Tried to milk out the last of a weekend in the North Cascades after an exhausting day yesterday. A top 5 “gotta bring my mom” type hike for sure though - probably the best view of the southern pickets.

Summit views of Thornton Peak and Mount Triumph

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Uppermost Thornton Lake

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Would love to climb Triumph some day

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Trappers Peak is probably one of the easier ways to get eyes on the Pickets

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So rugged

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Looking SW

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Looking at the Snowfield Peak area and perhaps the Neve Glacier if it spills over onto this side; the Isolation Traverse exit side-ish

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Now more at Eldorado, Austera, Klawatti area; the Inspiration Traverse side-ish

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The classic hike from this trailhead usually goes to the lake, which I did 2 years ago, but now I’m thinking I should have climbed up instead to see the Pickets! Maybe that would have inspired me to explore this area a little sooner.

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Notes

• This was probably ~10 miles and ~3400 feet of vertical gain in a little under 4 ½ hours.