I'd love to give you more information, but I don't have a very good memory of it. I do know that it was very easy to find and follow, and there were absolutely no route-finding problems. I guess maybe I should add that the "trail" starts on the north side of Ice Lake.
I am not currently planning any trips to Oregon but I tend to do most of my hiking in the Wash/Oregon area and I was looking for Mountains to climb.
Sometimes when I read a mountain page and there is not a good route description I think its because there is a well defined trail to the top. But, if the author does not say so then I have no way of knowing before I go.
I can answer your question regarding the trail to the summit of Matterhorn. I hope the fact that it's two months from your original query that it's not too late.
I refer you to RFBOLTON's Ice Lake photo...
The trail goes along the right (north) side of the lake (you can see it in the picture). At the far end, it winds it's way up the semi-forested slope just to the left of the white slabs at right and then eventually angles up and over the hump toward the objective summit. The trail then passes just to the northwest of the rust colored prominence in front of the Matterhorn. At this point the trail fades a little but "the way" never becomes indistinct. Essentially, the climber's trail goes around the left side of an impressive circque/canyon formation then traverses up and over toward the summit. This upward traversing occurs over many parallel, sandy benches. But not to worry because the limestone rock is very coarse and therefore offers great traction. It's not hard at all--at least in August when I did the climb.
Take a good look at the rock on the peak. You'll probably never see that kind of rock anywhere else in the world on such a high mountain.
I would be interested to know, if you go, if you thought Matterhorn or Sacajawea higher. They are so close in height that it's impossible to tell (at least it was for me).
The Mazamas' 100 highest peaks was put together by a guy named Jeff Howbert. One of the rules he used was "highest point with no higher points within 1 mile (might be 1/2 mile). I presume since Sacajawea Peak is slightly higher and within the range of the rule that it was disqualified.
A mention that mosquitoes can be heinous at Ice Lake when they're absent everywhere else would be a useful bit of info to add to the page. (It would have helped me recently.)
I've been out prominence hunting with Jeff once, and have met him on two other occasions. In this photo, that's me on the far left, with Jeff standing next to me. This was at a county highpointer party in November 2003 in Seattle.
I'm meeting my friend Dennis Poulin from Medford tomorrow morning to bag a Coast Range 2000-foot+ prominence peak. Dennis already has over 50 of Oregon's 73 such peaks. I've got 38 at the moment, and hope to get 3 more this weekend. This map shows where they are. It's a fun list to work on, and the lower ones in the Coast Range can be done this time of year. Great excuse to get out!
Charlie - Feb 12, 2002 9:45 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentCan you give us more information abou the mountaineer track that leads just shy of the summit?
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Bob Bolton - Feb 20, 2002 9:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentHi Charlie,
I'd love to give you more information, but I don't have a very good memory of it. I do know that it was very easy to find and follow, and there were absolutely no route-finding problems. I guess maybe I should add that the "trail" starts on the north side of Ice Lake.
Are you planning a trip to the Wallowas?
Bob :-)
Charlie - Feb 21, 2002 8:52 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI am not currently planning any trips to Oregon but I tend to do most of my hiking in the Wash/Oregon area and I was looking for Mountains to climb.
Sometimes when I read a mountain page and there is not a good route description I think its because there is a well defined trail to the top. But, if the author does not say so then I have no way of knowing before I go.
Thanks for the clarification!
-Charlie
Klenke - May 24, 2002 10:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentI can answer your question regarding the trail to the summit of Matterhorn. I hope the fact that it's two months from your original query that it's not too late.
I refer you to RFBOLTON's Ice Lake photo...
The trail goes along the right (north) side of the lake (you can see it in the picture). At the far end, it winds it's way up the semi-forested slope just to the left of the white slabs at right and then eventually angles up and over the hump toward the objective summit. The trail then passes just to the northwest of the rust colored prominence in front of the Matterhorn. At this point the trail fades a little but "the way" never becomes indistinct. Essentially, the climber's trail goes around the left side of an impressive circque/canyon formation then traverses up and over toward the summit. This upward traversing occurs over many parallel, sandy benches. But not to worry because the limestone rock is very coarse and therefore offers great traction. It's not hard at all--at least in August when I did the climb.
Take a good look at the rock on the peak. You'll probably never see that kind of rock anywhere else in the world on such a high mountain.
I would be interested to know, if you go, if you thought Matterhorn or Sacajawea higher. They are so close in height that it's impossible to tell (at least it was for me).
====Paul
cjwhat - Aug 1, 2003 11:41 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThe Mazamas' 100 highest peaks was put together by a guy named Jeff Howbert. One of the rules he used was "highest point with no higher points within 1 mile (might be 1/2 mile). I presume since Sacajawea Peak is slightly higher and within the range of the rule that it was disqualified.
A mention that mosquitoes can be heinous at Ice Lake when they're absent everywhere else would be a useful bit of info to add to the page. (It would have helped me recently.)
Bob Bolton - Apr 11, 2004 10:54 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentHere's a link to Jeff Howbert's website:
http://www.cohp.org/events/images/WA_1103.jpg.
I've been out prominence hunting with Jeff once, and have met him on two other occasions. In this photo, that's me on the far left, with Jeff standing next to me. This was at a county highpointer party in November 2003 in Seattle.
Bob Bolton - Apr 11, 2004 11:02 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentOoops, I screwed up the first link in that previous message!
Here it is: http://howbert.netherweb.com/mountains
Dean - Mar 28, 2004 12:15 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI still have this one on my future agenda. I wish I'd done it with Tom but it'll be there for a future trip when I go after the Huryal Divide.
SMMSLT, sigh.
Scott - Apr 11, 2004 9:12 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentGreat page. The peak doesn't really look like "The" Matterhorn, so someone must of had a wild imagination.
wildstar - Nov 19, 2004 10:03 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGood page, makes me want to go out there.
Bob Bolton - Nov 20, 2004 12:51 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks Levi!
I'm meeting my friend Dennis Poulin from Medford tomorrow morning to bag a Coast Range 2000-foot+ prominence peak. Dennis already has over 50 of Oregon's 73 such peaks. I've got 38 at the moment, and hope to get 3 more this weekend. This map shows where they are. It's a fun list to work on, and the lower ones in the Coast Range can be done this time of year. Great excuse to get out!
Bob
wildstar - Nov 20, 2004 11:42 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentSounds like fun, enjoy.
oldoregon - Nov 24, 2004 12:24 pm - Voted 8/10
Untitled CommentA little more info would be helpful.
Popoff - Feb 14, 2005 3:23 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat page.