Castle Peak
    • Glacier Peak Wilderness >
      • Buck Creek Pass, Cloudy Peak, Spider Gap
      • Dome Peak, Spire Point
      • Mt. Maude and Seven Fingered Jack
      • Mount Formidable NE Face 5.6 Second Ascent
      • Dumbell and Greenwood Mountains
      • Glacier Peak Wilderness Mountain Massacre
      • Clark and Luahna Peaks
      • Sinister Peak
      • Chiwawa Mountain
      • Tupshin & Devore Peaks
      • Buck & Fortress Mountains
      • Glacier Peak
      • Snowking Mountain
    • Olympic Peninsula >
      • Buckhorn Mountain
      • Flapjack Lakes Hike
      • Grey Wolf Peak, High Divide Trail
      • Mount Ellinor
      • Mount Constance West Arete
      • Mount Olympus
    • Alpine Lakes Wilderness >
      • Chikamin Peak
      • PCT - Snoqualmie to Pete Lake
      • Necklace and Tank Lakes
      • Enchantments Day Hike
      • Granite Mountain (Snoqualmie)
      • Colchuck Peak
      • Cannon, Enchantment and Stuart
      • Ingalls Peaks
      • McClellan Peak
      • Dragontail Peak
      • Web Mountain
      • Mount Index Attempt
      • Snow Creek Wall Orbit 5.8+
      • The Tooth South Face
      • Eightmile Mountain
      • Argonaut Peak NE Couloir
      • Little Annapurna South Face 5.5
      • Snow Creek Wall Outer Space 5.9
      • Cashmere Mountain
      • Sherpa Peak North Ridge 5.8
      • Chair Peak NE Ridge
      • Lichtenburg Mountain
      • Mount Index
      • McClellan Butte
      • Chimney Rock
      • Alpine Lakes High Route
    • Pasayten Wilderness >
      • The Craggies
      • Tiffany Mountain
      • Pasayten Mini-Slam
      • Remmel Group
      • Jack Mountain
      • Robinson Mountain
      • Monument Peak Group
    • Mountain Loop Highway >
      • Vesper Peak
      • Mount Dickerman
      • Sloan Peak West Face 5.8
      • Mount Forgotten
      • Whitehorse Mountain
      • Gothic Peak
    • Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness >
      • Star, Courtney, and Grey Peaks
      • Hoodoo Peak and Raven Ridge
      • Abernathy Peak
      • Mount Bigelow
      • Reynolds Peak
      • Oval Peak
      • Gardner Peaks
      • Chelan Sawtooth Trio
    • Southern WA >
      • Mount Adams
      • Mount Rainier - Emmons Route
      • Mount Saint Helens
      • Goat Peak
      • Lane Peak, Plummer Peak (Tatoosh)
      • The Unicorn (Tatoosh)
      • Little Tahoma
      • Liberty Cap
    • WA Rock and Ice Cragging >
      • Index Town Walls
      • Vantage
      • Mount Erie
      • Exit 38
      • Leavenworth
  • Colorado
    • San Juan Mountains >
      • Mount Sneffels Lavender Snow Climb
      • Uncompahgre, Matterhorn Peaks
      • Redcloud, Sunshine Peaks
      • San Luis Peak
      • Vermilion, Fuller Peaks
      • Stewart Peak, Baldy Alto
      • Jones, Niagara, American Peaks
      • Wetterhorn Peak, Handies Peak
      • Wilson Group
      • Arrow Peak
      • Mount Sneffels SW Ridge
      • Jagged Mountain, Chicago Basin
      • Teakettle Mountain
      • Dallas Peak
      • Vestal Peak Wham Ridge, Greystone Peak
      • Organ Mountain
      • Phoenix Peak
      • Half Peak
      • Point 13832 Group
      • Golden Horn
      • Mount Sneffels Snake Couloir
      • Pigeon, Turret Peaks
      • Trinity Peaks
    • Elk Mountains >
      • Four Pass Loop
      • Castle, Conundrum Peaks
      • Snowmass Mountain
      • Cathedral Peak
      • South Maroon Peak
      • The Pyramids
      • North Maroon Peak, Sleeping Sexton
      • Capitol Peak, Mount Daly
      • Malemute Peak
      • Hagerman Peak
    • Sangre de Cristo Mountains >
      • Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point
      • Challenger Point
      • Mount Adams
      • Spread Eagle Peak
      • Humboldt, Obstruction, Columbia Peaks
      • Mount Lindsey, Huerfano Peak
      • Little Bear Peak
      • Crestone Needle Ellingwood Arete
      • California Peak
      • Crestone Peak North Buttress
      • Operation Dark Snake
      • Kit Carson Mountain
    • Sawatch Mountains >
      • Iowa Peak
      • Point 13,618 - Hunky Dory Lake
      • Gold Dust Peak, Notch Mountain
      • Mount Jackson
      • Mount Belford
      • Shavano, Tabeguache Peaks
      • Mount Antero, Cronin Peak
      • Twining Peak
      • Mount Massive
      • Casco Peak
      • Mount Huron
      • Mount Elbert
      • Mount Oxford
      • Mount Hope
      • Mount Yale
      • Lackawanna Peak
      • Mount Columbia
      • La Plata Peak
      • Rinker and Twin Peaks
      • Bull Hill, Mount Princeton
      • Missouri Mountain
      • Mount Oklahoma
      • French Mountain
      • Mount Ouray
      • Grizzly A, Garfield Peaks
      • Mount Harvard
      • The Three Apostles
      • Emerald Peak
      • Holy Cross
      • Mount Aetna
      • Deer Mountain
    • Greater Park Range >
      • Kneeknocker Pass, Piney Lake
      • Drift Peak
      • Sherman Peak, Dyer Peak
      • Gore Range Traverse
      • Quandary Peak
      • Pacific, Atlantic Peaks
      • Clark Peak
      • Crystal Peak, Peak 10
      • Fletcher Mountain
      • The DeCaLiBron
      • Loveland Mountain
      • The Mosquito Traverse
      • Mount Arkansas
      • Clinton Group
      • Eagles Nest, Peak C
      • North Star Mountain
      • Peak X
      • Wheeler Mountain
    • Front Range >
      • Mount Evans, Spalding
      • Mount Bierstadt
      • Mount Parnassus, Bard Peak
      • Cupid, Sniktau, Grizzly D Peaks
      • James Peak
      • Mount Silverheels
      • Grays and Torreys Peaks
      • Mount Edwards
      • Mount Flora, Longs Peak
      • Square Top Mountain
      • Petit Grepon South Face 5.8
      • Mount Meeker Dreamweaver Couloir
      • Santa Fe Peak
      • The Citadel & Pettingell
    • Colorado Ice Climbing >
      • Lincoln Ice Falls
      • Ouray Ice Park
      • Avocado Gully and The Drool
      • Hidden Falls
    • Colorado Rock Climbing >
      • Eldorado Canyon
      • The Flatirons
      • North Table Mountain
      • Colorado National Monument >
        • Independence Monument
  • Wyoming
    • Wind River Mountains >
      • Gone With the Winds
      • Union Peak - Solar Eclipse
      • Wind River Peak
      • Wind River Slam
    • Teton Range >
      • Grand Teton Owen Spalding 5.4
      • Mount Owen Attempt
    • Wyoming Absarokas and Gros Ventre Range >
      • Jackson Peak
      • Francs Peak
    • Yellowstone National Park >
      • Top Notch Peak
    • Bighorn Range and Great Divide Basin >
      • Boars Tusk
      • Loaf Mountain
      • Cloud Peak
      • Black Tooth Mountain
    • Devils Tower
    • Cody Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Montana
    • Beartooth Mountains >
      • Whitetail Peak Group
      • Beartooth Mountain
      • Spirit Mountain Group
      • Mount Peal
      • Granite Peak Group
      • Castle Rock Group
      • Castle Mountain NE Couloir
      • Mount Inabnit and Sylvan Peak
      • Mount Hague South Slopes
      • Mount Villard and The Granite Peaks Traverse - 5.4
      • Spirit Mountain NE Ridge - 5.4
      • California Ice WI 4
      • The Ramp 5.8
      • Linea Alba 5.10d
      • Iceberg Peak
      • Metcalf Mountain North Rib 5.8
      • Villard Spires HP West Ramp
      • Cairn Mountain
      • Snowbank Mountain
      • Mount Wood Group
      • Bears Tooth
      • Glacier Peak Catch-a-Sunrise FA
    • Southwest Montana Ranges >
      • Madison Range >
        • Koch Peak
        • Sphinx Mountain
        • Beehive Peak
        • South Sheep Mountain
      • Gallatin Range
      • Bridger Range >
        • Sacajawea Peak
        • Saddle Peak
        • Baldy Mountain
        • Ross Peak
      • Montana Absorakas >
        • Arrow Peak
        • Black Mountain
        • Mount Cowen
      • Tobacco Root Mountains >
        • Hollowtop Mountain
        • Belle Point
        • Noble Peak
        • Leggat Mountain
      • Crazy Mountains >
        • Crazy Peak
    • Glacier National Park >
      • A Taste of Glacier National Park
      • Divide Mountain
    • MT Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Utah
    • Uinta Mountains >
      • Kings-Emmons Ridge Run
      • Hayden Peak
      • Iron Hayden Wall Rock Climbing
    • Wasatch Range >
      • The Sundial Eleventh Hour 5.8
      • Mount Timpanogos
    • San Rafael Swell >
      • Ramp, Cistern Canyons
      • Salt Wash, Black Mountain, Moroni Slopes
      • Ding, Dang Canyons
      • Little Wild Horse, Bell Canyons
      • Quandary Canyon
      • San Rafael Knob
      • Miners Hollow (Knotted Rope Canyon)
      • Temple Mountain
      • Chimney Rock
      • Bottleneck Mesa
      • Window Blind Peak
      • Lower Baptist Draw & Upper Chute Canyon
    • Capitol Reef National Park >
      • Cathedral Valley Tour
      • Sheets Gulch
      • Halls Creek Narrows
      • Brimhall Canyon and Strike Valley Overlook
      • George Benchmark
    • Moab Area, Canyonlands, Arches >
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LEMKE CLIMBS

Mount ballard

mount ballard - 8320' - East face class 4
​May 2019

On a last minute whim, I took a flight back to Seattle for the weekend again after working the last week in Tucson. I called up Josh and asked if he wanted to do Ballard and he agreed to so I bought the flights right away. It was yet another night flight arriving in Seattle around midnight early Saturday morning. I took an Uber back to my parents house and borrowed my sisters car for the weekend, got to Lynnwood to pick up Josh around 1:20am and we were off to Bellingham to pick up my skis. It was occurring to me I would be climbing yet another peak without any sleep! 

We drove over to Mazama, and found a spot to take a 1 hour nap in the car. By 7am we started driving up the Harts Pass Road. We were able to drive up to an elevation of 5250 feet, stopping about 3 miles from Harts Pass due to a deeper snow patch covering the road in a low rider vehicle. High clearance 4WD vehicles were getting up another mile or so, to within 2 miles of the pass. We saddled up with skis and started walking shortly before 8am, hoping to be able to ski down the road on the opposite side of the pass a bunch. We made quick work walking the first 3 miles to Harts Pass, which we were able to find mostly bare ground along the edge of the road. Once at the pass at 6200 feet, there was 2 feet of snow on the ground, contrary to ranger reports stating there would be 4-5 feet. We switched into our ski boots and put the skis on, and after a quick snack we started skiing down the road heading down into the Slate Creek Valley on the west side of the pass. 

Unfortunately we would only get about a mile, back down to about 5200 feet before the snow disappeared, and we ditched the skis. For the next 4.5 miles, the walk on the Slate Creek Road down to the gate at 3800 feet was quick and dry. A fair amount of debris and trees/rocks was on the road so if anyone plans to drive down this way shortly after the snow melts, bring a chainsaw and an attitude for ground clearing. 

We continued the additional mile (about 9.5 miles total from the car) beyond the gate, curving left towards the south as the old road continued a gentle traverse to the bridge over South Fork Slate Creek at 4000 feet. This bridge at some point had been rebuilt directly over top of the old bridge. We stashed our overnight gear here as it was only noon by this point and we knew we would have plenty of daylight to make it up and down before dark.

Starting out from where we parked
Starting out from where we parked
 
Walking up the road to Harts Pass
Walking up the road to Harts Pass
 
View hiking down the Slate Creek Road
View hiking down the Slate Creek Road
Road closure gate at 3800 feet
Road closure gate at 3800 feet
First views of the slopes of Ballard
First views of the slopes of Ballard
Bridge over South Fork Slate Creek
Bridge over South Fork Slate Creek


We crossed the bridge and left the old road, entering the open forest making an ascending traverse southward towards the large flat basin at 4900 feet at the base of the large gully dropping down from the col just north of the lower north peak of Ballard (which is the peak that's incorrectly labelled as Mount Ballard on the USGS maps). There were two streams in close proximity to one another we had to cross over slippery logs along this traverse through the forest at about the 4600 foot contour. At 4900 feet we emerged from the trees into the basin and scouted out the route ahead. Using Matt and Dicey's report we easily located the route up towards the small flat spot at 6200 feet on the east ridge of Ballard. We booted up really good snow through trees for 400 feet until reaching the open slopes on the east slopes of the mountain, and made an ascending traverse towards the 6200 foot bench. We were making great time, having reached this spot on the ridge at about 2pm. Views were getting better and better as we ascended up the ridge continuing on good snow until the terrain steepened at around 6900 feet. 

Josh crossing one of the two streams
Josh crossing one of the two streams
View of Ballard from the 4900 foot basin
View of Ballard from the 4900 foot basin
Tatie Peak across the valley to the east
Tatie Peak across the valley to the east
This gully sure looks inviting, but would lead you to the lower N peak
This gully sure looks inviting, but would lead you to the lower N peak
Starting up good snow
Starting up good snow
Traversing the east slopes
Traversing the east slopes
View east
View east
 
Headed for 6200 foot bench on east ridge (visible at center left)
Headed for 6200 foot bench on east ridge (visible at center left)
The Needles? to the south
The Needles? to the south


Since the snow appeared very steep in the 7000s elevation range, we opted to climb class 3 and 4 dry rock on the ribs and blocks between the snowfields. This was possible up to an extent, however at around 7300 feet, we were forced onto a large 45 degree snowfield to weave through cliff bands and much steeper sections, zig zagging our way up, mostly angling leftward until we reached the upper part of the east ridge at about 7650 feet where the angle eased significantly down to the 20-25 degree range. However this lower angle section of the route for the next 400 feet to the 8150 foot col would prove to be the most taxing, as I was sinking to my knees or more post holing through deep snow. Since I was out ahead feeling fairly strong, I ended up breaking most of the trail on the upper route. We finally reached the col immediately below a small rock spire just north of the true summit of Ballard. Here we rested briefly, and was mesmerized by the view we had to the west. All of the North Cascades were visible, with peaks like Goode, Mesahchie, and Eldorado easily picked out. Even Baker and Shuksan were visible through the perfectly timed passing clouds. 

 
View of Ballard from the ridge at 6200 feet
View of Ballard from the ridge at 6200 feet
View north of Tamarack Peak (center right)
View north of Tamarack Peak (center right)
View south towards The Needles
View south towards The Needles
 
Josh ascending the ridge
Josh ascending the ridge
 
 
 
 
Josh scrambling up one of the rock bands
Josh scrambling up one of the rock bands
Class 3 scrambling
Class 3 scrambling
 
Avoiding the moats!
Avoiding the moats!
Class 4 section
Class 4 section
 
Mount Ballard
Mount Ballard
 
Pasayten Bulgers, Robinson at center right
Pasayten Bulgers, Robinson at center right
 
Nearing the 8150 foot col
Nearing the 8150 foot col
Jack Mountain
Jack Mountain
Jack and Luna
Jack and Luna
Mesahchie, Logan and Forbidden
Mesahchie, Logan and Forbidden
Josh happy to be at the col
Josh happy to be at the col


We crossed over to the west side of the col, and followed a beautiful ledge around the small tower, and continued right to the base of the summit pinnacle. Due to the recent storm, the scramble was covered in wet snow, making the difficulty significantly harder to climb. I initially continued traversing south until reaching a tiny notch, which blocked any further traversing, then scrambled directly up the west face for maybe 40 feet of class 3-4 until reaching a small ledge. Here, I traversed back north all the way to the north ridge and climbed a low 5th class step requiring me to stem out wide on small ledges. Above that it was another bit of 4th class to the summit. Every little ledge was wet or partially covered in melting snow requiring extra caution, but nonetheless, I found the scrambling fun. Unfortunately though, with Josh being in his ski boots (I had leather hiker boots) he wasn't comfortable making the exposed scramble with stiff plastic boots. I had to enjoy the summit alone. This summit was easily one of the best summit views I have seen in the Cascades, but that is partially owed to the amazing photographic lighting we experienced. Shortly before 5pm, I stood on top of one of my final P400 top 100 peaks, on a trip back to WA that was truly last minute (I leave for Indonesia tomorrow!). 

West side of the summit block of Ballard
West side of the summit block of Ballard
Summit Pano
Summit Pano
Black, Glacier Peak and Goode
Black, Glacier Peak and Goode
Josh traversing towards the summit block
Josh traversing towards the summit block
Another view of Jack
Another view of Jack
 
Ballard North Peak from summit
Ballard North Peak from summit
Tower, Golden Horn and Azurite (This one is my favorite!)
Tower, Golden Horn and Azurite (This one is my favorite!)
Summit pano with Azurite on left
Summit pano with Azurite on left
 
Inspiration Traverse peaks from summit
Inspiration Traverse peaks from summit
Logan and Forbidden from the summit
Logan and Forbidden from the summit
Traverse to Azurite
Traverse to Azurite
Looking down the route I scrambled to reach the summit
Looking down the route I scrambled to reach the summit
Summit block view as I descended
Summit block view as I descended
This route on NW side of summit block was likely easier
This route on NW side of summit block was likely easier
 
 
Me thinking I'm cool.....(I'm not)
Me thinking I'm cool.....(I'm not)


By 6pm, Josh and I started to make the descent back down, which we made very quick work descending the snow. We decided to plunge step down the snow more, and avoid the class 3-4 rock steps we scrambled on the way up. Still, rather than descend down a section of 50 degree wet snow I opted for a different rock rib. We met up with our ascent tracks and continued down. The snow improved and I was able to do my trademark flying leaps (running down with plunge stepping the steep snow slopes with ~10-12 feet between steps) just as fast as Josh was able to glissade! Literally, it took us about 10 minutes to descend back to the 4900 foot basin from the 6200 foot bench on the east ridge, a drop of about 1300 feet. I don't think I could have even skid it that fast! 

 
Josh making a step down as we head back to the col with Ballard behind
Josh making a step down as we head back to the col with Ballard behind
Afternoon sun hitting the west side of Ballard
Afternoon sun hitting the west side of Ballard
 
Traversing back to the col
Traversing back to the col
Pasayten Peaks
Pasayten Peaks
Small tower just north of Ballard
Small tower just north of Ballard
Josh at the col
Josh at the col
 
Descending the upper ridge
Descending the upper ridge
 
 
Steeper snow at about 7200 feet
Steeper snow at about 7200 feet
Back on the lower ridge near the 6200 foot bench
Back on the lower ridge near the 6200 foot bench
View again from the 4900 foot basin
View again from the 4900 foot basin


The rest of the hike back to the bridge over the South Fork Slate Creek was uneventful, and we even got back to our overnight gear before dark, so to get a head start on the next days' long walk back we walked the road back to the closure gate before setting up the tent, eating some Oreos and hitting the sack. 

Sunset on Tatie Peak
Sunset on Tatie Peak


At 5am or so the next morning we got up, packed up and were moving by 5:50. We walked back up to Harts Pass, with the last mile or so being the most miserable as we had to pick up our stashed skis, then walk with them the 3 miles back down to the car. Moral of the story is that skis were not needed on this climb...there simply wasn't enough snow. By 10am we reached the car and started the long drive back. I was even able to make it back to Renton in time to meet up with my visiting cousins from the eastern US. 

Map of our route
Map of our route


Only Liberty Cap and Castle remaining (among dozens of other climbs I still want to do), however those will have to wait until I return from Indonesia in the end of June.

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