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

Primus Peak Attempt

Primus Peak Attempt - September 2012

Introduction

This trip certainly was a defining moment for me in my ever so fast paced and quickly evolving mountaineering career. Here I would be tested mentally and I needed to use my previous experience and knowledge to make this trip the success it was, despite not making the summit. I had been getting messages on the NWHikers forum from someone who has been wanting to go on a climb. However since he was a true vagabond he wasn't up in northern Washington until later in September. The time finally came when he made his way north and I tried to think of a potential group of Bulgers in the North Cascades we could do knowing he was new to snow travel and such. I thought about the Ragged Ridge Traverse, Mount Logan, Golden Horn and Tower Mountain but I finally decided halfway to Burlington that we should do Primus Peak. This decision was both good and bad but turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise. Below is the story about our adventure and a good accomplishment for me despite missing the summit.

Starting Out

We made our way to the Thunder Creek Trailhead where we gathered up our things and started up the trail pretty quickly. Paul was carrying a whole lot of stuff and after 15 minutes on the trail he realized he forgot his food in the car. I thought to myself how that was possible he was already carrying almost as much as he could carry. So I wait for him to go grab his food and he comes back with an enormous bag of homemade yams, apples, pears and bananas. Now he did tell me he never eats wheat or grain products so I expected him to bring fruits and veggies however he brought enough to feed an army for over a week!

As we continued up the trail it was very evident we were not going to make the climb up the steep ridge of Tricouni Peak that day so we decided to just hike to the McAllister camp after seven miles and bring bivy gear up the ridge the next day. Thank goodness there is a bridge over Thunder Creek here or no one would ever get across this raging river like creek! I told Paul he needed to leave half his stuff and food behind or he would never make it. So we rolled into camp, cooked a nice meal, built a six foot cairn along Thunder Creek and went quickly to sleep. The weather was very warm and the sky was clearing. The dense canopy of trees made it dark much earlier than I had been used to all summer long. But the season was winding down and the days were getting shorter.

After a nice rest, we re-packed, hung the spare food and started up the long, long ridge. This ridge is technically called the "lower north ridge of Tricouni Peak" and it sure is a real pain in the ass. We ascended 800 feet on a steep boot path (which was a surprise to find) to an opening where we saw our first views across McAllister Creek towards Snowfield Peak. This climb just got steeper as we had to skirt around a series of cliffs but eventually we got to an area where the trees were very small and very close together where the terrain flattened slightly. But it got worse quickly and the worst part of the climb was an area of bad slide alder right before a big view point. We stood atop a nice rock for our first panoramic views of the trip. I was in awe at the immense beauty I was looking at. I was home...

Just beyond this viewpoint, the ridge became flat for a ways where the boot path was harder to follow. I just stayed on the crest of the ridge and when it steepened once again the trees began to thin out and we started to see much more color. This was what I had been waiting over two years for! Finally I got to see for myself the true Cascades fall foliage. First I saw bright red in the maples down low, then the small bushes closer to treeline were orange and red and finally, as we rolled into the bivy site at the base of Tricouni Peak I saw my very first golden larch trees.



Tricouni PeakLooking down the ridge we just came up
Primus PeakPerfect fall foliage



Tricouni PeakPaul setting up camp

I was speechless and at a loss for words at what I was seeing. Certainly far more beautiful than anything I have seen in Colorado. When the nice soft dirt and shrubs turned into rock and talus on the ridge we located the bivy site and set up shop for the night. By the nature of the clouds that afternoon I knew we were in for a sunset of just epic proportions. So I waited and relaxed at one of the best places I have ever been. A beautiful green colored lake lie at the base of the dying Borelis Glacier. The route up to lucky pass looked difficult at best and I was unable to locate a nice route up through the ice or the loose rock to the climbers left which was to my disappoint but in a place this beautiful, I could hardly complain. I was so in awe about the beauty the summit just seemed secondary.

The Reason I Climb...

There are many reasons why I climb mountains however one of the biggest reasons is to see for myself the wonders of this Earth we live on. I am not going to say much because words cannot describe what I saw during those next 15 hours. The phrase a picture is worth a thousand words carries great weight here and I invite you to enjoy for yourself the beauty of this place that I want to share through my photos. Although they do no justice, I hope they can bring joy to others during the holiday season. They are the best photos I got in 2012 which says a whole lot because I have been to a lot of places this year.

The Sunset


Snowfield PeakSnowfield Peak Alpenglow
Mount LoganSunset over Mount Logan




Mount LoganMount Logan at its best
Mount LoganAt a loss of words




Tricouni PeakTricouni Peak
Primus PeakPrimus Peak Sunset




Snowfield PeakSnowfield Peak
Tricouni PeakTricouni Peak Sunset





North Cascades


North Cascades





Mount Logan Sunset Panorama


Mount Logan Sunset Panorama





North Cascades Panorama


Black Peak, Ragged Ridge and Fisher Creek





Primus and Tricount Peaks


Primus and Tricouni Peaks



The Sunrise
We slept under the stars that night and it was very moist in the air. It was a bright full moon but at times we saw fog roll through. Our stuff was very wet and frosty the next morning but this sunrise ranked the best sunrise I have ever seen without a shadow of a doubt. The crystal clear air, the gorgeous colors, the fog below us in the valley, and the rugged peaks surrounding us all came together perfectly.


Primus PeakPrimus Peak Sunrise
Snowfield PeakSnowfield Peak and fog




Cascade SunriseThe perfect Cascades Sunrise complete with valley fog
Jack Mountain sunriseSunrise with Jack Mountain




Snowfield PeakSnowfield Peak
Snowfield PeakSnowfield Peak




Borelis LakeBorelis Lake
Fisher Creek sunriseSunrise over Fisher Creek





Snowfield Peak Sunrise Panorama


North Cascades Sunrise Panorama

My Primus Attempt

Paul decided he wanted to stay back and relax but I had to at least make an attempt at climbing Primus Peak. With the route to Lucky Pass out, the standard east ridge which is nothing more than a walk wasn't available. I scouted out other options. The north ridge from what I was able to see from our bivy didn't look too bad so I started by hiking east around Borelis Lake and climbing up to the crest of the North Ridge. I went up beautiful meadow land with alpine larches at their peak which then turned into gentle snow slopes until I reached the crest of the north ridge. The gentle look of this ridge I saw from camp changed into a jagged, serrated loose pile of crap ridge that certainly was at least 4th class. So I decided to cross over and try to find a way up on the west side of the ridge. I tried traversing the rock above the unnamed glacier on the peaks NW side to no avail. This rock was all very loose and I even sent a big one tumbling down the glacier. Next I tried travering in the big moat trying to get to the West ridge which I knew was only class 3. However I ran into bullet ice on the rock from dripping snow above me and I could not risk falling deeper into the moat and risk getting stuck deep under the glacier to freeze to death. I was already underneath massive amounts of snow as it was. So I retreated and tried to traverse the glacier on the edge at the surface. If someone was with me this would have been very easy as I could have just traversed across to the west ridge and scrambled to the summit. Although I may have been fine doing it solo especially since the snow was so hard I just didn't want to walk across a glacier alone. The west ridge was so close but I saw huge cracks in the glacier and knew if I went across and something broke it wasn't survivable.

Without further adieu, I tried my final option...the North Ridge direct. I knew nothing about the route but inside I hoped it wasn't 5th class. I started my way up the really loose rock and quickly made some 4th class moves. The exposure was increasing dramatically as I ascended. I got to a notch and traversed left onto the east side to avoid a cliff but soon came to a steep jump in the ridge that was most certainly 5th class. With no one to belay me I was stuck. The route looked 5.6 with no alternatives so I was forced to retreat. I even had to set up a couple rappel anchors as I had climbed up things I didn't want to down climb. Luckily I brought my 30 meter alpine rope with me which came in handy. I conceded and allowed Primus Peak the victory this time but noted I would be back during a weaker time for the mountain...when it is sealed closed under lots of snow. Late September is just way to late in the season in this area. With that the case though, I still captured part of Primus Peaks' soul within my photos that I hope you enjoy.



Primus PeakPrimus and Larches
Borelis LakeBorelis Lake




Borelis LakeBorelis Lake and Red Mountain
Tricouni PeakTricouni Peak and Larches




LarchesAlpine Larches
Tricouni PeakThe icy route to Lucky Pass




Borelis LakeBorelis Lake
Primus PeakPrimus Peak




Larches and LakesI think you're getting the idea
Primus PeakLooking down on the N Ridge


Primus PeakLooking across the unnamed glacier I needed to cross

The Return

So I retreated back down to camp where I met up with Paul once again. He had a great time relaxing and enjoying the scenery. He was very happy to have joined on the trip and was satisfied with his time in Washington. We talked a lot about where he was going to be headed in the next couple years. He had plans to head to South America, Europe and Asia and was traveling the world. I was very envious. We started back down the ridge (which I was NOT looking forward to descending) and almost instantly we got off route and into major bushwhacking. Why is it that going down you always manage to miss the route I don't know but for some reason it always happens. We had to side hill on very steep bushy terrain to get back to the ridge crest and continue down the right way. We got back to the flat section of ridge and quickly made our way across. The rest of the descent was long and uneventful all the way back to McAllister camp where it got dark on us and we spent a second night there. The next morning we packed up and hiked the 7 miles to the car.

As I said, although I didn't summit anything on this trip and upon reaching the car I branded this trip a failure, I soon realized especially after reviewing the photos at home that this was one of the best trips of the year for me. This was a blessing in disguise. See below for a map of Primus Peak and its routes and our approach.

Primus Peak Topo
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