Climbing Ingalls Peak South Ridge

9

miles

3500

ft gain

5.2

grade

With the Tooth under our belts from the day before, and a lazy Sunday breakfast (fried toast, bacon, pancakes and eggs), we decided it was time to look for our next adventure. We settled on climbing Ingalls Peak, going up the south ridge with a mild 5th class trad route.

This may have been one of the most last-minute trips we’ve put together. The original plan was to hike Esmeralda Peak, but we decided that if we were in the area, we may as well just go straight for Ingalls. We looked over the guidebooks, took screenshots of trip reports, and reviewed the map. Our gear was already organized from the day before, so all we had to do was jump in the car and drive out to the Teanaway. Packs loaded, pre-hydrated, and ready to see some baby mountain goats, we hit the trail around 1pm.

Heading up the trail toward Ingalls Pass

Approach To Ingalls Lake

The trail up to Ingalls Lake is heavily trafficked and very straightforward. It’s a classic PNW hike–I get out to Ingalls Pass area at least once a year, because the views of Stuart’s in-your-face prominence are simply that spectacular. The only thing to watch for is the mountain goats in the area; they are aggressive and will get too close if you let them.

At the lake, we took a late lunch break and a quick swim, then put our packs back on and headed up the scree field toward the start of the climb.

Rock hopping can be fun, or it can be tiring. This scree field wasn’t too terrible, and with well-tractioned shoes the smooth rock was fairly easy to cross. Just before the start of the actual climbing route, we dumped our packs, pulled on our harnesses, and geared up.

Climbing Ingalls Peak South Ridge

The first pitch was an almost-scramble, and we debated about even roping up. I’m glad we did, because the last few feet felt iffy to me (although I’m a beginner climber and always appreciate the extra protection). The second “pitch” required no gear whatsoever, and could barely be considered a scramble. We clambered over a couple of boulders to the base of the next pitch.

The third pitch was the money pitch. It’s a 5.2 line, so in theory not that difficult, and two guys who had finished their descent just before we arrived gave us the beta on where to go. The rock here is serpentine, a frictionless green-tinged stone that feels slippery and uncertain underfoot.

Even so, there are plenty of hand and foot holds and lots of places for gear, but still a decent bit of exposure, making it a beautiful and thrilling route for someone on her second multi-pitch climb. (I was still very glad not to be leading!)

The top of the third pitch features two bomb-proof bolts and a ledge just big enough for three people to uncomfortably prop themselves up. I was the last person to come up, so I hung awkwardly from the anchor as we flaked the rope and I maneuvered myself to belay the last section.

The fourth and final pitch was also straightforward, and from there it’s a brief walk to the summit block. With photos and summit rocks acquired, we didn’t stay long. Despite the short amount of actual climbing, with three people in the group and some rope tossing shenanigans, it still took us longer than we would have liked to make it to the top.

Descent & Return

The sun was going down and the heat of the day was dissipating, and we were all ready to start to head back to the car. A few rappels later, and we were back at our backpacks shooing away the mountain goats who had meandered over.

Our scramble down towards the lake was picturesque in every way. It was golden hour, and the sun illuminated Mt. Stuart in perfect alpine light. By the time we were over Ingalls Pass and down into the trees, the sun had fully set and we had to take out our headlamps to half-jog, half-walk back to the car. In true form, we wouldn’t arrive home until almost midnight–but that’s what you get for taking time for a weekend brunch.

All in all, a wonderful day, in good company, climbing a gorgeous mountain.

10/10 would do again.

Takeaways

Always have a headlamp (+ extra batteries) in your pack! This is a must-have for me, and it pays off every time. On bigger trips I’ll even bring an extra headlamp altogether. Someone always needs it.
Know how long it takes you to hike, and how long it takes you to climb. Then add in several hours of buffer. At this point, I’m well aware of my hiking pace across various distances and elevation gain, but I struggle to estimate how long it takes for 5th class climbing. Rope management, without fail, takes significantly longer than I want or expect it to! Climbing Ingalls Peak is a great way to dip your toes into alpine climbing, but the drive time plus approach time means you need to honestly assess your ability levels before heading out.
Get yourself a water filter. And USE IT. I love my Katadyn Befree water filter (recommended by several trail running friends). On this trip, the boys were singing the praises of “raw water” as I took the time to filter mine; they weren’t so happy with upset stomachs in subsequent days.

FAQs | Climbing Ingalls Peak

Yes, to park at the Esmeralda Basin trailhead you’ll need a NW Forest Pass or equivalent (I use an America The Beautiful pass, which is valid in National Parks and on any federal land).

We carried a 60m rope, plus a 40m tagline so we only had to set up 3 rappels instead of 4. With three people, every bit of time saved makes a difference!

We also brought a full rack of cams and used mainly the larger ones. The top of the 3rd and fourth pitch both have bolts for anchors, but you’ll need protection along the route.

And of course you’ll need a harness, climbing shoes, helmet, extra carabiners and slings to make your anchors, a belay device, and all the other standard gear you’d use when out climbing.

Ingalls Peak actually consists of 3 peaks: South, Middle, and North. The South Peak is a scramble, not 5th class rock climb. Ingalls Peak (the middle and tallest one, which we climbed) is accessed via it’s southern ridge. For obvious reasons this can get a little confusing!