Trip Report
Mount Pilchuck/East Ridge
Amazing day scrambling backdoor pilchuck east.
- Sun, Sep 15, 2024
- Mount Pilchuck/East Ridge
- Scrambling
- Successful
- Road recommended for high clearance only
-
Road to trailhead was challenging in some parts. It was not as terrible as some reported,.. but was challenging with deep and many potholes in sections,. but defiantly doable for higher clearance car. The th up to pinnacle lake is somewhat unkept in parts and is a little challenging, rocky, Rooty, and downed trees. From pinnacle lake its all scramble where there are some boot path you can follow in parts. At the top of Iodine gulch there are rocks and arrows sprayed painted with yellow to help you navigate through the bathtubs.
Arrived at TH at 830. Road to trailhead was challenging in some parts. It was not as terrible as some reported,.. but was challenging with deep and many potholes in sections,. but defiantly doable for higher clearance car. The th up to pinnacle lake is somewhat unkept in parts and is a little challenging, rocky, Rooty, and downed trees. At pinnacle lake we turned left to and found a boot path around he lake. Veggie belay in some sections as you are right above the deep lake. From pinnacle lake its all scramble where there are some boot path you can follow in parts. After wrapping up the lake you head right up the stream, bouldering and route finding was necessary.Eventually you head up the steep Iodine Gulch. It was not too bad and sometimes you can find a boot path, but it took us awhile to get up it, it was long. At the top of Iodine gulch there are rocks and arrows sprayed painted with yellow to help you navigate through the bathtubs. Bath Tubs were amazing! wished we had more time here. From here we scrambled on granite sticky rocks, route finding was needed, or just a willingness to explore and see where we could go. It was later in the afternoon arriving at east summit so we headed back down without heading to the lookout. Really fun scramble!