Cathedral Peak (Okanogan), South Face. While reading through an International Boundary Survey Report published near the turn of the century, a photograph of a high horn-like granite peak just south of the Canadian boundary more than attracted my eye. Located in the Pasayten Wilderness, it is in an area not frequented by rock climbers, and until the end of September I had not seen it from close range. With the anticipation of a fine new face to be climbed, four of us leisurely covered the 18 miles on September 26 and 27 to a timberline camp at the foot of this “great stained glass window.” Dave Wagner, John Brottem, Doug Leen and I, originally considering two different routes simultaneously, all felt so attracted by the direct line up this 1000-foot face that we decided to climb it as a foursome. Unbelievable for the North Cascades, the route began just a few hundred feet from the Cathedral Lakes trail. I began the roped climbing, above third class slabs, with a friction ramp (F5). Wagner then worked up a shallow difficult crack (F8) to the invisible “Confession Box.” Leen nailed a classic crack he called “A one-half” and continued on interesting free climbing. After I had reached the “Pulpit Ledge” on the fifth lead, Brottem went up a spectacular curving chimney, first on aid and then higher on fine cracks (F7) to the narrow and exposed “Belfry Ledge.” A squeeze crack took us out of the face. The face is a marvelous climb on sound excellent granodiorite. On the route we used 35 pitons and a number of runners on assorted blocks and horns. From the summit, where earlier climbers had placed a large wooden cross, the flaming larches of the rolling high country set a colorful foreground to a scattering of deep blue lakes and the distant snows of the icy peaks between Glacier Peak to the south and Mount Baker to the west. We highly recommend this Cathedral area to rock climbers; the rock and scenery are worthy of the long walk from the Chewack River road.

Fred Beckey