8/29/23: Original plan was for Paul and me to pack in on Sunday, summit on Monday, and pack out on Tuesday from Mistymoon. A last minute weather check promised a miserable summit day with low ceiling, rain at lower elevations, and snow above 12K. We decided it best to wait it out a day and pack out after summiting on Tuesday making it a long but doable day. After finding a lucky campsite at West Tensleep CG, we packed in on Monday just as the graupel and then hard rains were unleashed. By the time we reached Lake Helen the rain became intermittent and then fairly clear and we were allowed to fully enjoy these spectacular, large alpine lakes. We passed a few camping parties by the time we got to a prime campsite on the west bluff of Mistymoon Lake. I can’t picture a more beautiful place to spend the night!
We decided to ascend via the long SW ridge of Cloud taking an almost directly north approach to the nose of the ridge after fording Paint Rock Creek at about the 1.3 mile mark. There are some fairly easy ramps to negotiate on the way up while creating switchbacks and staying in Class 2 territory. At about the 10,600 contour there is a long diagonal ramp that we were planning on utilizing but after a short time traversing up it we felt we were starting to get pinched in with more technical terrain and opted to abort and make a more direct line up to the ridge proper. After a few 3+ moves we found ourselves on the ridge and easier terrain. From here to the summit was a marathon of boulder hopping but the views just keep getting better and better as the Cloud Peak Lakes basin opens up with stunning views across to Black Tooth and Woolsey. After about 8 1/2 hours I made the summit still waiting for Paul. By now it was after 4pm with not just the hike back out (we would take the more direct Paint Rock Creek route back) but also packing back out of the Wilderness from Mistymoon. I headed down first and Paul followed shortly. Soon thereafter however I could no longer see him coming down and knew it was going to take him a long time. About an hour and a half after returning to camp and packing up there was still no sign of him and, now completely dark, I went on a search mission. I waited from a high vantage point just off trail and above Paint Rock Creek just hoping for a flicker of headlamp from up the prime drainage. Another half hour and…..FINALLY! It was clear that Paul was in no shape to pack out so I took off with us planning on meeting at the trailhead by 10am. At least I now have an ace in the hole if he ever calls me out for being late again!!
Summit: (11.6/3910)
Day total: (21/4640)
Trip total: (28.8/6500)