• Destination: Asa, Agnes, Gunsight, Sinister, and Dome Peaks
• Date: July 10-16, 2011
• Starting Point:  High Bridge (c.1600')
• High Point: Sinister Peak (8440')
• Round Trip Distance: c.10.5 miles one way to camp
• Equipment: The ten essentials, glacier gear, technical rock gear 
• Difficulties: Route finding, steep snow, 5th class climbing, steep snow, loose rock
• Crew:  Jason Griffith, Gord Faust, Tim Halder, and Steve Trent

The plan was set. The weather forecast was not great, but it was not looking any better in the Sawtooths or the Tetons. It was going to be Agnes, Gunsight, Sinsiter, and possibly Dome. Tim, Jason, and Gord made up the team. We decided to make the approach through Stehekin and up Agnes Creek. We had beta indicating that we could make a relatively brush free approach from near the Swamp Creek campsite on Agnes Creek.

DAY 1: Leaving Mt Vernon early, getting on the correct ferry, and hiking up to Swamp Creek campground were easily doable in a day. The first night’s camp at Swamp Creek was luxurious. We were in the dry and had a good fire going.

High Bridge

DAY 2: After finding an old growth cedar log crossing the swollen Agnes Creek, we ascended too early and managed to find ourselves in some old growth slide alder. After bashing through, we found the proper route and ascended to open terrain and made camp at Agnes Col. That day we traversed the Ridge from Agnes and bagged Asa Peak, which had a 100 year old summit register, signed by the original party. About forty years later, the original ascentionist’s son signed in with a photo of the original party and signed the register, “Hi Dad!” Really neat!

Brush at its best

Asa Peak register

DAY 3: Waking up to rain, we delayed our departure to Agnes Peak for a few hours to see if the weather would clear. This turned out to be a common theme for the entire trip. We started late under cloudy skies, but at least the rain had stopped. We elected to drop into the cirque to the north of Agnes Peak to avoid the traverse of the ridge as described in Beckey. This route was recommended to us by a party that had done the traverse prior. Their report on the ridge traverse was that it was loose and time consuming and they recommended our route. Scoping the route the day prior, we saw that it ascended a thin snow couloir beside a steep face on the peak. As we ascended the couloir we were motivated to move faster by a few rocks falling off the peak near us. I would not recommend this route on the peak unless all snow is melted off of the benches overhead the couloir, which should avoid the rockfall that we experienced. After a short traverse across the central snow field and a climb up an enjoyable snow gulley (no threat of rockfall), we initially climbed the wrong chimney. After getting back on route, it was an easy, albeit loose, scramble to the top. The descent went quickly, all of us going as fast as we could down the couloir.

Agnes.  Our route went up the snow to the left of the main peak

Agnes

Our easy snow gulley

The wrong way

DAY 4: Another late start due to weather. Our objectives for the day were Gunsight’s North and Main Peaks. After a minor route-finding error (Beckey is not always accurate), we were on the Chickamin Glacier headed towards the Gunsight Range. The Gunsights are reputed to have the best granite in the range, and they did not disappoint. We climbed the standard route up the Main Peak, although Beckey’s route also looked good. We elected not to do the Beckey Route due to only two out of the four of us having rock shoes, and the ratings being old school. The summit on the Main Peak was one of the smallest that I have seen; only room for one on top! We did some belayed down-climbing and a single rap, then scrambled over to the climbing on the North Peak. Once again, the ratings were old school. At least there was room for all of us on the summit.

The Gunsights!

Jason making the move!

Jason belaying in the snow!

Approaching the summit of the Main Peak, North Peak in the background.

Tim on the North Peak, the Main Peak in the Background

DAY 5: We woke to wind and rain; this time improvement did not happen. We spent the entire day at camp trying to amuse each other.

Weather day

DAY 6: Once again we awoke to clouds but at least no rain, so decided to traverse over to Sinister to give it a look. Traversing under the North Face the conditions were good for kicking steps, so we decided to climb it instead of the planned West Ridge. We saw some ski tracks descending the North Face; these guys need to stop skiing my climbs! After summiting in the clouds, we felt our way down the West Ridge and back to camp. Not wanting to waste another day, we packed up and descended to Swamp Creek Camp, where we met another party who were planning the same itinerary. Although we did find a better route on the descent, the brush was still quite onerous. It cemented the trip mantra: “Suffer together! SUFFER AS ONE!” Once again, a nice fire and warm and dry camp.

On the North Face

DAY 7: Hiked back to High Bridge and caught the bus and ferry back to our car. The drive back to Skagit County was long! However, on the bus, another rider took pity on us and gave us a bottle of wine. It really hit the spot after seven days of freeze dried food!  Or maybe she just thought we were homeless from the way we reeked!

Overall, this was a great trip to a remote and seldom visited area. The weather was marginal the entire trip, but luckily we only missed one day and one summit because of it. If you are interested in any approach or climbing beta, I can fill you in on our thoughts. Tim, Gord, and Jason made the trip excellent!