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IBEXtrax.com - Cascade Mountains of Washington StateGlacier Peak Wilderness, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Forest |
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06 019 Bachelor Ck crossing Tom B. (306k)
06 020 Steeple Spinster Bachelor Meadows. (204k)
06 021 Mule Lake Camp Tom B. (295k)
06 022 The Steeple The Spinster of Bachelor Meadows (217k)
Rising above the steep green slopes of Bachelor Meadow is a sharp dark pyramid that stands alone on the ridge crest. The climbers named it Spinster but later learned it was The Steeple.
06 023 The Marmot Back Tom B. (129k)
06 024 Warren step on The Spinster of Bachelor Meadows (338k)
Within the higher levels of advanced technical rock climbing, the climbers reached a skill level that enters the realm of the artist. With the rare expertise of a ballet dancer, the rock climber flows from hold to hold and exhibits a sense of balance seldom seen but in the alpine world. An important key to maintaining an artistic flow is to never over extend your reach or choose a foot hold that makes you step above your knee.
06 025 Climbing The Steeple Tom B. (182k)
06 026 Warren on The Steeple with Glacier Pk. (132k)
06 027 Tom B on The Steeple with Spire Gl (273k)
This view to the east from the summit of The Steeple is occupied by the Spire Glacier. The Spire Glacier is the largest ice remnant to feed the downey Creek drainage. Streams such as Downey Creek lie in straight deep glacial troughs which head in large two story cirques with floors from 2500ft to 4000ft. Often higher cirques like this have floors from 4500ft to 6000ft and hold hanging ice typical of the North Cascades area.
06 028 Across Spire Ck to Eldorado Johannesburg Formidable (220k)
Looking north from The Steeple and beyond Spire Ck and the brush chocked upper reaches of Downey Ck is an example of the vast variety of climbing terrain found in the North Cascades. In line with the notch that heads Slim Lk is the white triangle of Eldorado Pk that offers a glacier approach and an exposed snow arete. Johannesburg Mtn is a rock climb on steep chutes of Skagit Gneiss. Mt Formidable is a mixed climb.
06 029 Tom B descends with Mt Buckindy area (296k)
On the descent of The Steeple and before the climbers dropped down into Bachelor Meadows, they found a good view across Downey Creek to the Mt Buckindy Area. The rust colored reddish rocks tell of metamorphic change from heat and pressure from the nearby plutonic mass of Snowking Mountain. Centered here is Mt Misch that honors the U-dub geologist Peter Misch who contributed much to North Cascade geology.
06 030 Bachelor Meadows Above Mule Lake. (256k)
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