Vesper Peak — Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

I made my second attempt at getting atop beautiful Vesper Peak three weeks after failing to summit due to lack of time. My friend and I were determined to be successful this time and ventured out from the trailhead at a not-so-early time of 9:30am. We broke through into Wirtz basin in about 45 minutes and once again stood in awe of our beautiful surroundings. Shortly after entering the basin, we reached an accessible stream, flowing out from a snow cave which sat below a pleasant waterfall. This snow-cave actually retreated about 150-200 feet over 3 weeks from all of the nice weather!! After cooling off for a bit, we headed up to Headlee Pass, and climbed the pass to get our first view of Vesper Peak. One thing to mention is that this is easily one of the rockiest trails I've ever been on in 30 years of hiking. Loose, ankle-twisting rockiness. It is also downright gorgeous, from beginning to end. Worth every sore and painful muscle that may result from the unevenness of the trail. After crossing the moderately flowing stream coming down from Vesper Lake (or Lake Elan I guess??), we were hiking in exciting, new territory with every step!! I absolutely love that feeling!! We continued to follow the trail until finally running into snow approximately 500 feet from the summit. At this point, we ditched our hiking poles for our axes. We also joined up with a solo hiker and ascended the remaining distance together. While I do not believe that ice axes are absolutely mandatory for the final snowfield, I certainly recommend having them in your possession!! It is a moderately steep angle with boulders jutting out in random areas. The summit rewarded us with some of the best views I've ever seen...countless peaks, three beautiful lakes, and a heartbeat stopping gaze down the sheer, north-side face of Vesper. And one of the best parts of the whole trip...glissading back down to where the snow meets the dirt!!! If glissading, be careful of continuing exposed boulders and rock as you exhilaratingly slide down the snow, saving a good chunk of time in the process!! This trail beat me up, mostly due to the rocky terrain, but make no mistake, it was one of the most gorgeous and diverse hikes I've ever experienced.