Heather Pass, Lewis Lk, Wing Lk, Black Peak 8970’ (Aug 13-14, 2005)

I remembered being in this area of the North Cascades several years ago with a friend. The friend is no longer a friend, but the peak and area stayed on my mind. I had tried Black Pk way back then as a day trip but it got the better of me and at about 8100’ I petered out. This time around, I knew it was a strenuous trip so I allowed for two days. Kim was eager to join me because she had never been to the area.

Saturday morning we got an early start with Kim meeting me at my house on the north end at 6:30. We were quickly on the road to the long drive to Rainy Pass (Lk Ann TH 4800’). We found a spot in the very large lot and by 9:30 we were hiking up the well groomed Lk Ann trail. About ¾ mile in the trail splits (if you are looking at a USGS map you’ll notice that the trail up to Heather Pass is not marked…but then neither is Hwy20!...maybe it’s time to update the map with such a significant feature?). The left fork continues down to Lk Ann. We went right uphill to a series of switchbacks to Heather Pass (2 mi, 6100’).

We got our first glimpse of Lewis Lk, and Black Pk in the distance from Heather Pass. Gosh…I just don’t remember this area being quite so stunning the last time I was out here. We took a quick break at the pass, fighting off the initial attack of black flies. We gazed down across the boulder fields between us and Lewis Lk. I recalled a bit of a boot path mixed in with boulder hopping. It turned out to be just that. Initially the route follows a most excellent unmaintained “path” down toward the boulder field. The idea is to drop down below all the rock making travel easier. You end up loosing 500-600’ elevation with this strategy and it mostly works. Follow the boot path as it drops below the boulder field. Eventually you don’t have a choice but to boulder hop but the route is fairly well marked with cairns. I found that I’d reach a cairn and spend 30 seconds or so scouting out the next one. We leap-frogged across the boulders doing just this. There is another piece of path in the dirt, a minor gully crossing, more boulders and eventually a short stretch of “patch” as the route crosses the outlet to Lewis Lk (5702’). Upon reaching the lake (about 1.5 miles from the pass) I was stunned be the azure color of the lake, the sight of the massive terminal moraine above us, and Black Pk in the distance. It just doesn’t get much better than this! The trail rounds the right (north side) of Lewis Lk and it’s clear that the crowds lessen from this point on since the boot patch gets more narrow and rocky.

At the other side (west side) of Lewis Lk the path crossed a stream and then began 1.5 miles of a series of steep switchbacks and straight up trail as it headed up what I think is an old moraine and ends up at Wing Lk . The views of the old moraine are the most impressive views of a moraine I’d ever seen. The size of the rock pike is absolutely massive. The trail winds through a stretch of ripe wild blueberries so make sure to stop for a few minutes to take a breather and taste the sweet flavor of the berries.

Wing Lk (6905’) is a stunning azure colored lake at the base of Black Pk. It’s surrounded two sides by the flanks of Black Pk and the impressive ridge that connects Black Pk to Corteo Pk to the SE. It was a bit surprising that the moderate sized glaciers on the NE side of this ridge are all about gone. Even the Lewis Glacier is all but an ice cube clinging to the near vertical walls of the ridge. The glacier that surely engulfed the area must have been impressive. I wonder how long the ice has been gone. I kept wondering if anyone and hoping that someone must have pictures of the area when the ice had more of a presence. If anyone does, I’d love to see them at janetputz@yahoo.com.

There are a few good campsites at Wing Lk. We took the one right at the outlet of the lake. There are a few others further up the trail along the lakeshore and some even up on the small bumps surround the lake. There were a total of 15 hikers/climbers that spent the night at the lake but you’d never know it because were all squirreled away in our own nooks. We got in at a decent time 4pm-ish so we spent the afternoon gazing at our route the next day, watching the huge cascading waterfall off the southwest flank of the peak. Again, the USGS quad shows this as a minor glacier but it looked barely more than a snowfield. Kim watched the alpenglow on the peaks to the east. I found a friendly group of climbers from Canada and we chatted about the evils of Bush all evening. We all planned an early morning rise to beat the heat of the next day’s climb.

I was up at 6am and snapped a couple of great shots of the morning sun on Black Pk. Then we quickly made haste to gobble down some breakfast and get ready to head out of camp. By 7am we were set. We rounded Wing Lk to the east and north where we picked up a very nice climber’s path. The path leads up first straight up the stream that drains the now snow-free col. Near the head of the stream it crosses first over to your left, then right, then up a very steep straight up screen trail as it heads about 1 ¼ miles nearly due west of the lake to reach the ridge at the head of the col (8100’). This was likely the most unpleasant part of the trip. The path was full of loose dirt and scree on top of rock. The last 50’ were unpleasant but very do-able. From this point the route descriptions in various sources get sketchy. Most said “follow the south ridge to elevation X then traverse to the right to the NE ridge”. Eeek. What the climber’s path actually does is cross over to the NW side of the ridge/peak. From here follow the darned nice path through a series of ledges and gullies. You’ll want to head up what I believe is the 3rd gully. Bring a helmet. There is plenty of loose rock. With all the people on the mountain it’s highly likely there are people above and below (there were 6 above us and 3 below). Scramble up the gully (C3) and at the top of it is where you begin heading to your right as you go up. Again, there is a pretty darned good climber’s path to follow. Eventually you reach the summit block to the far right and the trickiest move of the day. There is a rising ledge that appears to overhang on the right of the summit block. It rounds the peak and leads to the top via yet another gully. Views are most excellent from Baker, Glacier, Rainier to the whole of the North Cascades. Our route down was generally the reverse of the up with the exception that we went down the 2nd gully (a bit steeper). Also, one we crossed over the ridge at 8100’ we stayed high and to the left to a better ‘trail’ down not-co-crappy rock back down toward the stream and Wing Lk. We quickly packed up and headed back down to Lewis Lk, up to Heather Pass and to the well deserved Lk Ann trail which got us back to the car around 6pm.

Oh...we found out how Wing Lk got it's name. Must be from all the wings belonging to all those darned biting horseflies!

Pics: 1st - Black Pk & Lewis Lk from Heather Pass. 2nd - Black Pk in the morning sun.

Stats: 5100’ gain & 13 miles round trip.

Doctor Messing and I visited Wing Lake and the col south of Black peak on a 3 day adventure.

Long drive to Rainy pass as usual, mitigated by scenery and anticipation. Nice warmup hike to Heather pass with plenty of marmots at the open basin before turning the corner to Lake Ann and up to Heather pass.

From Heather pass we prefer to take the ""snotty"" trail fragments that descend to Lewis lake(where ever possible), rather make a beeline across the long boulder field. Look for the boot paths down to the right in the trees instead of going into the boulders. Even so, there are still two significant boulder field crossings, and one dirty steep gully to traverse.

We crossed the outlet of Lewis and picked up the trail into the camps at this green silty lake below the Lewis glacier and Corteo pk.

Our research shows that it is now better to take the bootpath around the right side of Lewis lake(close on the north side) than to slog through the rockfields on the south side. Of course this is mostly because there is little or no snow to scoot around on. In spring or, even a typical July with more snow than we have now, it is much faster to just go in a straight line on the snow from Heather pass to Lewis lake. But not now with so little snow around. The route goes to Wing Lake from Lewis Lake , mostly following the edge of the giant moraines. Behold the glory of this fractured land.

Wing lake is snow free with the usual aprons of perma snow around the edges.

The route to the south col from Wing lake is fairly obvious. There is more than one way to proceed from the lake, but you will want to move to the right, onto the flanks of Black itself as you approach the south col. Once at or below the col, it may be better (again) to approach from the right, instead of trying to go straight up from below the col. The last stretch to the col is on ever steepening bare dirt and rock sprinkled with gravel . Not good. It is far easier when there is snow here than to hike up than the bare dirt and crap that is there now ( I have climbed Black this way twice with snow to this col).

Once near the col in the hellish bare dirt, there is a knob at the col, and it looks 1ike you can go left or right, or climb a class 3 chute up the middle. Our research showed the middle chute to be full of loose class 3 holds, and danger. The left option is also bad. You pretty much have to scramble up the bare dirt to the right to get to the col.

Once at the col south of Black, you will be stupefied with incredible wiews from Logan to the N/E to Goode, Dome, Glacier, Silver Star, etc etc.

The way to Black from here is on an obvious bootpath to the north, then gullys up and up.

Dr. Messing and I decided the south col was enough for us this time.

The way down from the col on the steep dirt was not fun. There are so few holds, and so much steep bare dirt/rock with gravel on it. Beware.

Re: bugs. They were bad, but not insane. Just be ready.

We may return earlier next year when snow and ice axes make Black peak a nice stair climb, thats the way Dr messing and I like it.

An osprey was sighted at wing lake, some ducks at Lewis. A few deer tracks, but it seems to me the big mammals dont get up to Wing Lk. too often. I guess they dont care about the great views.

Pics are of Wing And Lewis, and me and Goode, from the col south of Black.

I would like to thank Dr Messing for contributing his expertise to this mission.

Dishpan Gap Loop, 34 miles, 7226’ feet gain and 4 nights. This loop is mainly in the Henry M. Jackson wilderness.

We took the North Fork Skykomish River Road at the Index junction, off Hwy. 2, and arrived at the Quartz Creek-West Cady Ridge trail head in late afternoon. The trail begins in woods and gradually climbs to Curry Gap. There we found a campsite by the trail junction to Bald Eagle Mt., trail #650, with a spring nearby.

In the morning we headed toward Bald Eagle Mt. up steep switchbacks to ridge-top meadows, here the views begin. At 8.5 miles, just past Long John Mt., is a good campsite with a fresh running stream. At 11 miles is the trail junction to Blue Lake (no stock allowed). This side trip is well worth the effort. The view of Little Blue Lake and the bigger Blue Lake, from June Mt., doesn’t glimpse into the close-up beauty of these lakes. After a dip in the lake and a good nights sleep we hiked about 950’ feet, over the ridge, back to trail #650. On the ridge we had great views of Glacier Peak, Sloan Peak, Mt. Rainier and many more peaks. When we arrived at Dishpan Gap we took a side trip to Sauk Pass and beheld an exceptional view of Glacier Peak. After a bit of lunch we returned to the PCT and Lake Sally Ann where we settled into a fine hike-in camp ground (no stock allowed), at 16 miles. During the night we were awakened by a deer peaking into our tent.

The next day was short due to the morning rain and little motivation to leave our nice warm tent but we packed up when the rain stopped and hiked to Pass Creek at 20.6 miles and set up camp on a nice spot. Not long after, a PCT thru-hiker arrived heading south from BC. In the morning we shared coffee and stories then he headed off to Stevens Pass.

On our last day we took switchbacks up the PCT to the West Cady Ridge, trail #1054. At 23.5 miles is a short trail to the summit of Bench Mark Mt. with great views and a summit register. The camps on the ridge are plenty but the water comes from occasional tarns which are small and stale. We filled up with water at a stream right before Saddle Gap with the intention of hiking the 10 miles and 2176’ feet gain out.

I am always amazed at the awesome wilderness experience that can be had so close to home. This was a worth while backpack with views, wildlife, trails in great condition and, due to the low snow fall this year, not a bit of snow on the trail.

We left the trailhead at 10AM or so. There were two dozen cars or so. The hike to Lake Ann is quick and easy. We continued on up to Heather Pass and then ventured across the rocks to Lewis Lake. Quite a few fish were visible, but we couldn't get any to bite. We headed back to Heather Pass and then up to Maple Pass. No snow was encountered until you hit the top of the ridgeline on the way up to Maple Pass. The views were great from the ridge top. The side of the loop that continues down toward Rainy Lake is much steeper than the side that brings you into Lake Ann. I'm glad we went clockwise like we did. We were back to the car at 5PM.

Bugs were moderate. Quite tolerable with some good DEET. I was surprised at how many people we enountered later in the day. This must be a relatively popular hike.