Cashmere Mountain by Eightmile Mountain in The Enchantments perches over Icicle Creek. It marked my final peak on the Bulger List after a six-year-long journey. The difference compared with the strict 400-foot prominence list is seven peaks.
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Cashmere Mountain at a Glance
Access: Eightmile Lake Trailhead
Round Trip: 11.5 miles
Elevation Range: 3280′-8501′
Gear: helmet
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
Cashmere Mountain
Funny how things work out in life. I thought Cashmere Mountain was my first Bulger peak, but it was the last. I first tried climbing it in 2010. But the weather was terrible back then, with weak visibility.
As it turned out, I ended up on the west peak half a mile away. But I was happy to revisit the mountain on this glorious day after six years. So I could finish what I had started and end things on a high (but low-key) note.
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Bulger Peaks in The Enchantments
There are 10 Bulger peaks in The Enchantments, including the unranked Little Annapurna. Seven of the 9 in the core zone span the Stuart Range. But Cashmere Mountain is the only outlier in the Caroline Zone.
I’ve always suspected that I never reached the summit the first time. So I planned a climbing trip earlier this season with some friends. But the May weather didn’t cooperate, so I canceled the trip the day before.
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The Bulger Journey
In retrospect, the times I shared with my two Labrador Retrievers were the most rewarding. I couldn’t thank them enough for giving me their best years. We’ve been to places deep in the Cascades and shared many first and most memorable adventures.
Among those experiences was our first camping trip, plus many learning moments. They included safety, route finding, and navigating through various terrains. But I needed to leave them behind at some point when climbs became more technical.
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The Show Must Go On
The black pup ended his journey with us after our final backpacking trip in 2013. He underwent TPLO surgery on the right knee. But the yellow dog continued with me on scrambles that didn’t require a rope.
The Chelan Slam was our final Bulger trip together over the Fourth of July. With that group of four peaks west of Lake Chelan, I thought I was through with the list. Then I decided to revisit Cashmere Mountain to set the record straight.
It was reassuring and rewarding to see the mountain in full view. So I was able to put a closure to this memorable chapter.
See more trip photos here.