Malemute Peak Trip Report 06/28/2011

Peak(s):	Malemute Peak - 13,318 feet Leahy Peak - 13,331 feet "Electric Pass Peak" - 13,632 feet
Date Posted:	06/28/2011
Modified:	08/24/2011
Date Climbed:	06/26/2011
Author:	Floyd
Additional Members:	Chicago Transplant, cheeseburglar

Glissading the Elks
Partners: Chicago Transplant/Cheeseburglar 6/26/11 Malemute Pk 13,348 Rk 354 Leahy Pk 13,322 NR "Electric Pass Pk" 13,635 Rk 177 ~13 miles / 5,800 ft. Mike and I left the American Lakes TH at 5:00 am and drove my car over to the Cathedral Lakes TH to meet Craig. Not sure if we would need the 2nd car, but we'd wait and see how the day panned out. We were off around 5:30 and made our way to Cathedral Lake. There was maybe 2 or 3 small patches of snow along the switchbacks to the headwall. After making our way through the willows to the south side of the lake, Mike and I put our crampons on, Craig was sans-crampons for the day. I was having problems with the ones I got this Spring staying on my boots and I was hoping that my adjustments before we left would solve them. They didn't. My spikes fell off maybe 10 feet after putting them on. I tried to make them work, but it seems that my LaSportiva boots don't have a toe-ridge needed for BD Cyborgs. I'll be returning my spikes for some new ones to get ready for next weekend. Anyways, Craig/I now had to rely on Mike for all of our kicks steps. This worked well for Craig, but my size 14s required a little more for purchase so I was kicking 4 or 5 times to get anything. My toes still hurt. Cathedral Malemute - Initial Ascent Route is seen above Mike Craig heading up Malemute (photo by Mike) Looking down route (photo by Mike) Anyways, we went up a fairly steep snow field from Cathedral Lake to gain our chosen route for the day - Lordhelmut's ski route from 05/09 (TR on this site). Mike/Craig were patient to wait for me while I continuously kicked into the snow. We regrouped at the point where the route takes a swing to the right before continuing to the left. Mike followed the snow, Craig crossed another snow field to join the W. Ridge. I had enough of the snow so I went straight up the rock. Aside from a Class 3 crux, I would say that it worked well if you like a Class 2 mess of shifting scree/talus/boulders ready to fall down the mountain at the slightest touch. I hit the summit a few minutes after the 2 of them and we discussed our descent options. Castle/Conundrum from Malemute A couple of Pearls Cathedral from Malemute Electric Pass Peak from Malemute We chose to descend the West Ridge (easy class 2) to the saddle and then glissade back to Cathedral Lake. I grazed a small refrigerator-sized rock with my hand and sent it flying down the north face - Made some noise that echoed through the valley. Once to the saddle, we enjoyed a great glissade down to the upper basin. The snow held up well as we walked to the top of the steep slope that descended to Cathedral Lake. We descended a shorter gully to the north of our ascent; during the descent I realized that there was moving water under us. I shouted to the others just as Mike was completing his glissade. He arrested just shy of some rocks, but as he stood his feet punched through and he was now standing in a waterfall - funny stuff. I chose to descend standing to avoid any unnecessary swimming. We made it back to the lake at noon and began discussing our options for Electric Pass Peak (EPP). Starting our descent from Malemute Me about to enter the snowfield (Photo by Craig) Me entering the snowfield (Photo by Craig) Mike about to glissade off Malemute (Photo by Craig) Me glissading off of Malemute (Photo by Craig) Leahy from Cathedral Lake Cathedral (Again) A look back on Malemute (descent was right gully) After negotiating the willows, we tried to follow the trail as best we could but soon lost it in the snow. From there it was a matter of choosing a path of least resistance through soft snow/willows until we could get to the grassy south slopes of Leahy Peak. We made the summit around 2:00. We didn't spend much time there before hiking over to EPP. Word of advice, don't follow the trail. It takes you south of the summit and peters out somewhere toward the ridge w/ Cathedral. From the trial, we had about 200 feet of miserably loose scree directly to the summit. Willow bashing up Leahy Castle/Cathedral from Leahy Cathedral Lake and Malemute (left) from Leahy Craig gets a head start to EPP Now, 2 options, we knew the trip back to Cathedral Lake would be a nightmare but the hike out from there would be pretty easy. We took a peek down the northeast side of EPP and saw continuous snow all the way to American Lake and most of it glissade-able. We'd have to figure out the trail once down there. Once again, we were treated to some great runs down to about 12,500 feet. Brian, took this one for you. New Line off Cathedral, careful of the cornice at the top. Cathedral Lake Cirque from EPP Elk 14ers Conundrum Creek Basin Cathedral Lake from EPP American Lake Basin and Pt. 12,060 A look over to Hayden (Thankfully not ranked) Northen Sawatch Glissade Paths off EPP (1st is line from saddle on ridge, 2nd is off rightmost continuous line from upper basin) Problem was we really didn't get our bearings down in the valley and just started descending - so the bushwhack was on. Unfortunately, after meandering through snowy deadfall for about 45 minutes we found that a very steep gorge separated us from the trail. We went back up 100 vertical feet to a point where we could safely descend to the creek bed and then made our way back up the trail. It was about 4:30 at this point. It turns out that we were only about 5 minutes below the lake so we still had pretty much all of the 3.5 miles to Mike's car at the TH. The American Lakes trail is still very snowy and is going to require a ton of grooming with all of the deadfall blocking quick passage. It also seems to have just as much uphill as down on the way out until you finally start to switchback down to the TH - which means you are in snow for probably 2 of the 3.5 miles from the lake. On the upside, it is a very nice trail as that is an extremely lush basin. Kind of reminds me of the Gores. We were all back at the TH around 5:30. Good day out with great company. I learned after the fact that Mike had a run in with a tree almost falling on his car during the drive out of the Castle Creek Rd. So he had a little more excitement after he got off the mountains. Mike and Craig on hike out Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Glissading the Elks

Partners: Chicago Transplant/Cheeseburglar

6/26/11

Malemute Pk 13,348 Rk 354
Leahy Pk 13,322 NR
"Electric Pass Pk" 13,635 Rk 177

~13 miles / 5,800 ft.

Mike and I left the American Lakes TH at 5:00 am and drove my car over to the Cathedral Lakes TH to meet Craig. Not sure if we would need the 2nd car, but we'd wait and see how the day panned out. We were off around 5:30 and made our way to Cathedral Lake. There was maybe 2 or 3 small patches of snow along the switchbacks to the headwall. After making our way through the willows to the south side of the lake, Mike and I put our crampons on, Craig was sans-crampons for the day. I was having problems with the ones I got this Spring staying on my boots and I was hoping that my adjustments before we left would solve them. They didn't. My spikes fell off maybe 10 feet after putting them on. I tried to make them work, but it seems that my LaSportiva boots don't have a toe-ridge needed for BD Cyborgs. I'll be returning my spikes for some new ones to get ready for next weekend. Anyways, Craig/I now had to rely on Mike for all of our kicks steps. This worked well for Craig, but my size 14s required a little more for purchase so I was kicking 4 or 5 times to get anything. My toes still hurt.

Malemute - Initial Ascent Route is seen above Mike

Craig heading up Malemute (photo by Mike)

Anyways, we went up a fairly steep snow field from Cathedral Lake to gain our chosen route for the day - Lordhelmut's ski route from 05/09 (TR on this site). Mike/Craig were patient to wait for me while I continuously kicked into the snow. We regrouped at the point where the route takes a swing to the right before continuing to the left. Mike followed the snow, Craig crossed another snow field to join the W. Ridge. I had enough of the snow so I went straight up the rock. Aside from a Class 3 crux, I would say that it worked well if you like a Class 2 mess of shifting scree/talus/boulders ready to fall down the mountain at the slightest touch. I hit the summit a few minutes after the 2 of them and we discussed our descent options.

We chose to descend the West Ridge (easy class 2) to the saddle and then glissade back to Cathedral Lake. I grazed a small refrigerator-sized rock with my hand and sent it flying down the north face - Made some noise that echoed through the valley. Once to the saddle, we enjoyed a great glissade down to the upper basin. The snow held up well as we walked to the top of the steep slope that descended to Cathedral Lake. We descended a shorter gully to the north of our ascent; during the descent I realized that there was moving water under us. I shouted to the others just as Mike was completing his glissade. He arrested just shy of some rocks, but as he stood his feet punched through and he was now standing in a waterfall - funny stuff. I chose to descend standing to avoid any unnecessary swimming. We made it back to the lake at noon and began discussing our options for Electric Pass Peak (EPP).

Me about to enter the snowfield (Photo by Craig)

Me entering the snowfield (Photo by Craig)

Mike about to glissade off Malemute (Photo by Craig)

Me glissading off of Malemute (Photo by Craig)

A look back on Malemute (descent was right gully)

After negotiating the willows, we tried to follow the trail as best we could but soon lost it in the snow. From there it was a matter of choosing a path of least resistance through soft snow/willows until we could get to the grassy south slopes of Leahy Peak. We made the summit around 2:00. We didn't spend much time there before hiking over to EPP. Word of advice, don't follow the trail. It takes you south of the summit and peters out somewhere toward the ridge w/ Cathedral. From the trial, we had about 200 feet of miserably loose scree directly to the summit.

Cathedral Lake and Malemute (left) from Leahy

Now, 2 options, we knew the trip back to Cathedral Lake would be a nightmare but the hike out from there would be pretty easy. We took a peek down the northeast side of EPP and saw continuous snow all the way to American Lake and most of it glissade-able. We'd have to figure out the trail once down there. Once again, we were treated to some great runs down to about 12,500 feet.

Brian, took this one for you. New Line off Cathedral, careful of the cornice at the top.

A look over to Hayden (Thankfully not ranked)

Glissade Paths off EPP (1st is line from saddle on ridge, 2nd is off rightmost continuous line from upper basin)

Problem was we really didn't get our bearings down in the valley and just started descending - so the bushwhack was on. Unfortunately, after meandering through snowy deadfall for about 45 minutes we found that a very steep gorge separated us from the trail. We went back up 100 vertical feet to a point where we could safely descend to the creek bed and then made our way back up the trail. It was about 4:30 at this point. It turns out that we were only about 5 minutes below the lake so we still had pretty much all of the 3.5 miles to Mike's car at the TH. The American Lakes trail is still very snowy and is going to require a ton of grooming with all of the deadfall blocking quick passage. It also seems to have just as much uphill as down on the way out until you finally start to switchback down to the TH - which means you are in snow for probably 2 of the 3.5 miles from the lake. On the upside, it is a very nice trail as that is an extremely lush basin. Kind of reminds me of the Gores. We were all back at the TH around 5:30. Good day out with great company. I learned after the fact that Mike had a run in with a tree almost falling on his car during the drive out of the Castle Creek Rd. So he had a little more excitement after he got off the mountains.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

jameseroni	Nice 6/28/2011 2:47pm We were just up in this area and noticed these surrounding peaks. There are so many neat little bonus peaks in this area. What a beautiful day
Chicago Transplant	Fun Day 6/28/2011 3:24pm Another fun adventure with good friends! Somewhere there actually is an American Lake hiding in all those trees... or so I've been told. Oh well, at least we didn't end up bushwhacking to Ashcroft.
Papillon	Loose Spikes 6/28/2011 5:39pm I've had crampon issues twice this year and my confidence has been absolutely shaken. Thanks for the beta on Malemute. That basin begs to be revisited. Cathedral still looks good too. Sounds like you guys had a good day out with good company. Can't ask for anything more.
Gopherboy	Awesome Photos 6/28/2011 10:19pm I'll be in that area in two weeks. Your photos have me more eager than ever to get out there.
d_baker	The Pearl? 6/29/2011 12:47am That picture for Brian looks like the Pearl, maybe? It's been on my mind to climb someday. Regardless, nice outing folks! Scot, good luck with finding a crampon for your boot.
Floyd	Thanks for the replies 6/29/2011 4:23am Pap/Darrin, I went and exchanged the spikes today. Have my fingers crossed for next weekend but confident the new ones will work fine. Darrin, I didn't realize it had a name, but it is a beautiful line. Right up to the point that you hit the big cornice covering the top. Gopher/James, beautiful area for sure. I couldn't help but admire Malemute during a Cathedral climb a few years ago. Interesting summit since you are in the middle of those giants. Mike, Glad I wasn't navigating, I may have just said ”To hell with it” and pointed us downhill towards Ashcroft.
lordhelmut	Malemute 6/30/2011 2:05am is a nice compliment to its spirey neighbor Cathedral. Although a popular day hike, this underrated basin has some massive potential for people from all walks of life. Those pics make that willow bashing session to Leahy look like an admirable endeavor. I climbed Leahy back in 2003 by accident. I'd go as far to say that peak sparked my interest in alpine climbing while working for the postal service over college summer break in Aspen. Thanks for the nostalgia
Matt	Getting your money's worth 6/30/2011 2:18am You're really making the most of your weekends, Scot. Well done, guys.
cheeseburglar	cool 6/30/2011 3:53am basin. I think I'll be going back there. Scot- no beujous in Glenwood anymore but Rib City does a 30 minute man v food with their platter for two. Shouldn't be a problem for you, but I think the prize is only a t shirt.
Floyd	Thanks again, 6/30/2011 2:32pm Brian, mercifully the willows were only knee/shin high - easier than the soupy snow fields. Matt, my time in the hills is limited, might as well try 2 peaks/day. Let's head up sometime. Craig, sounds like the Elks just moved up the priority list. Although a t-shirt is pretty weak prize.

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