Two Eklutna Peaks 6.9 and 6.10
I headed into the Eklutna Lake area with August and Dave. We had amazing weather and managed to climb two obscure, yet, beautiful peaks. They provided the full Chugach climbing experience from a thigh deep river crossing, hours of bushwacking, gorgeous tundra ridges, some snow, and even a bit of Chugach-crud climbing (requiring protection). A great weekend!
Here is Dave's analysis of the trip:
"Here’s my recollection of JT’s and my Watchman/Baneful times
from Tues/Wed this week:
Tues
7:20am leave on bikes from Eklutna TH
8:00am ditch bikes at mile 8.5, cross Eklutna river at confluence of east and
west fork. Not too deep.
8:30am head up drainage
1:15pm arrive summit block
1:30pm rope up, summit
2:15pm start hiking down
6:15pm arrive Eklutna river crossing, JT walks straight across, deeper than the
morning, Dave does not like it.
7:15pm Dave finally crosses last braid of East fork after spending an hour
picking his way upstream and across many channels and braids of the west and
east fork.
7:30pm cook dinner at bikes
8:30pm bike to east fork trailhead
8:45pm hike to Tulchina Falls camp
9:45pm arrive Tulchina Falls camp
11pm sleep
Wed
5:00am wake up
6:15am start hiking
8:15am arrive above tree line in valley
10:15am arrive summit
11am leave summit
1:15pm arrive Tulchine camp
1:45pm hike out
2:45pm arrive bikes and bike out
4pm arrive cars
~33 hours car to car
14 hours car to Watchman to Tulchina camp
6 hours sleep
10 hours Tulchina camp to Baneful to car
21 miles biking
~20 miles hiking
~11,000’ elevation
JT’s dog ran the whole way, plus the extra mileage dogs do chasing things!"