North America, United States, Washington, Cascade Mountains, Middle Peak of Mount Index, North Face

Publication Year: 1981.

Middle Peak of Mount Index, North Face. This is the climb Dan McNerthy and I did the last weekend in December 1978. We agree with many locals that the “real climbing” on many Cascade Peaks is during the cold dry spells of winter. We climbed up the big gully between the north and middle peaks, and then up the north face of the middle. The climbing was interesting, snow and ice all the way, but never too hard. From the summit of the middle peak we continued along the traverse route to the main peak to get off. We had one bivouac on the route and one in the woods trying to find Lake Serene in the dark.

Doug Klewin, Unaffiliated