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Trip Report    

Basic Alpine Climb - Banshee Peak & Cowlitz Chimneys

An easy walk up off trail hike precursor to a protected scramble the Choss Monster and Baby Choss Monster,

Michelle Peterson Michelle Peterson
September 25, 2024
  • Road suitable for all vehicles
    • Road Conditions: Road suitable for all vehicles, Frying Pan Trailhead parking lot is closed due to bridge construction (bridge is open to vehicular traffic.
    • Route Conditions: All water crossings had intact bridges. There is stream water at Summerland and Boulder Creek. The trail itself is in perfect condition right now.
    • Cross country camping permit is easier to attain for Ohanapecosh zone than Sarvant zone, plus there is ready access to good water in the Ohanapecosh zone.
  • Saturday, Sept 21: queued up at the White River Ranger station at 7:15 am, requested a cross country zone camping permit for the Sarvant Zone. The single permit was taken, so we opted for Ohanapecosh Zone instead, which served us better, as we were 5 minute walk from very good stream water at Boulder Creek via the Wonderland Trail.
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Camping out of site of the Wonderland Trail
  • Relaxed at our cross country camp Saturday afternoon.
  • Sunday, Sept 22: packed up our camp and started at 6:40, backtracking a bit along the Wonderland up to Panhandle Gap, in full daylight by now, turned east onto the boot path. Stashed our camping gear in a grove of trees in the saddle before the Banshee ascent.
  • The route to Banshee is dry, uneventful.
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Panhandle Gap at sunrise
  • Reached Banshee summit after 7:50 AM, summit photo, snack.
  • Descended the SE slope of Banshee and arced around the Cowlitz bowl, reaching the solitary fir and fence of trees 90 minutes later and put on harnesses here.
  • Magda and Adam set up a handline for the exposed traverse. A small, live evergreen tree at the beginning, 30 meter rope and a cam at the end. For some in the group, protecting the traverse was very helpful for moving confidently.

 

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Setting up traversing handline

  • For the chockstone gully, Magda set up an additional cam at the same anchor. She then was belayed up to set another anchor on another evergreen tree for a second handline.
  •  The traverse handline was left in place for our return. The chockstone gulley handline was pulled up, reset for our rappel descent over this small gulley. The 30 meter rope was the perfect length for a double strand rappel.
  • The scree and exposure was, in our opinion, underreported in our research. Fortunately, we were a team of strong, experienced scramblers, comfortable with exposure. We send quite a lot of loose rock down the gullies! We worked many strategies for the loose rock, traveling one at a time and also traveling in teams close together. We felt that our party of 5 might be the max to keep some form of efficiency.
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Ridge below the summit of Cowlitz Main
  • We were on the summit of Cowlitz Main at 11:00 AM. Celebration, summit photos and a proper lunch. There is a summit register.

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Unprotected Downclimb in the gulley below the summit of Cowlitz Main
  • At 12:40 we had returned to the first handline/ belay station. we repacked our climbing gear.

  • Started for Cowlitz Central by a descending traverse, crossing the bowl and then an ascending traverse to the west side of the ridge gap. From the base of the rock band, (there is a grassy slope here) aim for the passage between the rock band and a solo evergreen tree. From there it is an easy crossing to the base of Central.
  • Follow a distinct then indistinct climber’s path to the peak of Central. We arrived at 2:30.

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Decending from Cowlitz Central towards Banshee
  • More snacks, search for a register and then a return along the flanks of Banshee. We did get too low for a few minutes, had to traverse up to cross the awful hard pack sidehill, then a brisk walk between goats with babies, we arrived at our gear stash at. There was a long break here for personal care needs.
  • We were on Panhandle Gap at 5:15. we moved as quickly as possible, racing the setting sun.
  • Reached the trailhead 2 hours and 15 minutes later, in the dark, but just enough light to avoid stopping for headlamps!
  • Gear used: helmets, trekking poles, radios, harnesses, prusik, belay device, anchor material, cams, double runners for personal anchor and rappel, two 30 meter ropes- one for the handline, one for the rappel, trail runners and scrambling boots (according to personal preferences).