NE Ridge of Black Peak

The day after our climb in the WA Pass area we headed back to Rainy Pass, a few miles west of WA Pass. There we began the hike into the NE Ridge of Black Peak via the Lake Ann Trailhead. Black Peak is a reasonable 1 day objective from Rainy Pass.

(Black Peak from Heather Pass. The NE Ridge follows the right hand skyline.)

We chose this route for it's accessibility and the opportunity to climb a long alpine ridge with moderate technical challenge. It's position in this part of the range affords excellent views of the peaks in Boston Basin and throughout the rest of the remote North Cascades.

(Justin leading low on the NE Ridge)

We started the day a little later than expected (7:30 am) due to everyone's need for a good night's sleep. One aspect of this preparation and the exam that cannot go overlooked is the need for an adequate amount of rest and relaxation between climbs. Days in the mountains are long and tough on the mind and body. Maintaining proper energy levels is essential for performance and safety in alpine terrain.

The 5 mile approach crosses over Heather Pass and we got our first view of the peak. Unfortunately, the trail then drops a few hundred feet and traverses alongside a few lakes before rising again steeply to the base of the NE Ridge. Plenty of talus walking along the way.

(Pat coiling in higher up on the NE Ridge)

The climb starts off quite loose, but the rock quality improves as you progress upwards. We climbed primarily on the left side of the crest of the ridge which narrows and poses a few "knife-edge" ridge traverse challenges. All in all a great climb.

We descended the South Ridge and headed back to the car. Tomorrow we head for a 2 day climb on Mt. Shuksan. We've had great weather so far but it looks like things might be deteriorating come Thursday........

(View from the top of Black Peak)