Trip
Winter Scramble - Copper & Iron Mountains
A beautiful (but strenuous at ~14 miles, 5400’ gain) late season traverse that begins/ends at the Kautz Creek parking area and visits Iron, Copper, and Ararat. Only for folks that are fully vaccinated.
Contacts
- Sat, Nov 6, 2021
- Seattle Alpine Scrambling Subcommittee - Winter Scrambling
- Scrambling
- Adults
- Strenuous 5, Technical 3
- Challenging
- Mileage: 15.0 mi
- Elevation Gain: 4,800 ft
- High Point Elevation: 6,283 ft
- FULL, 1 on waitlist (6 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
Kautz Creek Trailhead, 7AM.
Our day starts (and ends) at the Kautz Creek Trailhead, albeit from different directions. We get warm quickly with ~2 miles of cross country to the summit of Rampart Ridge, Point 4100 (later in the day our tired bones will be hiking the Kautz Creek Trail on the far side of this valley):
From there we motor on the Wonderland Trail to just past Squaw Lake and our departure point for the ‘Iron-Copper Shortcut’:
… on the way to the summit of Iron Mountain with Squaw Lake below:
From the summit of Copper Mountain we will return to the 6000’ Copper-Iron Saddle before descending to the Indian Henry Ranger Cabin. After one last 600’ gain to the 6010’ summit of Mount Ararat we will descend Ararat’s SW ridge to reach the Kautz Creek Trail and a final hike back to the cars.
Copper Mountain, Iron Mountain & Pyramid Peak
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Green Trails Mount Rainier Wonderland No. 269SX
Green Trails Mt Rainier West No. 269
USGS Wahpenayo Peak - See full route/place details.
Required Equipment
- The Ten Essentials
- Helmet
- Crampons
- Ice Axe
- Mountaineering Boots
Check with leader for any additional group gear or required equipment specific to trip location