Alpine Scramble - Big Chiwaukum

Big Chiwaukum is class-3 scramble (mostly T4 with one short T5 section). The scramble route to Snowgrass Mountain is T2/T3 when approaching from the south, and there is also a T4/T5 variation if you traverse along the ridgeline from Big Chiwaukum to Snowgrass Mountain.

General Plan 

• Day 1 - Take maintained trail to base camp at Lake Grace. (9.4 miles, 4000' of gain). If the group has energy, and there is plenty of daylight, we can summit Big Chiwaukum and/or Snowgrass Mountain (Another 5 miles and 3,000' of gain)
• Day 2 - Get an early start & tag Big Chiwaukum and Snowgrass Mountain. If we happen to climb both peaks the day before, we can have a leisure morning before hiking out.

Do not contact or request permission until registration opens. This route requires navigation skills, good physical conditioning, and some experiences traveling on loose screes/boulder fields.   We won't go crazy fast on this trip, but we will hike and climb efficiently. When requesting leader permission, please share with me the following information:

• You should have completed at least one S5, T5 scramble this season, and basic rock/basic alpine climbs count too. Be sure to share with me S5 & T5 rock scrambles and/or basic rock climbs you have done in the past.
• Your level of recent conditioning, past backcountry camping experience. In regard to hiking conditioning, let me know what climb/scramble/hike you have done in the last few months that exceeded 10 hrs, 12 miles, or 5000' of gain in a single day. If you have questions, please reach out :)
• Big Snow Mountain will be the back-up plan if smoke forecast doesn't look good for Central Cascades. Please let me know if you are on board with the back-up option.

8AM @ White Pine Trailhead. You will need a NW Forest Pass or Interagency Pass to park at this trailhead.  Note: There is no vault toilet at this TH.

Optional Carpool: 6AM at Bothell P&R.