See more trip photos here.
Eldorado has been on my list ever since I started working on the Bulger List. But I didn’t think I’d get the chance to climb it this season. Other nearby peaks are also on the same list, but I would need to come back later for them. This trip was my second time leading on a glacier, the first being on Mount Rainier.
The Lowdown on Eldorado Peak
Access: Cascade River Road @ mile 18.5
Round Trip: TBD
Elevation Range: 2160′-8868′
Gear: helmet, crampons, ice axe, rope
GPS Track: available
Getting to the Base of Eldorado Peak
I enjoy steep terrain, and I certainly got it from this trip. Getting from the parking lot to the bottom of the boulder field already had me sweat in buckets. The big rocks were easy to hop through on the way up, but not so much on the way down.
At the top of the meadows, we crossed the access ridge into the Eldorado Basin. Then we gained more elevation first before roping up. We got through Eldorado Glacier first, then Inspiration Glacier. It didn’t seem to take much time for the group to get through both glaciers. Before long, we were standing before the infamous knife edge.
See more trip photos here.
The Knife Edge on Eldorado Peak
The photos I saw of the feature didn’t exaggerate a bit! It felt so surreal to be walking on the narrow edge with a full body width. The snow arête was certainly not the place to lose one’s footing for sure.
Surprisingly, just past the knife edge was the exposed summit rocks. We stayed at the top for half an hour before heading down. It was mostly cloudy during our stay, so there wasn’t much to see. Occasionally the clouds would dissipate for a few seconds to catch some views. But not enough time to get a decent photo.
See more trip photos here.
Outro
It was a long climbing day, 14.5 hours car to car to be exact. Glad we all made it back down safely.