White Goat Mountain by Tupshin Peak overlooks Company Creek and Bird Creek near Stehekin. The south ridge joins Devore Peak, WyNorth, and Wy’East Mountain. Moreover, the west approach via Harlequin Bridge offers better views on milder terrain.
See more trip photos here.
White Goat Mountain at a Glance
Access: Harlequin Bridge via Stehekin, WA
Round Trip: 20.8 miles
Elevation Range: 1200′-7800′
Essential Gear: helmet, rock & rope
Route Info: Cascade Alpine Guide
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no
Playlist: Keep Moving
Thursday, September 21
Harlequin Bridge + Hilgard Creek Camp
Third Visit to Stehekin Valley This Season
I meant to include this peak with Black Tower and the others during my first time here this summer. But the joy quickly diminished once I studied the final 150′ and decided to return with rock shoes. So here I was, two weeks after visiting Needle Peak et al. to tackle the peak.
Fall was fast approaching, so I needed it to cross off the peak before the weather turned. We, as Washingtonians, know the September/October weather can be pretty unpredictable. I opted to go through Company Creek again for the open terrain. But I couldn’t shake the horrible part before the creek my mind.
See more trip photos here.
Hiking Company Creek Trail to White Goat Mountain
I met Jonah and Ron from Spokane at the bakery, and they had just come off Devore Peak. Then, I got off the shuttle at Harlequin Bridge and walked a mile to Company Creek Trailhead. Seeing a detour sign from the Dome Peak Fire (Interactive map) meant the crew had just cleared this trail. Yaaas!
The hikers detouring via Holden Village were the last people I saw. After Company Creek, the next water source would have been by my old bivy spot at 4300. So, imagine my joy when I noticed the dwindling stream. It felt like the flu was coming down, so I dozed off right after dinner and some NyQuil.
See more trip photos here.
Friday, September 22
White Goat Mountain + Harlequin Campground
White Goat Mountain via the Open West Ridge
When I woke up the following day, I still felt weak, though the flu never fully surfaced. Slowly, I walked up the hill like before and went out into the open slope after the initial 100′ gain. Before long, I could see Hilgard Pass, Black Tower, and Sable Ridge, which I climbed last time.
The going was slow because I was feeling drowsy from the meds. But since I was here in July, I let my muscle memory do the route-finding. I savored the sight of Hilgard Pass and Sable Ridge from the steep hillside. I then took a coughing break in the upper basin.
See more trip photos here.
From South Ridge to the Base of the Climb
Aiming at the south notch at 7600′, I soon crossed to the east. I ran the rocky crest to the base and took another coughing break. Then I put on the spanking new rock shoes at 150′ below the top. However, I was still reeling from the shock of a stolen shoe from two weeks ago!
When I peeked around the buttress, the route somehow looked way better. It’s the shoes, I swear! I felt a 200% confidence boost before moving up the beautiful granite rocks. In the basins below were golden larches, which I tried to ignore while climbing.
See more trip photos here.
The Final 150′ Climb to the Summit Ridge
It was both a physically and mentally fulfilling climb. Many excellent holds, plus a few shaky ones, soon put me atop the first pitch. There was webbing around one questionable rock. But I’d try a different way if it didn’t look good when I came down.
I veered slightly right and quickly found myself below the ridgetop. The last bit involved inching up through a diagonal crack with a steady balance. Then I recomposed a minute before traversing 50′ on the narrow, airy crest with two wobbly slabs.
See more trip photos here.
Views Inside Glacier Peak Wilderness
Whew, finally! With drop-offs on both sides, I anchored myself into a solid rock and stayed in one place the whole time. There also wasn’t much room to walk around without accidentally sliding on scree. Tupshin Peak‘s sheer face east of the joining ridge was quite the sight!
Most peaks, including Heather Ridge, were visible despite a cloudy afternoon. Seeing the high points of Sable Ridge, which I visited in July, felt surreal. It could be the height, but it wasn’t the best viewing angle. I allowed myself 30 minutes before making the way across for the rappel.
See more trip photos here.
Leaving White Goat Mountain for Harlequin Bridge
Other than retracing my steps through larches now in fall colors, it was a low-key exit. I took another break before slowly packing up for the 8.5 miles back to Harlequin Bridge. Due to the early sunset, it was dark soon after I crossed Company Creek.
At night, the croaking frogs were the only sounds around. It wasn’t windy in the forest, but I already felt the quick temperature drop on this trip. I then listened to “Code Switch” and “Radio Lab” when it suddenly got quiet past the wilderness boundary.
See more trip photos here.
Fare Thee Well, Stehekin
Sleeping at the Harlequin Campground felt good, even though I fumbled looking for an empty site at night. In the morning, a guy from another group camp kept talking until I went to catch the shuttle. I soon returned to the bakery before heading down to the dock.
I passed the time by starting this post while waiting for the ferry. Meanwhile, thru-hikers were busy organizing supplies they picked up from the post office before going to High Bridge. Then I chatted with Frankie (Broke Hikers) and their PCT posse until we boarded the boat.
See more trip photos here.