[olderthanIusedtobe]

One of my favorites. Knew it was gonna be hot, but did it anyway. Road is closed about a mile from the MLH due to this.

The road walk wasn't terrible. Views of Wirtz Basin where I was heading and Sperry, Morningstar and Del Campo.

The crossing of the Stilly was possible without getting wet. Took some care. A bunch of small logs that were a bit on the slippery side. Wirtz Basin was surprisingly melted out. At least a month or more ahead of normal I would say.

Lots of nice cascades streaming down the sidewalls of the basin.

The infamous gully below Headlee Pass was mostly snow filled still. Definitely turned around some parties. I think this is the British guy and trio of French I would eventually share the summit with. Very international flavor on this day.

Looking back down at more melted than usual Wirtz.

Snow was good for kick stepping. I didn't have any traction devices. Had my ice axe so I got it out starting with the gully below Headlee. It might have been ok with just trekking poles, but since I was already carrying the axe... Shoulder of Vesper to climber's right.

Sperry and mostly frozen Lake Elan.

Three Fingers and Whitehorse.

Further up the shoulder of Vesper. I think the drop in to the North Face is right around here.

Brief partial glimpse of NF.

Pugh

Glacier, Sloan and top of Sperry.

Glacier

Cadet, Monte Cristo and Keyes

Columbia

Monte Cristo to Columbia

zoom of Monte Cristo and Keyes

Completely melted out Copper Lake with Three Fingers and White Horse in the distance.

The enticing ridge leading to Big Four.

Baker and Black Buttes

Monte Cristo, Keyes, Columbia, Del Campo and Morningstar

Del Campo

Spada Lake (?)

top of North Face

The French descending a steep gully right of center.

Sperry

Headwall of basin above Elan

Outlet of Elan and shoulder of Vesper

Morningstar

Vesper from Headlee Pass

Morningstar from the pass

Vega Tower (?)

I ran out of water and refilled off this creek. It was draining steep slopes of Morningstar, so probably not a lot of human or critter traffic around it. I didn't have anything to filter or treat it with, hopefully will be ok.

Saw my first pika of the year on the way down. The heat didn't seem to bother me too much, but I did start getting crampy legs about the bottom of Wirtz Basin. Was a bit gimpy the rest of the way down. This is kinda funny. While I was ascending, just below the summit, I saw a familiar face. Ran into MidLifeHiker for at least the 4th time. We have similar tastes in mountains. We ended up hiking out about half of the way together, nice chatting with him again. I also saw 2 small garter snakes the last mile or so. I've been on that trail many, many times, never seen a snake before. Anyway, great day in the mountains!

[tmatlack]

Yes, best side country alpine experience on MLH, in my opinion. And crossing the Stilly that high is always cool, as I have paddled, walked, driven, admired almost all of it into Port Gardner Bay.

[rhammond]

Great TR! I was raised in Shoreline, (class 1960), and climbed in Sultan Basin, on the mine trails. We climbed via Sunrise Mine trail, up Vesper Creek. Your pics are great! My last trip up Vesper was in new pair of cork boots, I left "tracks" all the way up the granite slabs, grinding those nice nails down to nothing! 1968 was last trip up. I was too busy working at Bren Mac and Kromona Mines after that. We hunted all over the Basin and Studebaker Ridge while in high school and college years, I grew up in that beautiful country. Feb 1968, Reito Schmidt took me up Kelly Creek and across Foggy Lake, then we went east, across Gothic in 8 ft of snow, down the big slide on the Sheep Gap side and back down to the Rudebeck Cabin (Bren Mac Camp), about 12 hour trip in snow @ 4,000 ft. Great photos, my spirit travels up there with you!!! Robert Hammond hammond@gci.net

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Cool stories from your growing up years rhammond. I worked out in the woods one summer so got to experience wearing cork boots for a little while. Hiking in them would be...interesting. Maybe not all that different than hobnail boots the early mountaineers wore?

[Nancyann]

Nice trip report and pictures. That is Spada Lake you were wondering about. You can see Vesper pretty well from Spada's south shore and the Greider/Boulder roadwalk.

On the trail to Greider Lakes 4/9/16

It's really great to hear from rhammond. I love that story about going across Gothic in 8 ft of snow and down Sheep Gap to the Rudeback cabin. Wow!

[silence]

Lookin Good!