7,752’, Washington Pass Grade III , 5.8 Rock Reference & Data • • • • Jurisdiction: Okanogan National Forest • Ranger Station: Mazama Visitor Center / 509-996-2534 • Equipment: Medium rack & cams for pockets. Ice ax & crampons in early season. • USGS Maps: Washington Pass, Silver Star Mountain • Beckey: Cascade Alpine Guide III (2nd Edition), pp. 310-311. Time Elevation gain/loss Mileage • Seattle to TH 4 hrs 5,100’ 170 • Cars to climb 2-3 hrs +1,900’ • Climb to summit 4 hrs +800’ • Summit to cars 4 hrs -2,472’ Approach • • • • • • • • • • • Drive I-5 N, take exit 232 (Cook Road) at Burlington, turning east to Sedro Wooley and State Route 20. Continue to Washington Pass, then descend .5 mile east from the pass to the road hairpin with ample parking on gravel. From the highway hairpin ascend valley SW to Kangaroo Pass, visible from highway. The route trends to the right of most timber (a path in places) and crosses several talus slopes before gaining a small lake on a bench below the pass. At Kangaroo Pass (1 to 2 hours), the objective can be seen E from a rock outcrop to the left . (see map on p. 292, CAG III). Kangaroo Temple is the first prominent peak, separated from the Wallaby mass above it by a sharp notch. The photo on p. 307 of CAG III shows the route to the climb. Drop down about 50 ft. from the pass and contour along the lower edge of the slabs of Wallaby, between Kangaroo Pass and Kangaroo Temple, toward that notch. If the tread is lost in some of the shrubby stands of fir or pine, regain it skirting the base of obvious slabs. At the chute from the notch N of KT, leave tread to traverse and descend to the base of the climb. Climbing Route • • • • • Two routes of similar difficulty exist on this face with variations. CAG, between the two editions, is confusing over route locations. Below is described left and right routes which share the same direct start but diverge near the end of pitch 2. Higher starting variations miss the slab’s high quality granite and delightful friction. Right: Pitch 1, 180+’, (use long ropes, may require 2nd to climb slightly) starts just up from the toe of the slab where one can scramble up to some small cracks and edges to place a belay. Angle to the left end of an arched roof where a rusty 1/4 inch bolt “protects” moves up steps along the left side and about 20’ higher, a 3/8 inch bolt protects friction and face climbing aiming toward the prominent pine at a roomy belay, 5.8. Pitch 2 continues directly up chimneys and cracks, bypassing one narrow chimney on the face right and continues to a small tree, 160’, 5.7 to 5.8. Description truncated due to size limitation. See the Intermediate climbs guide for a complete description. Descent • • • • • • • • • • • Scramble out the ridge N from the summit until a bolt rappel anchor is reached. An 80 foot rappel reaches the next anchor on a ledge. A final 165’ rappel reaches the base of the N Face route. Comments • • • • • • • • • On the right variation, pitches 6 and 7 climb through loose rock and sand. All this material is effectively funneled to the chimney below on pitch 6. To avoid being in a debris shower, rope 2 advised to wait in relative safety at the belay until rope 1 completes the relatively quick pitches 6 and 7 before starting pitch 6. In early season snow cover on the starting slab can reach nearly to the first bolt.

Mentor group climb