Mt Goode, Storm King: a gentleman climber's perspective

[E_$]

Make no mistake, at my core is pure dirtbag. Just like a bad apple, I fell out of a family tree whose branches include two illustrious tribes of unkempt Polacks and unwashed Gypsies. Years as a graduate student honed my thrifty ways until I'd perfected a too-comfortable routine of subsidized (and insured) dirtbag alpinism. However, the minor miracle of gainful employment in recent years has taken off a few rough edges. I'm not averse to the big uncomfortable enduro push, but more and more it seems mountain sorties lean toward an enjoyable pace. For these trips we put on airs of genteel travel--we become gentlemen climbers. With that in mind, a week ago Jon and I traded a few dollars for time, which translated to the comforts of greater convenience and enjoyability.

Mt Goode is a long way back. A proper gentleman eschews sweaty miles by foot, and rather employs car, bus and plane (bonus points for helicopter).


Despite our efforts, some walking--and perhaps even some suffering--was required. 13 miles by trail (temps exceeded 100F in Stehekin that day), a big polite bear, a few bazillion impolite biting flies and skeeters, brush (including nettles(?!--odd microclimate)), a stream fording at high water, more brush and steep slabs, and we finally arrived at beautiful bivy #1 on the NE side of Goode. We marveled at the incivility of it all.

Phase two of the approach, and the climb from the wrong side of N Fork Bridge Creek


Morning view of Mt Logan from just above our bivy


Day 2, our porters were still on strike, so we put everything on our backs and wound our way through the Goode Glacier and onto the rock
(Jon's photo of me)

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The climb goes on for some 2,800 vertical feet; when you hit the summit, there's >2x that (6000') to the valley below.







Jon's pic:

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The summit views are unspeakable and 360. Difficult to adequately capture the incredible sea of Cascades visible from this well-situated 9200' peak. One meager attempt includes Buckner, Forbidden, and Eldorado:


We then descended to beautiful bivy #2 on the other side of the mountain. The next day we climbed 8520' Storm King (included chossy fun) which afforded a nice view of the previous day's climb, the buttress toeing down to bottom left:


The evil Storm King, and its summit pinnacle rock (Jon is pulling rap ropes bottom right):




Then we packed up and headed down for another long ungentlemanly slog to wonderful Stehekin, where lake swims, showers, and fine food awaited. A thoroughly enjoyed 3 days! Thanks Jon.

27-29 July 2010

[skykilo]

Well done, Professor Beau. I love those views. No avy debris for the North Fork crossing?

[casruff]

Nice Eric!! What a cool trip.

[E_$]

no avy debris--though it appeared an easier ford could happen further upriver where it braids a bit.

one of those trips where you cover a bunch of ground in a bit of a blur, such that it takes a while to seep into your consciousness afterward...writing it up is one way to anchor the memory.

i posted a few other pics taken before and during the trip here

[jplotz]

Sounds like this bear was much more of a gentleman than the unruly Ursus you met on Mowich.

[Diamond Dachshund]

Sick Line. I've always wanted to get up there. Nice aerial recon.

[danhelmstadter]

hats off to you sir