Copper Peak-SE Glacier

Adapted from Summitpost.org:

Nearest Town: Lake Chelan

Uses: Mountaineering/Scrambling

Skill: 3

Fitness: 3

Access:
From Holden village, hike west a few hundred yards to the trail (road) that crosses the creek to the mine ruins SW of town. (From the campground, hike east to the trail across the creek.) Where the road makes a turn to the east below the old concentrator ruins, follow a road east. The road crosses Copper Creek. In another 0.25 miles on top of the big, flat tailings pile, the Copper Creek Trail junctions off (3,320 ft). There may be a sign for this trail. The trail climbs steeply up the hillside for about 0.7 miles before entering the Copper Creek drainage whereupon it parallels the creek southward. Maps show the trail ending at 4,750 ft but it actually continues to the 7,200-ft Copper-Entiat Divide between Mt. Fernow and Buckskin Mountain. The trail is an oft-used route to Mt. Fernow. You don’t need to go as far as the divide. Instead, at about 5,600 ft where the trail enters a flat area (good camping), leave the trail, cross the creek, and head west into the upper basin draining the glacier. A nice timbered knoll makes for nice access from creek to glacier.

Climb directly up the glacier (crevasses should be at a minimum and easily avoided). Near its apex there will be a series of notches in the spur ridge on the right (north) side of the glacier. Now, I believe you need to take the highest one that can easily be reached. Some of the notches require Class 5 climbing. The notch you want will be accessible by way of a loose Class-3 gully. From the notch, cross a very steep snowfield with a steepening snow gully extending below. Could need a belay here–especially if icy. Crampons might be a must. Contour across the snow to the upper NE Ridge. Gain the ridge (Class 3) then turn arc left back to the summit. The crux of this climb is locating the correct notch then the steep 100-ft traverse across the snow on the other side of the notch. Give yourself six hours from Holden.

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.