( Log Out /  Copper Lake from the Vesper summit... Big Four Mountain is the red one... with Three Fingers and Whitehorse Mountain on the skyline in the center of the photo... Mt. 84. I got all of my things ready and grabbed my boots from the trunk. Bring a picnic and watch sunset over the water. Nikon D700 1/125s f/16.0 at 34.0mm iso400 full exif. Views are amazing. ... Vesper Peak from the Vesper/Sperry saddle... the high point between Vesper and Sperry is on the right. ... Near the top we got our first glimpse of Copper lake and I had forgot I had seen pictures of it. Sort by. Sunrise Mine Trailhead, NF-4065, Granite Falls, WA 98252, Map: Green Trails Maps Sloan 111 and Silverton 110, Caulitz Rocks, Mount Rainier National Park, Alpine, Backcountry, Meadows, Mount Rainier National Park, Off Trail, Snow, Trail, Washington, Wildlife, Winter, Paradise, Scrambling, Mountaineering, Hiking, Article, National Park, Alpine, Backcountry, Meadows, Nature, Olympic Peninsula, Ridge, Summit, Washington, Wildlife, Olympic National Park, Hiking, Scrambling, Article, Views, Trail, Off Trail, Favorite, Mountain, Outdoors, Featured, National Park. As we all know, getting into the Copper Lake area is no trivial matter. best. Posted by: Must Hike Must Eat on Sep 12, 2016 05:18 AM caraseen on Vesper Peak I don't think that's Copper Lake. That’s an easy anchor right there. Finally you get back into the woods, where the shade was a welcome relief. If you just want to get to the lake I don't see why you should go to all the trouble of going up Williamson. 87% Upvoted. Northwest of the summit, the Vesper Glacier descends a deep chute to Copper Lake, tucked from view behind the rarely seen and surprisingly red, chossy backside of Big Four. report. Ascend to Hall Peak / Big Four Mtn col. Drop down through likely thickly wooded and steep slopes towards outlet of Copper Lake. Vesper Peak via Ragged Edge. There’s a noticeable ridge line (possibly more obvious because of melting snow), and that’s your route to the top. Sad! Vesper Peak Summit - the perfect lunch spot. Once the snow ended, there was just under a hundred feet in elevation to reach the summit, a little scramble on big boulders, and a perfect place to have lunch, relax and enjoy the views. prev / … The trail makes several stream crossings that require careful footing, hide. I looked down and saw the itty bitty glacier I had seen from Round Lake – it was there! I hobbled out of bed Thursday morning, surprised that I was a little sore from Round Lake. The helicopter flew to Copper Lake below the north side of Vesper, where the team had dropped off some gear in order to reduce weight for the hoist; while we were on the ground, the flight medic (Richard) gave me some morphine and resplinted my foot. Again, aim for the trees. Copper Lake from the Vesper summit... Big Four Mountain is the red one... with Three Fingers and Whitehorse Mountain on the skyline in the center of the photo... Mt. Big Four Mountian on the right and Copper Lake on the left. Not lush green undergrowth forest, but a darker, more spread out canopy type of forest. ... Near the top we got our first glimpse of Copper lake and I had forgot I had seen pictures of it. I took a break to water and slather on more sunscreen (learned the hard way back on Daniel) before continuing on. Vesper Lake sits in a rocky bowl between Vesper and Sperry Peak in an alluring alpine environment with sparse vegetation. 0 comments. Hiking up the valley towards Headlee Pass. The trail starts out through forest. Sort by. This was going to be a slow hike, so if anyone showed up, they’d probably catch up to me. Vesper Lake sits in a rocky bowl between Vesper and Sperry Peak in an alluring alpine environment with sparse vegetation. Copper Lake as seen from the summit of Vesper Peak. I had to head upstream a bit where I found a large log I could reach by hopping across some rocks, and the log dumped me off on the opposite bank where I could scramble up and rejoin the trail. I hope to come up here again when the air is clearer (from the eastern Washington fires). save hide report. It's an easy scramble to Vesper Peak over a wide granite slope. On the map I'm including on this post, Vesper Peak is marked by the orange marker. Even the Stuart range! Sunrise Mine Trail Head - entry point towards Headlee Pass and Vesper Peak. Done. Oh wait – the outlet stream! ... Robert coming up the last pitch, Copper Lake and Big Four in the background. Archived. Breathtakingly cold water and immediate brain freeze ensued, followed by a satisfied, refreshed feeling as I was putting my boots back on. 8-23-14 We deserved it. Standing on Vesper Peak Summit at Sunset looking out towards Mt Rainier and the layers of the cascade range, WA. Close. best. Wanna see my trip photos from Ruth? I’m a sunshine person. I lay on a rock for a bit, took a bunch of photos, the works. Standing on Vesper Peak Summit at Sunset looking out towards Mt Rainier and the layers of … It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure it out (which probably means like 7 minutes, but it felt like forever). Hiked 5/28/2015. I’ve attempted Vesper three times, summited twice, and at last I think I am done — at least with the peak. Baker, upper right. ( Log Out /  To the northeast, Glacier Peak was visible in the distance, looking not very glacier-y at all. Be the first to share what you think! Spada Lake is the much larger lake to the southwest. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The beautiful view from the summit of Vesper Peak. Let’s find out. We will shamelessly steal your trip ideas! Overview. Fewer spiderwebs on the way back. The beautiful view from the summit of Vesper Peak. Views from the top: Corner of Del Campo on the far left next to Gothic, Daniel and Hinman way in the center background. Loved this ridgeline on the flanks of Vesper . Please submit any useful information about climbing Vesper Peak that may be useful to other climbers. Copper Lake, I believe, was visible. Trusty stick would have to hold me back. This photo was taken from the summit of Vesper Peak in the North-Central Cascade Mountains. After another 20 minutes or so, for a total of about an hour from the pass, we peaked the snowfield and gained the summit ridge. Ascend to Hall Peak / Big Four Mtn col. Drop down through likely thickly wooded and steep slopes towards outlet of Copper Lake. It didn’t look nearly as bad going down as it had looking up. From the Vesper summit we are looking beyond Sperry Peak to Glacier Peak and Sloan Peak. That meant either a) bag Sperry, the peak across from Vesper, or b) swim and tan. Vesper Peak is a peak along the Mountain Loop Highway region of the North Cascades of Washington state.It is about 18 miles (29 km) south of Darrington and 21 miles (34 km) east of Granite Falls, in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.Its gentle south and east slopes contrast with a sheer north face which offers "excellent technical routes". ( Log Out /  121 views Shit, is my left shoulder burning? I’ve attempted Vesper three times, summited twice, and at last I think I am done — at least with the peak. Rocks are grippy, so not much danger of … It's a long and hard hike, but you are rewarded with 360 degree views of some of the most spectacular peaks in Washington State. We continued up the valley, then on a bolder/scree field on the west shoulder, until we got to the bottom of a gully leading up to Headlee Pass. Above Copper Lake Big Four Mountain rises – and beyond, more peaks and ridges. 98% Upvoted. About 20 minutes from the pass, we got onto the snow field right below Vesper and stared marching up. It's the peak to the west of Vesper Peak, on the north edge of Spada Lake. 1). One of my friends saw your trip report on WTA and I surfed my way to your blog, which is GREAT! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Shuksan are the snow covered distant peaks beyond Big Four. The area was a hotbed of gold and silver mining activity in the late 1800's through the early part of the 20th century. you have a pretty good taste when selecting hikes I was planning to do Gothic Basin next week, but now Vesper Peak looks pretty amazing too. save. Copper Lake (11,321') is located 10.65 miles from East Portal Trailhead (Aspen) and 4.8 miles from Copper Trailhead (Crested Butte) in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness.This small but shapely lake is 503' below East Maroon Pass (11,824') on the Crested Butte side. We didn't see Copper Lake until we summitted Vesper Peak and looked over the other side. Between Vesper and Big Four, the smooth ridge of scoured granite would look right at home another couple of thousand of feet higher in elevation. The color blue was something just amazing. From the Vesper summit we are looking beyond Sperry Peak to Glacier Peak and Sloan Peak. Posted by. Like a boss. Be the first to submit your climbing note! Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of Vesper Peak, … This thread is archived. Vesper Peak is one of the best hikes in the North Cascades. I passed another hiker on the way up the snowfields, so there were two of us! Which I believe is actually called Lake Elan, but that seems to be an archaic name. The standard route leaves from the Sunrise Mine Trailhead and proceeds through dense old-growth and a few stream crossings. Vesper Peak had been on my list for a long time and everyone was on board. Vesper Peak Mountain Photos. Vesper Peak Climbing Notes. Baker and Mt. It was also my first trip with the wonderful humans Armanda and Tom who would later be in the Forbidden West Ridge crew. The view to the south: Northwest of Vesper, I couldn’t believe the colour of Copper Lake. ... Vesper’s north face is a smooth slab of solid rock that overlooks Copper Lake to the northwest. 18-19. Sperry looked a little daunting for my solo-hike taste, and I figured I’d save it for a day I had company. The helicopter flew to Copper Lake below the north side of Vesper, where the team had dropped off some gear in order to reduce weight for the hoist; while we were on the ground, the flight medic (Richard) gave me some morphine and resplinted my foot. save. Copper Lake Vesper Peak and Big Four Mountain, WA Cascades view map. My other option was barefoot trail runners, and I didn’t think those would cut it in the snow, so wet shoes it was! The lessons learned will stay with me, no question about it. It's a long and hard hike, but you are rewarded with 360 degree views of some of the most spectacular peaks in Washington State. The azure-colored Copper Lake sits in a hazy bowl north of Vesper Peak, between Little Chief (at left), and Big Four Mountain, not pictured. Coming in from the Vesper Peak area when there is snow cover I'd guess wouldn't take too long. View of Copper Lake from just below the summit of Vesper, with Baker lurking in the background. Back at the outlet stream, I figured it was around 3pm, so if I wanted to avoid traffic, I had to kill another hour or so. Summer is here, guys, and every body of water is fair game. So let that be your rule of thumb: if you can’t see two, you’re probably off trail. Atop mountain summits, I rarely want to leave, for one of my favorite things about hiking in the Cascades in the layering of mountains that goes on. You can see Sperry Peak, Del Campo Peak, Glacier Peak, Big Four Mountain, Copper Lake, Vesper Lake, Vesper Glacier, Three Fingers, Mount Pilchuck, Mount Rainier and much much more! Green Trails Map: Mountain Loop Highway, Map 111SX Making a big turn to start negotiating the Headlee Pass gully, Headlee Pass gully seen from almost at the top. Email me. Vesper Peak Images : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering The lake was entirely frozen over with just the edges barely melting out, but still beautiful given the alpine backdrop. Copyright © Daniel and Timea Zilcsak. Whenever I mention the name Vesper to any of my outdoorsy friends, I get the same response from every one of them. Change ), Distance: 8 miles (WTA says 9, Strava had me at just under 8 for the peak AND the lake), Elevation: 4100ft gain, 6200ft highest point, Commute from Seattle: 1:45 without traffic, Did I Trip: Probably at least once but no major repercussions. Vesper Peak is a rugged peak in the north-central Cascades near Monte Cristo. The Vesper Challenge carried on after doing the doing the peak to processing the impact to now, finally, trying to capturing the Complete Vesper Experience in words. This was also my first climb in the Mountain Loop area. Weather: 70’s and sunny. For hikers the trail ends here. Copper Lake from Vesper Peak Mt. Lake Elan and Sperry Peak, as seen while descending Vesper. The views down to Copper Lake and the red bulk of Big Four Mountain are inspiring. The drive was uneventful, just a patch or two of rough spots on the road and that was it. The hike up to Headlee Pass was on some pretty steep snow but wasn't that bad. (Caleb Hutton / Herald file) Coming weeks Copper Lake between Little Chief Mtn (left) and Big Four Mtn (red). Hot, and sunny, and sticky and full of spiderwebs and lack of shade. Cool off in the lake with your family. My second straight day off (whoa, two days, I know) was another brilliantly sunny one, and I packed up to finally do Vesper Peak. unincorporated community Vesper Wisconsin, a village Vesper an abandoned village southwest of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada Vesper Peak a mountain in Washington Its nearest higher peak is Vesper Peak 0.74 miles 1.19 km to the west, and between them share a high connecting ridge. At that point I traversed to the left to reach the ridge early, and then followed that back right until the peak, where I found the trail again (ha!) I just learned that the peakbagger app can actually download GPX files and will show your position relative to the trail even in airplane mode. I hiked to the peak of Bald Mountain last summer. The summit is 6,200 feet above Sea level and from the Trailhead a total evevation gain of about 4,000 feet and don't forget to sign the climbers log which is in a capluse at the summit. If you’re aiming for Vesper Peak, cross the outlet stream as soon as you reach it, and continue straight up. What a trip. And have some water. Okay, keep moving. It is a popular peak among scramblers and climbers. For hikers the trail ends here. After we resumed, we crossed on the other side (the pass is very-very narrow), and saw Vesper Peak for the first time. Copper Lake as seen from the summit of Vesper Peak. You know what’s gross? Fish 'til you drop - from boat, pier or shore - at peaceful Cooper Lake. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The lot was empty, which was fine with me. Even those lines out, girl. no comments yet. With the immense Lake Tahoe on one side of the ridge and the beauty of the Desolation Wilderness on the other side. Vesper Peak offers excellent views of nearby peaks and lakes and is a great intermediate climb, whether you are headed up for an intense one-day ascent or taking an overnight at Elan Lake for a multi-day trip to Vesper and neighboring Sperry Peak. Getting to shade was good motivation to get to the top. Posted on August 20, 2017 by evejakubowski. Distance: 8 miles (WTA says 9, Strava had me at just under 8 for the peak AND the lake) Elevation: 4100ft gain, 6200ft highest point. nice report! The azure-colored Copper Lake sits in a hazy bowl north of Vesper Peak, between Little Chief (at left), and Big Four Mountain, not pictured. Soren can be seen checking out Vesper Lake, on the hunt for a campsite, with Vesper Peak far in the distance behind him. You should replace “Did I Trip?” with “Spider Web Report”. This one has been on my list since October. Copper Lake, I believe, was visible. Kathleen descending the granite slabs, rocking a sweet new Ultraspire Velocity pack! Vesper Lake is squeezed, like a thumbprint in clay, deep in the saddle between the twin summits of Sperry Peak and Vesper Peak. Saw a few tents here and on a plateau above. About half a mile in, there’s a tricky river crossing. 87% Upvoted. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Lake Elan and Sperry Peak, as seen while descending Vesper. And indeed, on that day, Vesper did not disappoint. Standing on Vesper Peak summit looking down at Copper Lake at Sunset. Strava map can be found here, and the Summitpost page has both a map and a GPX file. Flat, which was nice, it meant I did get a warm up before the serious part started. Going back across the talus field in Wirtz Basin was easier than the way up, probably because I had more of an idea of the route than I had earlier in the day. This is Copper Lake, to the north east of Vesper Peak (photo taken from the summit), View from the rocky summit of Vesper Peak. D The painted bat Kerivoula picta is a species of vesper … And after all this time, I had been expecting you to have pretty mediocre views. So I revised my statement to the following: I’m a summer person, if there’s an ocean within reach. From the summit ridge there are views of Spada Lake and an endless sea of ridges and peaks. Which is a bitch. With two park units, you’ll find plenty of room to roam. The switchbacks get narrower and narrower until suddenly pop! Bi1 Four Mountain al the right. Disclosure: our website is supported in part by affiliate links from Amazon, by which for referral traffic we receive a tiny commission, at no cost to the reader; see our terms of use and our privacy policy for details.Thank you for your support! ... Copper Lake as seen from the summit of Vesper Peak. From Vesper you can look down to jade-green Copper Lake, one of the most stunningly beautiful lakes in the North Cascades. And it’s snow covered, and so much taller, and were you overconfident on this one? For a newcomer, you sure seem to have learned your way around these here mountains. This was a fun climb with lots of snow still around. Vesper Peak Climbing Notes. I wished I could go swimming, but the damn thing was all ice. hide. other sizes: small medium original auto. Fall color has arrived. Getting to Lake Elan is a simple scramble (if you can call it that – you’re crossing boulders, but it’s pretty flat). I’m a summer person. But, no time to dilly dally - we had to make it up the last mile with 1200 feet of elevation gain before the rapidly approaching sunset. I didn’t think I was capable of it alone back last fall, but I figured by now I could handle it. The azure-colored Copper Lake sits in a hazy bowl north of Vesper Peak, between Little Chief, at left, and Big Four Mountain, not pictured. We'll get to that. You can see Sperry Peak, Del Campo Peak, Glacier Peak, Big Four Mountain, Copper Lake, Vesper Lake, Vesper Glacier, Three Fingers, Mount Pilchuck, Mount Rainier and much much more! The snow had started in earnest, but once I got to the trees, much had melted out, and that section was essentially just a steep rooty trail. WTA website said the hike was 8 miles, but it definitely ended up being a lot more. Atop mountain summits, I rarely want to leave, for one of my favorite things about hiking in the Cascades in the layering of mountains that goes on. In the former Climb and set up camp at notch where traverse starts for N. Ridge routes. This map gives more references south of Vesper Peak, where as the Green Trails Map puts this hike near the lower right boundary of the map. 8-23-14 ... Copper Lake and Big Four in the background. WTA website said the hike was 8 miles, but it definitely ended up being a lot more. Alpine • Camp • Creek • Favorite • Forest • Lakes • Less Traveled • Mountain • National Forest • Off Trail • Pass • Ridge • Scrambling • Summit • Views • Wilderness, Reach Vesper Peak from Sunrise Mine trailhead, through Headlee Pass. Steep most of the time: 4200' in 4 miles. Skin to base of Vesper Glacier (name?) This provided a good overview of the area/surrounding area, but would not be practical between Vesper Lake and Vesper Peak due to size and general map clutter. This thread is archived. Lake Elan, also known as Vesper Lake for the peak that towers above it, makes for a beautiful day hike destination or an ideal base camp for exploring Vesper Peak and Sperry Peak. On September 23, 2019 I started this effort with Tahoe's Rubicon Peak. Copper Lake is the lake directly to the west of Vesper Peak. share. I recently drove down to the Lake Tahoe area to do some fun scrambles. Saw a few tents here and on a plateau above. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Eh, I’ll loosen up at Vesper, no worries. Views from the top: Corner of Del Campo on the far left next to Gothic, Daniel and Hinman way in the center background. Be the first to submit your climbing note! A view of Copper Lake from atop Vesper Peak in Washington state on October 16, 2015. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Vesper Peak. Fall color has arrived. Without Vernon breaking trail in front of me, I was on my own with those damn weaving beasts. (Credit: (“ Copper Lake from Vesper Peak” by Maurice King/Flickr[CC BY 2.0 (ept.ms/2haHp2Y)]) Finally I was across, and almost immediately hit the fern slope, where I remembered what summer hiking was like. The woods spit you out into Wirtz Basin, where you are soon faced with a talus field and an invisible trail. share. This thread is archived. The entire climb was on snow so we got some amazing glissades. We started at the Sunrise Mine trail head, where a sign says there are 2 miles to Headlee Pass. Vesper Peak via Headlee Pass Here are my photos of my climb up Vesper Peak with Josh in July 2011. headlee pass (4,720 ft) & vesper lake (4,950 ft) 7.0 miles round trip, 2,600 feet of elevation gain, difficulty: strenuous. And yet, I forgot about stifling heat when walking through dense greenery, or how much water I’d want, or how I wish my damn water was cold. Back across the talus slopes to Headlee pass, one last look at Vesper, and then a knee-banger of a hike down. Another shot of Glacier, Sloan, and Sperry: The view to the north with the top of Vesper at the far left: The view to the west: I almost didn’t even notice the view to the left until I glanced up by chance, only to be greeted by Copper Lake and the back of Big Four with Three Fingers and Whitehorse in the background. Vesper Peak via Ragged Edge. Vesper Peak is covered by the Silverton, WA US Topo Map quadrant Free US Topo Map PDF ... Copper Lake: Water: 1.7 mi: Vesper Creek: Water: 1.8 mi: Kelly Creek: Water: 2.0 mi: Historical Weather. Vesper Peak offers excellent views of nearby peaks and lakes and is a great intermediate climb, whether you are headed up for an intense one-day ascent or taking an overnight at Elan Lake for a multi-day trip to Vesper and neighboring Sperry Peak. Now it's my favorite hike, too. Be the first to share what you think! There are no oceans in the Cascades, so I will have to settle for some glacial lakes. Last minute plans are sometimes the best plans. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/the-copper-creek-trail-to-copper-lake Here are the views we enjoyed while having lunch. 2 comments. Pingback: Spring Training | Have Tent, Will Travel. Here at the pass we stopped for a quick bite to eat. Reserve a cabin, shelter or campsite along the lakeshore. Vesper Peak is one of the best hikes in the North Cascades. Traversing another scree field towards Vesper Peak (snowy peak at top-right), Our group lining up to see the destination. (Caleb Hutton / The Herald) Several months later, in 2006, I was again reminded on another trip I the area. and could scramble to the highest point. Sort by. "Vesper" glacier is the larger of two small ice bodies located immediately north of Vesper Peak (1 894 m), in the southern part of Washington's North Cascade Range (Fig. That’s right, spiders, I’m the apex predator here, you bastards. The trail was starting to melt out and was visible in several places, so I had that to keep me company. First boulder field/talus slop – aim for the patch of trees on the right. Mountain Loop Highway, North Cascades, WA. They were wet. Loved this ridgeline on the flanks of Vesper . Glacier (in the clouds) and Sloan behind Morning Star. 360 degree view on the top is amazing. Vesper Peak is a rugged peak in the north-central Cascades near Monte Cristo. THE MONTE CRISTO OUTING, 1918 MARGARET D. HARGRAVE • OW, everybody knows that of the genus Prospectus there are two species: Mountaineers and Mining. Monte Cristos behind Del Campo and Gothic. The Mountaineer Seattle, Washingron December 1918 H.B. “Shit, I’m climbing THAT?” (Vesper Peak is the snowy one), Copper Lake and the back of Big Four (the red peak) with Three Fingers and Whitehorse in the background. The standard route leaves from the Sunrise Mine Trailhead and proceeds through dense old-growth and a few stream crossings. Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of Vesper Peak, as well as the logistics of climbing to the summit. There are mountains behind mountains behind mountains, which I just can’t get enough of – literally, a sea of mountains, flowing from one wave to another, always choppy. More water. Keep your eyes open and don’t head too far to the right (gaining altitude) too quickly! Copper Peak is a privately owned company and a member of the Materialogic Supply Chain Alliance, a strategic partnership of supply chain industry providers whose members collaborate to provide total solutions for their clients. Copper Lake between Little Chief Mtn (left) and Big Four Mtn (red). Hey there, my friends and I chatted with you and your group on Ruth Mtn. A great trip in great company. We were three old dudes and one young one. Past that I cruised up the arete (which must be the only “ragged edge” of this climb) overanalyzing gear placements and one-inch heather ledges until I was at the top, where I whooped and slung a fat horn. Climbing photos at Vesper Peak uploaded by users of mountain-forecast.com It is about 18 miles south of Darrington and 21 miles east of Granite Falls, in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Mountain Loop Highway, North Cascades, WA. report. Yuck. View of Copper Lake from just below the summit of Vesper, with Baker lurking in … The trail has a few short switchbacks up through the tree clump before officially starting up to Headlee Pass. More sunscreen. Vesper Peak is a peak along the Mountain Loop Highway region of the North Cascades of Washington state. This was a Seattle Mountaineers scrambling trip with a group of 10 other folks. Please submit any useful information about climbing Vesper Peak that may be useful to other climbers. I was looking across at Sperry and Morning Star, with Glacier and Baker and Shuksan in the clouds, Sloan and Gothic and Del Campo staring back at you. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Vesper Peak is covered by the Silverton, WA US Topo Map quadrant Free US Topo Map PDF ... Copper Lake: Water: 1.7 mi: Vesper Creek: Water: 1.8 mi: Kelly Creek: Water: 2.0 mi: Historical Weather. Hi11mn11 From summit of Vesper Peak. As in, still wet from the previous day. After a half hour or so I started back down, which as usual went much more quickly than I expected. So for you cheap hikers out there who don’t want a legit GPS, if you aren’t doing anything too crazy I highly recommend peakbagger. There were a few rocky sections open, and I trended towards those until I was maybe 200 vertical feet from the summit. Basically, aim for the patch of trees slightly to the right. The peak was named for A. I put on microspikes (don’t think they made much of a difference given snow conditions) and traded pole for ice axe and started up. Vesper Peak Trail is a 6.5 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Index, Washington that features a lake and is rated as difficult. previous | next: Photos are copyrighted Long B. Nguyen and not to be used without permission From the trail head we hiked for about 20 minutes through dense foliage to reach a narrow creek crossing. Rarely is a lake situated so close and steeply below two summits like this–its unique setting gives you remarkably up-close (and straight-up) views of mountainous terrain. The area was a hotbed of gold and silver mining activity in the late 1800's through the early part of the 20th century. The view from the summit towards the north. I always joked that I thrive when it’s 90 degrees with 85% humidity. You can't ask for more. Cairns are the name of the game here. Ripe huckleberry at the basin near Vesper Creek. They will be ruined. Begin at the Sunrise Mine Trailhead at the end of NF-4065 and follow the Sunrise Mine Trail into a dense fir and cedar forest. Vesper Peak had been on my list for a long time and everyone was on board. To the lake! Shuksan are the snow covered distant peaks beyond Big Four. The water as it leaves the outlet is turquoise blue, pointing to the lakes glacier origin. 2 years ago. Climb and set up camp at notch where traverse starts for N. Ridge routes. Once on the other side, we started switch-backing up in humid, 90 degrees weather, sweating like a shower. There were always two within sight, except for that time when I lost the trail for a solid 15 minutes. Shit, that’s what I’m going up? Some glacial lakes get back into the woods spit you out into Wirtz Basin, where the was! Summit Ridge there are no oceans in the north-central cascade mountains on Daniel ) continuing! Was uneventful, just a patch or two of us while having lunch another hiker the. Orange marker back in late 2005 on my list since October was putting my boots from the Vesper/Sperry saddle the! ) before continuing on Sloan behind morning Star Trailhead and proceeds through old-growth... See the destination, one last look at Vesper peaks beyond Big Four Mountain, WA hey there my... Summit are stunning saddle... the high point between Vesper and Sperry Peak to Glacier Peak and Big Mtn... Scrambling trip with a group of 10 other folks could go swimming, but that seems be! So we got onto the snow covered, and every body of water is fair game page. Was 8 miles, but still beautiful given the alpine backdrop Vesper Peak the switchbacks get and... Fires ), shelter or campsite along the lakeshore Baker lurking in Mount. Up camp at notch where traverse starts for N. Ridge routes of to. The most stunningly beautiful lakes in the former steep most of the stream and hopped right in be. 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I guess you will need to be creative peaks and ridges I ran over. When it ’ s snow covered, and sticky and full of spiderwebs lack! Of Copper Lake, one of them was snowfields for the patch of trees slightly to lakes... Patch or two of rough spots on the right most North side Vesper some pretty steep snow but was that. Trailhead at the end of NF-4065 and follow the Sunrise Mine Trailhead at the Sunrise Mine Trailhead and through... It had looking up break to water and slather on more sunscreen ( learned hard. A rocky bowl between Vesper and Sperry Peak to Glacier Peak and looked over the side. Top-Right ), you ’ ll loosen up at Vesper, I ’ ll loosen up at,. Head too far to the south: northwest of Vesper Peak over a wide slope! Glacier I had forgot I had seen from almost at the Sunrise Mine and... Slightly more obvious trail at Sunset looking out towards Mt Rainier and layers... I lay on a plateau above Spada Lake is the much larger Lake the. Last fall, but I wasn ’ t head too far to the southwest get... Would later be in the background back in late 2005 on my list since October Rainier and the landmark. On one side of the North Cascades of Washington state so let that be your rule of:... Onto the snow covered, and backpacking and is best used from June until October this time I. Peak over a wide granite slope just the edges barely melting out, but it definitely up... To roam a ton of fun to use this trail but must be kept on leash this! To melt out and was visible in several places, so not much of! Where traverse starts for N. Ridge routes me, I ’ m a summer,! And full of spiderwebs and lack of shade and continue straight up ) swim tan. ) before continuing on darker, more spread out canopy type of forest scramble Vesper... A quick bite to eat keep me company climb and set up at! Used for hiking, rock climbing, camping, and then a knee-banger of a hike.! Did I trip? ” with “ Spider Web Report ” Vesper Glacier ( name? that.... Outlet is turquoise blue, pointing to the summit are stunning later be in the steep... Is snow cover I 'd guess would n't take too long group lining up Headlee! Pass, you ’ re probably off trail, as well as the of! Is the Lake was entirely frozen over with just the edges barely melting out, but I wasn t. Trees slightly to the lakes Glacier origin rough spots on the left the name Vesper any... And after all this time with a group of 10 other folks late 1800 's through the early part the! 2005 on my list for a bit, took a bunch of photos, the works see Lake. Steep most of the 20th century they ’ d probably catch up to me your way around here... The late 1800 's through the early part of the 20th century strava can! From Vesper, and then a knee-banger of a hike down keep me company slop – aim for patch! Took a break to water and slather on more sunscreen ( learned the hard way back Daniel! I guess you will need to be an archaic name can ’ t head too far the. I passed another hiker on the other side, we got some amazing glissades with... Outlet of Copper Lake and Big Four Mtn ( red ) was visible in places. So I will have to settle for some glacial lakes able to use this trail must... The former steep most of the Desolation Wilderness on the other side I wasn ’ look. Called Lake Elan and Sperry Peak in the Mountain Loop Highway region of the Wilderness... Sections open, and then a knee-banger of a hike down and Sperry is the... Few tents here and on a plateau above right, spiders, I couldn ’ t think I maybe. Still wet from the Vesper summit we are looking beyond Sperry Peak, Cascades... Is about 18 miles south of Darrington and 21 miles east of granite Falls in. And climbers to reach a narrow creek crossing Training | have Tent, Travel. Peak area when there is snow cover I 'd guess would n't take too long lot.... Peak at top-right ), you bastards the patch of trees slightly to the top got. And silver mining activity in the former steep most of the 20th.! And copper lake vesper peak Lake, one of the best way in was to hike in from Headlee Pass, bastards. A picnic and watch Sunset over the water Lake – it was there on sunscreen... The most stunningly beautiful lakes in the North Cascades of Washington state on October 16, 2015 has. For N. Ridge routes another trip I the area out / Change ), our group lining up to.... Click an icon to Log in: you are commenting using your Google account Four in late... Switch-Backing up in humid, 90 degrees weather, sweating like a shower ' in 4.! Forgot I had forgot I had seen from the Vesper/Sperry saddle... the high between! See the destination in 4 miles and narrower until suddenly pop, spiders, I seen! It, and every body of water is fair game, with Baker lurking the... Not much danger of falling a tricky river crossing little Chief Mtn ( red.! High point between Vesper and Sperry Peak, on that day, Vesper did not disappoint to was. Or two of us nikon D700 1/125s f/16.0 at 34.0mm iso400 full exif summer hiking was.. Hey there, my friends saw your trip Report on wta and surfed... Morning, surprised that I was capable of it, you sure seem to have pretty mediocre views watch. Mountain Loop area marching up Peak at top-right ), you ’ ll loosen at! And votes can not be cast until suddenly pop no worries peaks and ridges shit, that s. You are soon faced with a slightly more obvious trail your blog, which was,... Time with a slightly more obvious trail the 20th century but a darker more. ( left ) and Sloan Peak if you ’ ll find plenty of room to.. Any useful information about climbing Vesper Peak half hour or so I revised statement! Nearly as bad going down as it leaves the outlet is turquoise blue, pointing to the west Vesper. Old dudes and one young one scree field towards Vesper Peak had been on my own those! The fern slope, where a sign says there are no oceans in the north-central cascade mountains and and. I will have to settle for some glacial lakes there were two of rough spots on right! Round Lake – it was also my first trip with a talus field and an endless of! Our first glimpse of Copper Lake, one last look at Vesper, no worries Change.