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August 09, 2010
~11.3 Miles, ~3,200 Gain Starting TH: Engineer Pass Ending TH: Along road 870
Waking up to overcast skies isn't exactly ideal. I woke up at 3:50 AM and John Kirk and I carpooled to the top of Engineer Pass from our camping area near Eureka. We started hiking north on American Flats around 5:30 AM. It's nice to start at such a high elevation.
We made good time on our 3.5 mile approach to Dragon's Back. Unfortunately, near the base of the climb it started to drizzle. Not exactly the best before a class 4 climb. From the south of the peak, we started up a prominent talus slope on the south face just east of the of the summit. At the top of the talus slope, we encountered our first bit of class 4 climbing. A non-exposed short tricky climb over a cliff band.
The Dragon's Back
Class 4 climb over cliff band.
From the top of the cliff band, we continued up a class 3 gully and from the top of the gully, we were on grassy ledges where the summit loomed over us. The route wasn't exactly obvious from our position and from some beta we had, the east ridge was a route. We started up another class 3 chimney toward the east ridge. Near the top of the chimney was an exposed class 4 section to the ridge. The wet lichen on the rock made things certainly more interesting.
Class 3 gully to grassy ledges.
Scouting around on the grassy ledges on the south face.
Starting up the class 3 gully to the east ridge.
More class 3 to the east ridge.
Once we reached the top ridge, we both got a bit nervous. The ridge was super exposed and looked harder than class 4, not to mention the damp lichen covered rock. There was a block about 40 feet from our position that just looked brutal and scary to bypass. We both felt that harness and gear would be necessary for the climb considering the conditions, and we would probably be singing a different tune if the lichen covered rock wasn't wet and the sun was shining.
Bailing down the class 4 on the east ridge.
Bailing down the class 4 on the east ridge.
Looking up the class 4 to the east ridge.
There was a webbing anchor on the ridge and we decided to take out my 30 M rope and use it as a handline for the class 4 descent off of the east ridge back to our grass ledges. Taking a fall from that position wouldn't be good. After the down-climb we scouted around for another route. Things again were not looking good. Mostly class 5 headwalls towered around us; however, John did score some booty with a #1 BD cam while scouting around.
After some scouting around, I found a short class 4 climb that allowed me to traverse west of the summit where things were starting to look better. After this short traverse, we continued across some class 3 ledges into a class 4 gully. I went ahead and climbed the 30-40 foot class 4 gully which took us to the summit. Whew. I wasn't really excited to come back to this one with gear. We arrived on the summit at 7:50 AM.
Climbing the class 4 west chimney to the summit.
Climbing the class 4 west chimney to the summit.
Clouds were staring to roll in as Wildhorse Peak was completely socked in. Again, we decided to use the rope for the descent. We were able to loop the rope around a rock horn at the top of the class 4 gully where we carefully descended. At the bottom of the gully it started to rain. Good timing. We returned across the ledges and back down the gully back to the talus slopes.
Summit weather.
Exposed east ridge from the summit.
Descending the class 4 chimney.
Descending the class 4 chimney.
Descending the talus on the Dragon's Back
Dragon's Back far east ridge.
Engulfed Dragons Back.
By the time we reached the base of the Dragon's Back, it was engulfed in clouds. We then headed southeast towards Dolly Varden. It was a very easy class 1 stroll to the summit where we arrived at 9:10 AM. To our surprise, we found a sheep herder walking around the summit. I can't say his dogs were very friendly as they growled at us.
Mellow summit stroll to Dolly Varden Mountain.
Sunshine Mountain from Dolly Varden
From the summit of Dolly Varden we headed east down a talus slope towards Point 13,093 and arrived on the summit of 13,093 at 9:45 AM after a junky talus climb up 13,093's west ridge. Clouds were coming and going and things were rather surreal. After our short summit stay, we continued towards Sunshine Mountain. We traversed north around a false summit and enjoyed the gentle grass slopes to the summit of Sunshine Mountain arriving at 10:45 AM.
West ridge up 13,093.
View from 13,093. Wildhorse on the left and Dragon's Back on the right.
I turned on my radio and contacted my wife who was on top of Engineer Pass working her way over to pick us up. How I love car shuttles. We descended north off of Sunshine and met up with my wife near the end of road 870. The weather began to clear, but on our drive back to camp in Eureka the clouds darkened and it rained.
Descending the grassy north slopes of Sunshine Mountain
Route up Dragon's Back
Rout Map.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
You're knockin' 'em down like a row of dominoes. This is certainly a unique group of peaks. The saving grace for all of us is that it will soon be winter, which will hopefully slow you down a bit, and stop making the rest of us look like grunts. Thanks for posting. Happy trails!
Dam, Derek, you've been on a mission on these 13ers! This trip looks like a hell of a good time. That shot of the Dragon's Back in the mist looks other-wordly.
Wildhorse also looks like a cool peak. Been a while since I've been back there.
Descending that 4th class stuff in the clouds must have been awesome! Especially on belay.
Way to go!! 8)
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This is certainly a unique group of peaks. The saving grace for all of us is that it will soon be winter, which will hopefully slow you down a bit, and stop making the rest of us look like grunts. 
Thanks for posting. Happy trails! 
