Hidden Lake

Hidden Lake

Page Type Page Type: Album
Additional Information Image Type(s): Alpine Climbing

Hiking up the SE Ridge

My third annual hike up to Hidden Lake Lookout.  I guided my friend Korey up the winter route to see if he is ready for Rainier this Summer.  Couldn't have asked for better weather conditions!   We headed out of Seattle at 5am and started up the West ridge around 8:30am.  We put on our snowshoes at around 5000ft.



Headed to Marblemount
Headed to Marblemount



Out of the trees
Hidden Lake North Peak





















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We reached the lookout by 2:30pm, taking 6 hours to ascend.  Korey was a little nervous crossing the bowl to get up the south peak, so I made sure to kick in deep footsteps and gave him my ice axe.  When we got to the lookout we ran into two skiers and their yellow lab doing a day hike.  


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Sunset

The sunset was incredible!  One of the best I've seen.  Spent the rest of the night sipping bourbon and watching the sun slip over the horizon.


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Last rays of sunlight
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Mt. Baker at Sunset






















Sunrise

So glad I woke up at 6am to catch the sunrise!




Hidden Lake North Peak and Eldorado
Hidden Lake North Peak and Eldorado






















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Sunrise on Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak






















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Johannesburg
























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Looking back at the lookout
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We got off route on the descent and had to climb down a dried up river.  It was pretty fun except for all the stickers and devil's club...  Overall it was a great climb!  Maybe Eldorado will be next.



















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KenP - Feb 27, 2015 11:31 am - Hasn't voted

Winter route, SE Ridge?

Nice pictures and great report!

I am not familiar with the Winter Route along the SE ridge; I hiked up there a few months ago and had no trouble with the usual summer route, though it was ice/snow the entire way.

Do you have a track of your route or a map?
Thanks!

keeganray

keeganray - Feb 28, 2015 1:15 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Winter route, SE Ridge?

Thanks! I'm sure the summer route isn't too much of an avalanche risk this year with the snow level above 5000ft. I just really like going off trail and the West Ridge is much more direct (Mixed up the name with another hike, sorry for the confusion...). I wouldn't try it the spring or summer though, due to heavy brush.

Here's a detailed page of the route along with GPS tracks: http://www.summitpost.org/west-ridge-winter-route/699924

I had both route and a map. Going up everything converges to the summit, but on the way down it's easy to get off the ridge if you aren't following a gps track.

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