Agnes Mountain and Gunsight Peak are in the remote Glacier Peak Wilderness. Together, the peaks share a joining ridge above Icy-Spruce Creek. The latter also makes one of the excellent rock climbs in the Cascades.
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Agnes Mountain and Gunsight Peak at a Glance
Blue Slam = Agnes Mountain + Gunsight Peak
憂鬱滿貫=艾格尼絲山+瞄準峯
Access: Stehekin, Washington
Round Trip: 33.2 miles
Elevation Range: 1600′-8198′
Gear: helmet, ice ax, rock & rope
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no
July 17-20, 2020
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4
Day 1 – Friday, July 17
Approach to 5000′ Camp
Night 1 – 5000′ Camp
Day 2 – Saturday, July 18
Icy-Spruce Creek Pass + Anges Mountain
Night 2 – Icy-Spruce Creek Pass at 6760′
Day 3 – Sunday, July 19
Gunsight Peak
Night 3 – Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
Day 1
Approach to 5000′ Camp
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4
Preface on Agnes Mountain and Gunsight Peak
I had reached out to several people but heard crickets before the trip; I get it. If I didn’t have a list, I likely wouldn’t give these peaks a thought. Then Patrick agreed to come at the last minute. I was grateful for him taking days away from his fiance and two small kids.
Patrick and I first met at Chickamin Slam and followed up on that trip with Bonanza Slam. Our last outing together was to Mox Peaks in the Chilliwacks. I didn’t think anyone would be away from family for that long, but I wasn’t about to refuse the offer!
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Lady Express Ferry
It was my first time on the Lady Express boat. Since most of us headed up to Stehekin, we would be in tight spaces for several hours. So I wasn’t sure how effective social distancing would be here on the water.
The two-hour boat ride went by in the blink of an eye with a nap. So glad people had their masks on, even though I don’t remember seeing a “face coverings required” sign. I had read the COVID-19 policies to learn more about the situation.
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White Bus to High Bridge
The Red Bus wasn’t running this year due to the outbreak, so Stehekin Valley Ranch offered transportation services. We shared the bus with two other parties. One was a group of four climbers on their way to climbing Goode Mountain and Storm King.
Soon, we all got off the bus at the endpoint at High Bridge after an 11-mile ride up the valley. Then we took a lunch break before continuing. Patrick was eager to get going, so we made a last-minute gear check before going south on PCT.
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Pacific Crest Trail to Agnes Mountain
Views in the forest were minimal. Then after we lost sight of McGregor Mountain behind us, the walk became uneventful. But I was glad for Patrick’s company. So we talked just about anything to pass the time. He must have packed the entire produce aisle because his pack was huge!
At 8.2 miles in from High Bridge was the Swamp Creek junction. We took a foot taping break there just as the memories of climbing Dark Peak surfaced. After walking for another 1.5 miles, we finally reached the confluence of Agnes Creek and Spruce Creek.
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Crossing Agnes Creek
We started looking for logs to cross the raging Agnes Creek. The first one near the camp looked like the one other parties had used before. But we continued on the trail in the hope of finding something larger. Patrick felt uneasy walking on the small log.
After having no luck upstream, the small log was our only option. It took acrobatic moves to get ourselves and the heavy packs to the down tree. Then we each scorched to the other side over the two annoying upright stobs in the midpoint.
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Crossing Spruce Creek
We had forgotten about this second creek crossing until we neared Spruce Creek. Luckily, the only down tree over the creek was beefier. So we took turns and carefully walked right to the other side. But the battle was far from over.
Soon, we entered the open forest north of Spruce Creek. I had initially wanted to go up the slopes. Then we would traverse west over the top of the two north-trending gullies. But shortly, it became too brushy to navigate. So we backtracked toward the creek, which would be the only water before camp.
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5000′ Camp Below Agnes Mountain
It only took a short traverse east before we stopped. Then we knew that the only feasible way was up and not to drown in a sea of vine maples. From 3000′ to 3600′ was excruciating, as there was no easy way around the continuous brush.
As luck would have it, we found animal trails and followed them for a while. The steepness persisted as we reached the semi-open forest at 4000′. Since we left the creeks, Patrick had been feeling ill, but he managed to pull through to 5000′.
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Day 2
Icy-Spruce Creek Pass + Anges Mountain
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En Route to Icy-Spruce Creek Pass
We awoke to another glorious day! Our first goal for today was going up to the 6760′ pass. Then we would climb Agnes Mountain after setting up the camp. Patrick passed out after we reached the 5000′ bench the night before. But he had a restful evening and was ready to go again.
We continued up the steep slopes. So we could bypass the two ravines I had intended to avoid yesterday. At 5400′, we started moving west-northwest. Meanwhile, we aimed for the 6760′ pass as we went in and out of several ribs. Later at 6400′, our goal for day two–Gunsight Peak–came into view.
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En Route to Agnes Mountain
I had planned to spend the night in the beautiful 6400′ basin adorned with streams. But now, we could be one step closer to our first goal by being on the 6760′ saddle. We set up camp and relaxed a bit. Then we grabbed the gear and went up toward Point 7458.
Soon, we reached Point 7458. We didn’t have enough route information to bypass Point 7760. So instead, we scrambled down to the 7200′ notch and dropped 1000′ on the snowfield into Yew Creek. Then we went north toward the steep, narrow snow couloir south of Agnes Mountain.
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Agnes Mountain Climb
The steep couloir seemed to go on forever. It ended up being a 1300′ gain up to the col. Later I left the snow at 200′ below the pass. Then I used a rock ramp to move more efficiently. Patrick stayed on the steep snow up to the top. But the final 50′ up to the notch was on a loose rock and hard dirt ramp.
Shortly, we dropped 20′ down the west of the col. From there, we then saw the next objective–the snow ramp. After going through a small snowfield, we kept our crampons on for the gully. Later we left our gear at the top of the snow. Then we scrambled up to the upper snow patch.
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Chimney Crux on Agnes Mountain
Patrick brought enough gear for an army, but we were ready to tackle the 5.6 chimney crux. After following him through several pros, we were atop the broad chimney. Then we climbed up the west face for the final 100′ scramble.
The last bit was steep and full of loose rocks, plus a significant amount of exposure. Meanwhile, everything moved as we carefully tested every hold. Soon, we were on this pointy summit in the remote Glacier Peak Wilderness.
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Agnes Mountain Summit Views
As I savored the views, I realized the effort it took to come here. This area seldom gets visitors. But people often come to climb the neighboring Dome Peak. Maybe Sinister Peak, too, if they were after the Bulger List. So many peaks here to name.
After a 45-minute visit, we rappeled twice down to our gear. Then from the snow gully, we went down the moat on choss instead and kicked down rocks with every step. But we kept a reasonable distance not to knock things down on the other person.
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A Night at 6760′ Camp
Neither of us wanted to go through the top of the snow couloir. We also decided not to try looking for a way to bypass Point 7760. So we dropped 300′ over the rocks before returning to the gully. Another 1000′ descent then put us at the tip of the buttress.
The steep snow north of Point 7458 took us up the ridge. Then we retraced our steps to camp at sunset with breathtaking views on both sides. I later spent the night keeping rats away from my tent.
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Day 3
Gunsight Peak
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Gunsight Peak Climb
The morning came too soon, and we were going to Blue Glacier before long. We bypassed Point 7070 to the pass above Blue Lake. Then we avoided the east ridge by making a rising traverse over the snow. But we ended up on the wrong col like Eric and his son did two years earlier.
Soon, we went down on the snow, walked north a short way, and went up one notch to the north. Then we scrambled class 3-4 terrain to reach the right col. It turned out to be more exhausting but a relief to see the saddle at last.
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Gunsight Peak Climb
The view of Chickamin Glacier was beyond words, and I never thought I’d be back again. Let alone see Chickamin Slam, which we climbed together in 2014, from the other side of the glacier. Before long, we reached the bottom of the broken snow ramp.
I didn’t think there would be moats with the heavy snowpack this year. But to our dismay, the gap was a few feet wide. So I belayed Patrick from the snow, and he brought me onto the wet slabs below the ramp. Then I put in a picket and went over to the anchor.
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5.6 Crux to the Ridge Notch
Shortly, I belayed Patrick over, and he proceeded to lead up the crux in the corner. We were both glad to see dry rocks where other parties had encountered mud. The two rappel stations at the top of the pitch assured us that we were still on track.
Once Patrick belayed me around the minor ridge, we simul-climbed along the dike. In hindsight, we didn’t need to rope up here as it was only class 3-4 terrain. Shortly, we reached the col between the north and the middle peaks.
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Class 4 Chimney
We roped up and traversed the class 4 ledge over the west face for 100′. It was possible to simul-climb had we known what was ahead. Soon, we were on the ridgetop above the chimney, but the summit was still out of sight.
We stayed tied in as Patrick led me to the summit. It was awkward going through this part since all boulders pointed in various directions. We would sometimes take giant steps while squeezing through the slabs.
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Gunsight Peak Summit Views
Views on Agnes Mountain the day before were excellent, but the vistas from here were even more stunning. First, Chickamin Slam was practically in our faces as it filled the western skyline. It was hard to take our eyes off those peaks.
Other notable places included Sentinel Peak and Old Guard Peak. There were the ones by Dana Glacier, including Spire Point. Bonanza Peak and Glacier Peak loomed in the southern skyline with too many peaks to name them all!
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Back to 6760′ Camp
We rappeled once from the top of the chimney and traversed over to the notch. Soon, we downclimbed to the second rappel station and rappeled again to the ledge above the glacier. Then we made another rappel onto the snow from the lower anchor.
On the way in, Patrick’s water pouch fell onto the glacier, so he dropped 200′ to recover it. We later met up by the buttress below the col. It was only a long ridge traverse to return to camp.
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Leaving Agnes Mountain and Gunsight Peak
We enjoyed a brief stay at camp but needed to pack and go as far out as possible. But we had hoped to reach PCT by nightfall. The white bus would be at High Bridge at 8:40 AM the next day. So we needed it to make the 12:30 PM ferry!
The part I dreaded was going through the brush again. From the 5000′ camp, it was back to fighting the terrible fight. But at least we were now moving downhill and made it to Spruce Creek after much cursing. Soon, the two log crossings put us back on PCT.
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Day 4
Exit
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4
Back on Pacific Crest Trail
We rested by the creek. But I also napped while Patrick organized his gear. Soon, we started the 10-mile walk to High Bridge. At one point, I tied staying awake by listening to podcasts. Then during our final break, I asked Patrick to go ahead while I took another nap.
I had difficulty falling asleep. So I walked a bit more before taking a nap by another trailside camp. My phone battery was low, and then it died after the alarm went off in my sleep. But I woke up in time and then continued.
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High Bridge to Stehekin Ferry Dock
As I neared the switchbacks above the gorge, Patrick came back running. Somehow he thought I had taken a different trail and frantically looked for me. But he felt relieved after knowing we were still on track.
We had a half-hour to kill before the shuttle arrived. So we rested our legs and chatted with a few PCT hikers who came out later. The bus made several stops back to the dock, including the famous Stehekin Pastry Company.
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Outro
We still had much time to kill back at the pier. So after wolfing down the pastries I bought from the bakery, I took a long nap on a bench. Meanwhile, Patrick slept under the bulletin board. What an exhausting trip it was! The next time I come here, I want to explore Stehekin without climbing anything.
It was a relief not to see as many people on the ferry. Soon after the boat left the waterfront, we went back to sleep again. We only later woke up to the captain’s voice coming through the speakers. “We will arrive in Fields Point Landing shortly…”
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