The Pickets

Michelle, Crystal and I made a cool 4-day trip into the Pickets, a remote and rugged sub-range of the North Cascades. The approach is arduous to say the least - it starts at just 600 feet elevation a mere 6 miles from the peaks. Up a super-steep climbers trail, it gains almost 6,000 feet elevation then descends to good camping at 5,700 feet. This puts you still 2 miles of rugged sub-alpine terrain away from the peaks. We accomplished the approach on day 1 in about 7 hours enjoying cloudy weather that kept the temperatures cool.

Looking back across our "commute" from camp to the peaks.

Camp at 5,700 feet in the Pickets.

Michelle and Crystal heading up to West McMillan Spire.

Easy snow up the gully.

Scrambling up the ridge.

Michelle nearing the summit of West McMillan Spire.

Michelle and Crystal descending the upper ridge.

On the summit of West McMillan Spire.

Inspiration Peak. The East Ridge is in the foreground.

A view across the Southern Pickets from the summit of West McMillan Spire. Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan are in the distance.

Descending back down the couloir.

Descending the lower slabs.

The Southern Pickets from camp.