Tunnel Vision Peak via Tunnel Creek

We parked on Road 6095 on the hairpin turn where Highway 2 meets Tunnel Creek. Except for the first 50 feet the road was completely snow-covered.

We hiked the road to the Tunnel Creek Trailhead (trail #1061) and then wandered on and off the snow-obscured trail through open, old-growth forest. At Hope Lake started turning south then SW following the same path the PCT follows along the east ridge of Tunnel Vision Peak.

Soon we started getting great views of what I think are Thor Peak and Nimbus Peak. Bulls Tooth and its subsidiary peaks, Lux Peak, and Lumiere ridge also started making appearances at this point.

As we traversed on the south side of the ridge we crossed many open avalanche slopes until we were SE of Tunnel Vision Peak. Here we headed north up a steep gully then through open slopes and into the clouds that enclosed the summit of Tunnel Vision Peak.

On the descent we followed the SE ridge of Tunnel Vision Peak to the basin at 5,200', which was a very pleasant way to descend. From the basin we traversed east and rejoined our ascent route.

Date:

2006/04/30

Elevation gain:

3,600 feet

Trip type:

scramble

USGS quad:

Stevens Pass

In:

Alpine Lakes Wilderness

References:

Winter Climbs: One Day Ascents (out of print)

Car-to-car:

10 hours 2 minutes

5 hours 37 minutes ascending from Intersection of Highway 2 and Road 6095 to summit of Tunnel Vision Peak
3 hours 49 minutes descending from summit of Tunnel Vision Peak to Intersection of Highway 2 and Road 6095

Ascending a gully on the SW side of Tunnel Vision Peak

Ascending the SW ridge 50 feet below the summit of Tunnel Vision Peak

Ascending the SW ridge 30 feet below the summit of Tunnel Vision Peak

Thor Peak, Nimbus Mountain, and Slippery Slab Tower from S side of Tunnel Vision Peak

Descending on PCT 400 feet above Hope Lake (Lux Peak and Lumiere Ridge in distance?)

Tunnel Vision Peak from near the beginning of trail 1061

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