June 6-8, 2003, Primus Peak
6/6/03
5903
7
Last weekend, Ned_Flanders and I skied past Eldorado to the summit of Primus Peak and back. We had been planning this trip for some time and originally conceived it as a one way hiking trip with entry or exit via Thunder Creek. However, reports of the brush and arduous travel between the Borealis Glacier and Thunder Creek gave us reason to reconsider. A little time spent with the Beckey guide and a map convinced us that Primus was most likely skiable from the top and it became apparent a ski tour was more appropriate. In the end, our trip took a very similar shape to one completed by Steph Subak, Mark Bebie, Pat Gallagher, Peter Barbee and Lowell Skoog in 1987 (except they climbed more peaks and took more side trips; see alpenglow.org).
On Friday, we took the standard Eldorado Creek approach, up the steep climbers trail and through the seemingly never ending boulder field to the snowline about where the trail makes a right and exits the boulders (a little lower if one moves far to climbers' right into the avalanche paths and shrub trees). We crossed Eldorado's east ridge and the Inspiration Glacier to camp at the col between the Inspiration and McAllister Glaciers, beneath Klawatti. Saturday, we traversed to the Klawatti Glacier, skied to Austera's subpeak (the main peak looking more committing and exposed than we wanted to get into), and then down the Klawatti Glacier to the North Klawatti Glacier. From here we crossed above the lower icefall onto the main body of the glacier and skinned directly up the southern flank of Primus to the summit. We lounged in the sun on the top for quite a while, took in the view, skied back to the lower Klawatti Glacier and climbed it back to camp. Yesterday, we recrossed the Inspiration Glacier and climbed to the top of Eldorado. The long line of climbers had turned the narrow, exposed snow arete into an exposed trench of stair-steps allowing us to easily climb the ridge. The steep east facing snow had by this time gotten rather soft in the sun; we didn't trust it enough to ski off the true summit, and had to settle for a start to the long ski descent back towards the car from just below.
Another party of two skiers had nearly the same itinerary. They took one extra day for the long approach and to allow extra side trips and camped on the top of the Klawatti Glacier. We saw and followed their skin track much of the way, but crossed paths only infrequently. Mostly we enjoyed solitude in a spectacular setting.
This area of the Cascades is unlike any other. Glaciers reach to high cols and interconnect, separated by craggy, beautiful spires. Far below, they tumble chaotically into lakes and deep valleys but above have benches with relatively crevasse free lanes for travel. Because the valleys are so deep and the walls so steep the views are spectacular. The view of the cirque from the Forbidden Glacier, across the north walls of Forbidden and Torment to the Inspiration Glacier and Eldorado is breathtaking. In the background, situated perfectly in the low point between Torment and Eldorado sit the north wall of Johannesburg and Glacier Peak. The view became forever imprinted inside my head as I watched the light slowly turn red and fade away Saturday evening.
On Friday, we took the standard Eldorado Creek approach, up the steep climbers trail and through the seemingly never ending boulder field to the snowline about where the trail makes a right and exits the boulders (a little lower if one moves far to climbers' right into the avalanche paths and shrub trees). We crossed Eldorado's east ridge and the Inspiration Glacier to camp at the col between the Inspiration and McAllister Glaciers, beneath Klawatti. Saturday, we traversed to the Klawatti Glacier, skied to Austera's subpeak (the main peak looking more committing and exposed than we wanted to get into), and then down the Klawatti Glacier to the North Klawatti Glacier. From here we crossed above the lower icefall onto the main body of the glacier and skinned directly up the southern flank of Primus to the summit. We lounged in the sun on the top for quite a while, took in the view, skied back to the lower Klawatti Glacier and climbed it back to camp. Yesterday, we recrossed the Inspiration Glacier and climbed to the top of Eldorado. The long line of climbers had turned the narrow, exposed snow arete into an exposed trench of stair-steps allowing us to easily climb the ridge. The steep east facing snow had by this time gotten rather soft in the sun; we didn't trust it enough to ski off the true summit, and had to settle for a start to the long ski descent back towards the car from just below.
Another party of two skiers had nearly the same itinerary. They took one extra day for the long approach and to allow extra side trips and camped on the top of the Klawatti Glacier. We saw and followed their skin track much of the way, but crossed paths only infrequently. Mostly we enjoyed solitude in a spectacular setting.
This area of the Cascades is unlike any other. Glaciers reach to high cols and interconnect, separated by craggy, beautiful spires. Far below, they tumble chaotically into lakes and deep valleys but above have benches with relatively crevasse free lanes for travel. Because the valleys are so deep and the walls so steep the views are spectacular. The view of the cirque from the Forbidden Glacier, across the north walls of Forbidden and Torment to the Inspiration Glacier and Eldorado is breathtaking. In the background, situated perfectly in the low point between Torment and Eldorado sit the north wall of Johannesburg and Glacier Peak. The view became forever imprinted inside my head as I watched the light slowly turn red and fade away Saturday evening.
I was just about to post a question about skiing this peak. I had always been interested ever since I saw a photo on the cover of an older Couloir magazine showing a skier descending Primus peak with what I remember is being an obvious frozen lake distant far below.
Now you have answered most of my questions. How long was the trip time-wise? What was the general nature of the steepest descents?
Thanks!
Alan
Now you have answered most of my questions. How long was the trip time-wise? What was the general nature of the steepest descents?
Thanks!
Alan
Nice report, Matt, especially the final paragraph. The name of my website, alpenglow, was inspired by views like the one you described. The cover photo of that old Couloir magazine was taken by me of my wife Steph during our 1987 trip. It was a fabulous trip, but bittersweet, because our friend Tom Wiesmann died on Mixup Peak that weekend. Our son Tom was named in his memory.
very nice report! that is such an incredibly beautiful area, words fail to do it justice but the last part of the report comes close...
This area of the Cascades is unlike any other. Glaciers reach to high cols and interconnect, separated by craggy, beautiful spires. Far below, they tumble chaotically into lakes and deep valleys but above have benches with relatively crevasse free lanes for travel. Because the valleys are so deep and the walls so steep the views are spectacular. The view of the cirque from the Forbidden Glacier, across the north walls of Forbidden and Torment to the Inspiration Glacier and Eldorado is breathtaking. In the background, situated perfectly in the low point between Torment and Eldorado sit the north wall of Johannesburg and Glacier Peak. The view became forever imprinted inside my head as I watched the light slowly turn red and fade away Saturday evening.
Matt, I couldn't have said it any better myself. We have been planning the Eldorado Ice Cap Traverse, as so I call it, for the longest time. The land that lies right around the corner from Eldorado's famous east ridge was some of the most beautiful I have seen in the North Cascades. As I looked at my slides from the trip this morning, I remembered Saturday night, when the scenary was so amazing that I didn't even feel like shooting any pictures. It seemed better to capture it all as a mental image, one that you can never forget.
Does anyone know which issue of Couloir magazine featured that photo?
Joshua
It seemed better to capture it all as a mental image, one that you can never forget.
Some of my favorite and most treasured photos are neuro-chromes.
Lowell - making a decision to honor a friend's memory is very noble. Naming your son Tom is just about the highest honor possible.
Alan - none of the skiing is what I would consider difficult. The steepest slope was perhaps 35 degrees, but the steepest slopes were not exposed to cliffs or crevasses (with one potential exception: the traverse onto the North Klawatti Glacier was slightly steep and exposed, but really not overly so - it had a good sized runout before danger). We took axes, crampons, and rope but didn't use them except for our axes on the summit of Eldorado. Three days was just right for our plans. The first day is long and strenuous with a lot of elevation gain, but the next two were moderate, the second with day packs and third mostly downhill.
Does anyone know which issue of Couloir magazine featured that photo?
Volume V, number 4, Apr/May 1993.
In May, 1987 I skiied to Primus Peak with a visiting California skiier. then returned to Eldorado and exited via the west side of the ridge to Quien Sabe Glacier (not completely straightforward, requiring a rappel), and down the Boston Basin trail to the road. I'm not sure why we didn't cross Sahale Mtn and go down Sahale Arm. That seems like it would be a better exit. Is it possible to easily cross from Boston Glacier back over to the west side of the ridge?
This, along with the region south of Glacier Peak, is one of the few icecap areas in the North Cascades. AFAIK there's nowhere else like it in the 48 states.
This, along with the region south of Glacier Peak, is one of the few icecap areas in the North Cascades. AFAIK there's nowhere else like it in the 48 states.
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