Trip Report
Alpine Scramble - Pinnacle, Plummer, Lane & Denman Peaks
Last minute, Plan B pivot to Chutla Peak after Longmire gate opening was canceled for weather. Met lots of snow after the saddle and turned around.
Patrick Maes
- Mon, Oct 13, 2025
- Alpine Scramble - Pinnacle, Plummer, Lane & Denman Peaks
- Pinnacle, Plummer, Denman, Lane & The Castle
- Scrambling
- Turned Around
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Route was fine with snow around 4,500' and becoming 5-6 inches by the Eagle/Chutla saddle. Route along ridge was decided to be too sketchy with the heavy, wet snow (we had micro-spikes), but was not sticking firmly to the warm ground. Made for a very slippery combination, so we turned around during the initial down-climb after the first saddle.
We had hoped to get into the Tatoosh Range, but the NPS began the Longmire gate nightly closures, which pushed our expected start time by more than an hour. Upon arrival at Longmire, it was determined that the gate was not going to open, so we pivoted to Chutla Peak to try to get a summit for a scramble student. Got to the Eagle/Chutla saddle without incident, but snow had increased to around 5-6 inches by then. As the first snow of the season, it was not well adhered to the ground which made it come off into our micro-spikes, clogging them up severely. Once we started the off-trail scramble toward Chutla, it became apparent that the summit would elude us due to traction issues. So we turned around and left it for another day. Return to cars was uneventful.