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- Aug 19, 2013
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The Isolation that is Glacier Peak
For years guiding in the cascades, people always ask, “What’s that big peak out there?” Generally without even looking I know they are asking about Glacier Peak, the most remote of the Cascade Volcanoes. Various road and trail washouts over the past few years have made access to this 10,541’ summit tricky. This past week however, I was able to finally get out there and see what challenges Glacier Peak’s slopes provided.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=3751f88febe2682c83a022bc5ba988c6 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=bc41d33d90adcf4e63fe60b0a7eba5f7 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=5df2d5042786066e16bfa6db098a97c0 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=e9fdb9d46826d9a2686640a09242d3e6 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=a88ade649ea34bd15a544523906a1105 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6aca1cfb50743f4396bc7ee9661e7281 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=4ccb444bbb4ef0d072c7313b1d82302e 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=70a44e53d9ff80d6523c39ac8013dfa6 576w)
Glacier Peak. Alan Rousseau photo
After meeting up with John and Greg early on July 28th we headed to Second Ascent, for the ritual gear check, and Café Fiore for my ritual pre-drive caffination. After a 2.5 hour drive we stood at the Sloan Creek Campground; the end of the driving and the start to our walking. Since most of that final hour of driving had been on dirt forest service roads we already felt the remote nature of our upcoming climb.
The first couple hours of our trek led us through old growth cedar on a nicely maintained trail. Although the summit of Glacier is over 10,000 ft we were walking at a modest elevation of 2,100 ft. This provided us with the opportunity to see a diversity of flora and fauna, ranging from skunk cabbage and banana slugs to red snow algae and mountain goats.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=7394f195cfa1bfb4a8b26ebda61299c7 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2eda041a153a6d7ec4e96ea3d20e498f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=38b4982628b00872bd225a95242ac29e 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d5522abd223fcffa26e32ffe63248a8f 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=8bc441aa847e71400a1e848775a8b5f9 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=fe7c5529b727d20ed5467cf555cfbe48 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=386ddf38448c798d94d353559120a190 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=5f49aed0020d41ae7aae22f258142686 576w)
Happy Climbers. Alan Rousseau photo
Our relatively flat walk for the first 5 miles was pleasant to say the least, however we knew we had a total of approximately 10,000 ft more to gain to get to the top of Glacier. When we hit Mackinaw shelter and began our climb up the south slope of Red Mountain towards the Pacific Crest Trail, it finally started to feel like we were climbing a mountain! Over the next 3 miles we gained 3,000 ft and the roar of the Sauk Rivers’ North fork quieted to a whisper as it became a thin line far below us. Before stopping for the evening at White Pass we joined in with the Pacific Crest Trail and found a nice meadow in which to camp that provided plenty of water.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=7f3c3a7546474045b9790faebfb37499 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=67199e961beff7420b231502a6f3a0ce 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=09777895d20778c2a8c4843ab6856d52 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=54b613840439cf6107ead1f01c3384cc 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=5594930c15298dd283853d8b581270b6 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=e55c85f3cbbadb00d2e2485466de17a1 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=fc97079e2bfae063cfa7f2ff07e5b2eb 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=982c081311407161fb0e1205a7a9f896 1024w)
Alan Rousseau photo
The next day we headed onto the Foam Creek Trail, and had a deceptively hard day of cross-country travel. Although we would only end the day 1200 ft higher than when we started it, we had 5 passes to gain to hit our sleeping spot at Glacier Gap. Heading across the White Chuck Glacier was a testament to climate change. I found myself in boulder fields where maps printed 30 years ago suggested I was on the heart of a glacier. Despite the less than speedy terrain, we hit Glacier Gap at 2 pm and settled in for a few hours of relaxation in the sun before dinner and an early bedtime.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=0e0839ff9e491a070f4411758d4d21dc 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=1d213a87ceb7cec2ebc16083a2f08807 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=6494b40ed6bc5d82fb59feadb700fa1d 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=c71dbe924f5a33d080d9fa6378970591 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=540fbc97bf8c91091d140e8caf20b8df 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=36a22ffc4d78b79dbe3f6adfe5b5e375 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=25121b5ec24db19afd7047b90cffcaad 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=f0cccfbca8a741c42a6c5036b26f21c1 576w)
Alan Rousseau photo
At 3:30 am the alarm went off and I began boiling up some water for our summit day coffee, and breakfast. Despite two hard days of walking, John and Greg were ready to go. We were all pleasantly surprised by a nice overnight refreeze that left the snow perfect for cramponing. We moved across the Gerdine and Cool Glaciers quickly with minimal crevasse danger. The final climb began up a pumice ridge from the Disappointment Glacier Col and after a few hundred vertical feet it returned to steep snow for the final few hundred feet to gain the summit of Glacier Peak! We all agreed that the transitions between pumice and snow and the relatively moderate angle for the majority of the day made for not only a perfect summit day but also made the ascent and descent equally enjoyable.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=48cfd0a06eaf3b93948d9c1b2b158427 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e5d1cb3f6a1b5f67ff1ae6426b4085ce 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=80755850a83b69518230fbd5709e136b 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=1b758697bd438c0f70ac1543762372de 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=411c74e97df2f82e99fb50e48d0ec03c 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=8b54d68b634f2b8110d486150bce3268 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=6d013071d2ef82e535184947a05cfd41 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=2043c83d10fd4789a0ca715876a59ff0 1024w)
Alan Rousseau photo
Our team returned to Glacier Gap and spent the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine; feeling the accomplishment of traveling over 20 miles and gaining 10,000 ft to achieve the summit.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=9da134ce11a0415af7caaaec4b314a74 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=adf2c58139c22a8344f3d85ff32e4e6f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=01c596f118c993d2c1eae365c4fb5e73 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=80df7d67c5935c1dfeb9f72c94dfc314 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=c07d34f205561cbd0ba86539f885353b 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=cd5e3d73a54707580cbf3e50c45f6cfe 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=442366ec5c8eada4bd52310980416cb5 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fglacieralan7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=bf42f67ef0e1082a630e67adddca7a64 1024w)
Alan Rousseau photo
For the next two days we took our time as we reversed our route back to the North Fork of the Sauk. Every morning a low valley cloud layer provided us with a beautiful undercast as we descended into on our final day. Time to get back to the car and return to the rest of the world.
~ MM Guide Alan Rousseau