Going To The Sun Mountain

by Rockey Mountaineers This was the first installment of our new Classic Series and the first annual Glacier Classic Weekend. The weather was perfect all weekend, the camp area worked out great and everyone enjoyed some activities in this awe inspiring National Park. On Friday the 19th, most of us arrived at the Blankenship Bridge camp location west of West Glacier and north of Coram on the Flathead River (Frank and Zeita Kleschen had enjoyed the day there, then decided to camp at Apgar in the Park). We enjoyed a nice evening of socializing, eating, drinking and sitting by the river watching a brilliant full moon come up. The next day we arose and headed our separate ways for some various activities (see accompanying trip reports for more detail): Steve Schombel, Cathy and Michael went on a hike to Three Falls ; Angie Dean took the kids (Frankie and Karya) to some activities around Logan Pass and St. Mary Lake and attempted to make Junior Rangers out of them; Bill Martin, Brett Doucett, Jim Goss and Forest Dean climbed Going-to-the-Sun Mountain and Matahpi Peak. Most of us camped at Blankenship again on Saturday night (more eating, drinking, etc.)- Steve Niday drove up to join us as well. A couple of our planned trips on Sunday were cancelled due to trip leader injuries: Steve Niday?s Mt. Gould climb and Fred and Eileen Schwannemann?s Otokomi Lake hike. Jim Goss, Bill Martin and Brett Doucett decided to hike back to Snyder Lakes on Sunday. All in all a great weekend- hope to have more of you join us next year!

Going-To-The-Sun Mountain- Aug. 20 by Forest Dean We got started from the Siyeh Bend trailhead at about 10:15 AM. Hiked about 2KM to a junction with the Piegan Pass trail. Took this for roughly another 2KM. Passes over two mostly dry streambeds then headed off trail east towards the saddle between Going-To-The-Sun and Matahpi (large open area). We followed a dry watercourse almost all the way to a first set of cliffs in which we found a series of easy breaks to get through. Then ascended slightly higher to a second cliff band which was slightly more of a challenge, but easily attained. These same cliffs presented some problems on the descent- not for their rock climbing difficulty, but simply for trying to find the way back down through themnot easy to see from above. We then ascended toward the saddle then angled up toward the prominent Diagonal Chute that can be seen from Logan Pass. We ascended this very interesting feature, although it took awhile- it is a 40 degree slope of extremely loose scree and talus. Only 20- 30 feet wide in most places. It ascends about 800 vertical feet. At the top you could look thousands of feet down the east side of the mountain. We then scaled some class 4 rock to get up on the summit ridge which leads along to the south and a final climb up some class 3 rock to the summit (9642?). Great views in all directions. The descent went well except for the aforementioned cliff bands and the fact that somehow we missed Jim on the way down (although fortunately he saw us and arrived back at the cars only about five minutes after us). The climb ascends roughly 4000? from Siyeh Bend and took us about 7 hours. Bill Martin, Brett Doucett and Forest Dean summited Going-To-The-Sun, Jim Goss did Matahpi Peak. ˜Forest Dean