Slippery Slab NE Face 5.4

October 26, 2003

    Directions: Drive Highway 2 East from Monroe, until you reach the leftward hairpin turn just before reaching Stevens Pass. Turn right onto forest road #6095. Continue up the forest road until you reach the Tunnel Creek trail head.

Approach: Hike the Tunnel Creek trail for 1.6 miles to Hope Lake junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. At the Hope Lake junction take the PCT South for 3.8 miles until you reach an obvious climbers trail that heads south along the top of Trap Pass above Trap Lake. Once the trail comes to an open talus field Slippery Slab Tower is the most obvious tower in front of you. Hike around to the East side of the tower to begin the climb.   

Route: The route begins with a 4th class scramble up a slot gulley to a good ledge with a group of trees. Set up to belay here. The first real pitch goes straight up from the ledge into a dihedral, to another belay tree. I recommend that you keep going past the belay tree to the summit. Otherwise you will need to set up a belay for a 10ft second pitch and that is a waste of time. Once you have brought the rest of your party to the belay station, un-rope and scramble to the true summit. There is a summit register just below the summit hidden in the rocks.

Descent: To descend rappel the climbing route via three single rope rappels with a 60 meter rope.