Jenny and I went on a winter scramble up Guye Peak with other Mountaineers on Saturday. It was the first new peak of the year.
It was a beautiful day, but very cold: 13 Fahrenheit/-10 Celsius. There was no wind and a lot of deep powder snow. We wore snowshoes basically from the trailhead. We roughly followed Commonwealth Creek up toward Cave Ridge and then hooked back around to the summit of Guye Peak.
We noticed, though, that our snowshoes, purchased cheaply at Costco, are unsuitable for climbing. As soon as there is any elevation, we can’t kick steps or plunge-step, we basically float, almost as if on skis. Everyone else had MSR snowshoes. I think we’ll have to check if we need some of those.
Guye Peak from below.
On the Guye Peak summit, looking down toward Chair Peak and Source Lake.
Mount Rainier from Guye Peak.
Jenny on the summit cornice of Guye Peak.
I made it to the summit too!
After coming down from the summit, about to have a bite.
Jenny, about to descend the crux.
All smiles. I knew the crux wouldn’t be too bad (contrary to the the snowshoe descent).
