Crossing the Middle Fork of the Nooksack.
There were two major creek crossings that required us to search around for a suitable way cross.
After our approach took so long, we decided that we would not climb one of the bigger walls.
Dave, after a successful ascent of the Green Creek Needle.
Approach and Route Beta
From
Bellingham, drive SR 542 east toward Mt. Baker for 16.7 miles. Turn right onto
Mosquito Lake Road and drive 4.7 miles to the Middle Fork Nooksack Road (FR
38). Follow the road for 11 miles to the Elbow Lake Trailhead (2,100’).
Take the Elbow
Lake trail to the Middle Fork of the Nooksack and find a way to cross. This is
the first of two difficult crossings on the approach. You should be willing to
bail on the whole trip if the water is too high on either crossing.
Once you are on
the other side of the river, pick up the Elbow Lake Trail again and walk for
approximately 1.5 miles to a switchback at 2,650’. It is mildly steep as you
leave the trail and enter “the bush.” Traverse down southwest to 2,600’ to
cross Hildebrand Creek. This is an easier crossing.
Climb out of the
drainage and continue to traverse at the 2,600 to 2,700-foot level to the Green
Creek and the second difficult crossing. The terrain is rough between the two
crossings and your elevation will vary. Once you find the Green, climb up
alongside the creek until you find a suitable crossing.
Once you have
attained the other side of the creek, the brush will become a bit thicker, but
fear not, you’re almost out!
Follow the Green
Creek up the drainage while slowly gaining altitude by angling up to the west.
The higher up the hillside you are, the less brush.
Eventually the
brush will begin to fade and you will encounter more and more little open
sections. This will eventually open up completely at a slidepath. From here the
travel is significantly easier. Continue up the drainage on talus to the base
of the Green Glacier at approximately the 4,000-foot level.
From the base of
the glacier, work up the left-hand (south) shoulder. There are a number of
flatish campsites at the top of the shoulder at nearly the same level as the
climbs (4,800’-5,000’). Parties who are on their first foray into the region
will commonly take five-hours for the approach. Those who are on their second
or third trips should be able to make the approach in four-hours.
Green Creek Needle, East Face (5.7, II)
FA: Tyree
Johnson and Darin Berdinka, September 2005
A super scenic
spire that stands out above the Greek Creek Glacier, the Needle is a summit
that just begs to be climbed.
Approach: The
Green Creek Needle is the obvious spire between Little Sister and Skookum
Peak. Work your way up the glacier
to the moat. Find a way to cross and gear up.
Pitch 1: Scramble
up third and fourth-class terrain to the base of a chimney. (90’) Be sure to
build a belay station in a place protected from rockfall.
Pitch 2: Climb
the easy chimney to the base of the final headwall. (5.4, 80’)
Pitch 3: Send
the beautiful face to the needle-like top of the spire. (5.7, 70’)
Descent: Rappel
the route.
Gear: Standard
to 3”, it may be good to double-up on small gear.
–Jason D. Martin