Black peak, central north cascades. an ascent of the NE arete

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Black Peak, North East Arete, 5.6

Black peak from Rainy Pass. The North East Arete is the right hand skyline from the first saddle down from the summit.

After a dawn start from Rainy Pass, hiking mostly in clouds, we finally arrived to clearing skies at the austere Wing Lake. A brief photo stop was all the cold down slope wind allowed us. The foreshortened photo doesn't show well the immensity of this North Cascades giant

Mark, appearing as merely a speck, is trudging up the large snowfields and tricky bergshrunds leading to the saddle at 8100', where the technical climbing begin.
		Jan leading into loose, blocky terrain low on the route.


The rock generally got better and better as we climbed, until it turned into pure fun on an exposed ridge with awesome views. Behind us is he deep forested gorge of Granite Creek.

	The impressive west summit of Black Peak, in all respects a completely individual mountain, with its steep and foreboding north aspect. That ridge looks mighty fine.

Near the summit, Mark au cheval, and again the west summit as backdrop.

The descent is straight forward, yet could prove to be rather tiresome if not, as here, having a generous snow cover on all that loose ball bearing scree. Car to car from Rainy Pass in a day is moderately exhausting.