Edward Peak, located by Three Musketeers Ridge, stands in the northeast Enchantments above Rat Creek. To its immediate south, the unique, vast Edward Mesa spans above Toketie Creek. Meanwhile, the prominent The Temple is only a stone’s throw away farther south.
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Edward Peak at a Glance
Access: Rat Creek
Round Trip: 7.6 miles
Elevation Range: 1680′-7280′
Gear: helmet, snowshoes, rock & rope
Route Info: Jim Nelson, Tom Sjolseth
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
Northeast Corner of Core Enchantments
Edward Peak, also known as “The Mole,” rises above the Rat Creek and Hook Creek basins, a region I call the Siberia of The Enchantments. This secluded area is ideal for escaping the crowds found in the popular lake basins. Moreover, the absence of a beaten path makes solitude almost guaranteed.
Most visitors to The Enchantments enjoy the well-beaten paths of the lake basins. However, we wanted a unique experience by avoiding potential heavy foot traffic during the approach. This less-traveled area was still more pristine, with less chance of encountering other climbers.
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Planning the Rat Creek Route
I returned to tackle the peak two weeks after climbing Three Musketeers Ridge, this time with Anne to rock climb. To avoid the busy Snow Lakes Trail, we chose the Rat Creek route for our approach. We decided this in the hopes of enjoying a more secluded outing.
There wasn’t much information on the Rat Creek route, so I wasn’t sure how doable it would be. While I had read some reports on Hook Creek, I didn’t particularly care for the icy slope below the notch, judging from the pictures. But the lack of data added an element of mystery to our climb.
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Private Residence by Icicle Creek
The initial part of the trip took us through private property. Instead of turning left at the fork toward Yellowjacket Tower, we went right and continued for half a mile to the end of the road. Otherwise, it would be challenging to access the start of our intended climb without going cross-country first.
However, walking through the residential area, with its numerous “private property” signs, was unsettling. We soon felt relieved after passing the last house and re-entering the national forest. From there, we followed a faint trail until it faded into the wilderness.
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Negotiating Lower Rat Creek
Immediately, we found ourselves going through light brush, making slow progress in the first thousand vertical feet. The terrain was more about distance than elevation gain initially. Meanwhile, we carefully navigated along the steep slopes to avoid the densest thickets.
After reaching the first clearing, we encountered a broad talus field, challenging to cross due to the thinning snow. After traversing a second rock field, we aimed for the fork leading toward Edward Peak. It demanded careful footwork and continuous route-finding despite the open terrain.
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Making the Final Approach to Edward Peak
Finally, continuous snow appeared above 4000 feet, where conditions also improved. I soon stopped to put on snowshoes to conserve energy for the next 2200 feet of climbing. Anne, who didn’t bring snowshoes, surprisingly managed to stay afloat with only crampons.
The terrain steepened significantly past 5000 feet, becoming even more noticeable below the dry rocks at 6400 feet. Soon, we climbed a narrow, choss-filled gully with a chockstone above the notch at 6800 feet. From there, we organized our packs for the rock climb on the south face of the peak.
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First and Second Pitches on Edward Peak
The first pitch featured a short 5.7 lie-back crack that I navigated with a combination of stemming and friction. It went smoothly, and I soon reached a small tree with old webbing, where I set up a belay to bring Anne up. This portion was a good warm-up for what was to come.
However, I inadvertently shortened the second pitch by not traversing far enough to the west. As a result, I combined the latter half of the second pitch with the third, which worked out well. There were ample cracks for placing protection to ensure our safety.
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Leading the Awkward Third Pitch
Having cut the corner, I quickly arrived at the noted large flake and very awkwardly squeezed behind it. The wider gaps through here were perfect for larger cams, which I used to protect the move. I then descended a narrow chimney using friction techniques.
By zigzagging through the route, I’d created a significant amount of rope drag. It was difficult to pull the rope as I moved through the rock features. Just below the third anchor, I encountered a wall with a small crack and poor handholds, the most challenging part of the climb.
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Above the Rock Wall Crux
Reaching the anchor above the rock wall took some acrobatic moves as I smeared and stemmed my way up. Thankfully, my arm was only sore for a day after the second vaccination, as leading this pitch would have been very uncomfortable otherwise.
Bringing Anne up to the anchor was also a challenge due to the height of the boulders. At 5’9″, I could barely reach some of the holds, making it feel like a scene from “Alice in Wonderland.” The scale of the rocks made the climbing particularly difficult for shorter climbers.
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Final Stretch to the Roomy Summit
To save time, we decided to scramble the fourth pitch, as the rock quality was excellent. In turn, we were able to move more quickly through this final part of the climb. Before long, we found ourselves standing right below the summit rocks, with the end in sight.
Most alpine climbs I’ve done involved a straightforward walk-up to the top, but Edward Peak had other plans. The 5.0 rating continued even near the top, and the exposure would likely make some folks want at least a hand line. But what a thrilling finish to the climb!
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Enchantments From Edward Peak Summit
Finally! After reaching the summit, we felt exhausted but exhilarated by the enjoyable granite rock climbing. The top was spacious enough for half a dozen people to sit comfortably and take in the stunning views. It was another perfect day to be in the mountains.
Views were similar to what I’d seen from Three Musketeers Ridge, with Little Annapurna, Cannon Mountain, and other prominent peaks visible. Meanwhile, I was surprised to also see Jack Ridge and Eightmile Mountain from here. The panoramic vista was a well-deserved reward for the efforts.
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Leaving the Rat Creek Basin
We rappelled from the north side using bolted anchors. But it required two and a half rope lengths with our 60m rope to reach the notch. Afterward, we retraced our steps through the rocky gully and the rest of the type 2 terrain. It felt just as physically demanding as the approach.
At one point, we attempted to exit a large buttress but had to find an alternative route. We eventually stumbled through the brush and back to the trail in the dark. Walking quietly through the neighborhood, we kept our fingers crossed not to trigger any motion-sensing lights.
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