Summit Post details this trail nicely and includes photographs.
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Adapted from Summitpost.org:
Nearest Town: Leavenworth/Plain
Uses: Rock Climbing
Skill: 4
Fitness: 3
Access:
From U.S. 2 just west of Leavenworth, drive 9.2 miles on Icicle Creek road to Bridge Creek Campground, cross bridge, and continue 3.5 miles on road #7601 to Lake Stuart/Colchuck Lake trail head (trail #1599, 3540′) at a sharp turn. Follow Mountaineer Creek via constant grade riverside trail and intermittent switchbacks 2.5 miles to junction with Colchuck Lake trail (4600′). Proceed straight (south) up Mountaineer Creek toward Lake Stuart ~1 mile through swamps and then forest. At switchbacks leading to Lake Stuart, leave trail, cross creek, traverse benches above main branch Mountaineers Creek (still on your left) 0.25 miles. Then drop ~100′ to main creek above swamp to find climbers path paralleling creek and proceeding up the valley. About 1.5 miles later, climb up/right/west as valley steepens through talus and forest ~1 mile to good campsites beneath Sherpa and Ice Cliff glaciers (5400′). North ridge is right/west of Ice Cliff glacier and left/east of Stuart glacier.
Leave It Better than You Found It. This should be every user’s goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, throw branches over unwanted spur trails, etc.
Disclaimer. Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Conditions change and those contributing these reports are volunteers–they may make mistakes or not know all the issues affecting a route. You are responsible for yourself, your actions, and your safety. If you won’t accept that responsibility, you are prohibited from using our information.
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