Alpine Scramble - Frigid Mountain, Big Lou & Big Slide

A Plan B trip due to bad weather for Plan A, Mt Mystery.

The 4 of us left the Chatter Creek TH at 8:30am.  We cross Chatter Creek on a good bridge about a mile in and continue on a nice, shaded trail.

After about another mile (4550') we easily hop a couple rocks to cross Chatter Creek again.  Soon we need to cross another branch of the creek.  This one not as easy.  I carefully crawl across on a log while the others change into Crocs to cross.  I do this on the return as it's much easier.  Photo  taken on the return.From here, it's about .15 miles to where we'll leave the trail and start a steep ascent to the basin where we're planning to spend the night.  It's a decent bootpath with not much brush that parallels a branch of Chatter Creek  heading northeast.    Somewhere before 6000' we break out of the forest and start up a bouldery gully.  The views of the Enchantments are lovely.At 5800' we hit firm snow, but we're able to stay off it most of the time by staying on the bootpath at the edge of the gully.There are occasional cairns to mark the way.  Almost to the basin.Looking down the gully.  The views just keep getting better.We arrive at the snow filled basin at 6400', but there is no running water so we continue up the basin.  At 6600' we find a great area to camp off snow with running water next to us and stunning views.After setting up camp and some rest time, we start for Frigid Mtn around 3pm.  It's about a half mile/800' gain away from us.Looking back at camp.Heading straight for the snow covered saddle and then a left turn will take us to the summit.Looking back at the route we'll take tomorrow for Big Lou and Big Slide.What you see from the summit.Big Lou and Big Slide.After spending about a hour on the summit, we head back to the saddle and down the steep face to our camp.    In the below photo, Big Jim is the big peak on climber's right.   Big Jim and Big Lou are named for the Whitaker brothers.Next day we're off a little before 8am, heading for the 7000' saddle that will take us to Big Lou and Big Slide.  We're going to do a loop camp to camp route. There are some low clouds hiding our Enchantment views.   From the saddle we get a good view of Frigid Mtn and the saddle.We're dropping down about 150' and will start a traverse to another saddle between Peaks 7313' and 7126'.Arriving at this 2nd saddle.Soon Lake Ida comes into view.  We'll contour around the north side of the lake and then head up.  On our return, we'll follow that ridge across the lake and down the other side to camp.From where we came.Soon after we reach the east end of Lake Ida we remove our crampons and head straight up about 300' for the ridge.Once on the ridge, it's a straight shot for Big Lou and Big Slide.Looking back.It's windy and cold on the ridge and in our haste, we accidently bypass Big Lou which we were planning to summit first.   But it's no problem to summit Big Slide first.  On Big Slide looking back at Big Lou.Shauna with Big Slide's summit register.   We quickly leave and head for Big Lou.Women on the summit with Big Slide in the background.Then a descending traverse back to Lake Ida.  Up the ridge we go.  Back down at the lake.  Pano of Lake Ida.On the ridge.  What a beautiful place this would be to camp.Looking back at Big Lou and Big Slide.Soon we're back at our camp.  We pack up and head out.  Sharon and I stop for dinner at South Restaurant in Leavenworth.    Although this trip could easily be done in 1 day by faster climbers, we all enjoyed doing it in this relaxing manner.  Fun times, great group!

TH to camp to Frigid Mtn to camp - 4.3 miles/4563' gain

Camp to Big Slide to Big Lou to camp - 4.03 miles/1722' gain

Camp to TH - 3.3 miles/0' gain

TOTAL - 11.63 miles/6285' gain