Washington's most isolated volcano did not disappoint.
This mountain has something for everyone. Down low it has massive old growth along a large river, higher up, alpine meadows filled with marmots and berries, and above that, rock, snowfields, lakes, glaciers, and a classic volcano climb. However, while the Disappointment Cleaver route on Glacier Peak may not be technical, it is also definitely not for everyone, and carries its own share of risks.
Miles 0 - 5.5 (The River) The trail is more or less level, passing huge Douglas firs and cedars along the North Fork Sauk, and worth the trip in its own right for the old growth. Also shoutout to the great trail work recently done by the WTA, makes this stretch of trail feel like a super highway. Great campsites just before the bridge over Red Creek (mile 4) and at Mackinaw Shelter (mile 5.5) with (obviously) great water access.
Miles 5.5 - 10 (The Meadows) The trail begins climbing right after Mackinaw Shelter, and doesn't let up for some time. It's never unreasonably steep, however, using exactly two dozen (24) switchbacks to climb 3,000 feet to the PCT, and then, White Pass. Great views throughout, especially above treeline at about 5,500 feet. One large creek to get water about 3 or 4 switchbacks up (just off the trail) and after that, no water until just after the PCT junction (about mile 9) where there's a good but small creek to grab some water flowing off a snowfield above on White Mountain (probably not running once the snow disappears in September). Camping isn't allowed on the ridge crest at White Pass, but there are some great campsites below, however the best water source for the camps is still the aforementioned creek (at mile 9, about a 15 minute walk from camp).
Miles 10 - 15 (The alpine) The first mile and a half from White Pass on the Foam Creek Trail is a easy, more or less level stroll through thousands of blueberries, dozens of marmots, and field of wildflowers, until there is a short, steep climb to the shoulder of a mountain above (take the obvious, sharp left just before the trail begins to fade) at 6,400 feet, where you get your first views of Glacier Peak. Then, its a steep descent off the other side about 200 feet, as the maintained trail ends and the climber's trail begins, then another steep climb to the saddle above the basin on the far side, only about 300 feet up. After descending the other side of the saddle, all the greenery quickly fades and is replaced by snow and rock, and the you'll probably lose the trail for the first time in the large boulder field after descending off the saddle. Just aim for the right side of the creek on the far side, and you'll be able to pick it up on the far side as it becomes more defined climbing up along the creek. At the top of this little climb, you'll reach the desolate alpine lake that reflects Glacier Peak that shows up in many trip reports, with a few small campsites. Continue around the left (north) side of the lake. From here, the trail becomes much harder to follow for the next mile and a half or so, as you cross under the White Chuck Glacier and its outflow creeks (some can be tricky to cross) but more or less traverse the mountainside and look out for cairns. The trail again appears as it climbs up another steep slope, the one above the last creek crossing, on the far right side of the slope (but not below the cliffs). Follow this up to the upper basin, where you reach yet another glacial lake with a few camps. Continue on over a large permanent snowfield, where Glacier Gap will finally appear, and its just one last steep climb to get there, where the views are amazing and there are at least a dozen campsites with well constructed rings. Best water source (when we were there) was 15 minutes north of camp, at the obvious snowfield the climber's trail passes by on its way to the summit.
Miles 15-18 (The Climb) The final 3 or so miles from Glacier Gap to the summit I would only recommend for people who have some experience in the big mountains, and an ice axe and micro spikes would be very nice to have. From Glacier Gap, follow the climber's trail north over the obvious saddle a couple hundred feet above camp, and traverse downwards on the small glacier on the north side of the saddle to reach Disappointment Cleaver/Ridge. This is the only stretch I needed the ice axe and microspikes, as the places where the hard ice is exposed can be treacherous in the early hours of the morning. From there, just follow the ridge, traversing around a small gendarme on climber's left, straight up and over the next one (class 2) and finally, to the base of Disappointment Peak's south face. This is where the going gets interesting, and depending on conditions and your level of experience and fear of heights will be somewhere on the spectrum between unpleasant and straight up scary. Climb up the main ridge you're on until about 9,000 feet, traverse left across the first, loose chute (will feel like walking across a down escalator). You should be able to traverse just below the obvious rib of rock, then across another, even worse chute to the final, westernmost ridge of Disappointment Peak, which you can scramble straight up, keeping in mind there's a very big fall waiting for you if you accidentally slip off the left (west) side of the ridge crest. This is the part that was scariest and most unpleasant for me, as every step caused a small rockslide, and even huge rocks would move when stepped on. A couple times rocks shifted above me as I took a step and almost mashed my shins and knees in. While it may be only Class 2, it is a class 2 with a lot of unavoidable risks, and NOT for the faint of heart. Some rocks I accidentally dislodged fell 600-700 feet to the base of the face, so be sure you're not climbing this face below anyone else. Once you're at the top of the worst scree field you'll hopefully ever face, just traverse north-westwards (climbers left) around the steep flanks of Disappointment Peak, where you can either traverse all the way to the saddle or go straight up to the peak at about the halfway mark, then descend to the base of the final climb (I chose the latter). From here, just follow the obvious hogsback ridge to the base of the final chutes to the summit, where a couple obvious climbers trails climb the wet-sand-like ash to the last, short steep snowfield, before coming out on the rocky summit, where you'll find views as good as those on any mountain, the highest summit in a sea of high summits.
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