Guidebooks are usually invaluable, sometimes enigmatic, and occasionally incorrect. The route description for Labyrinth Mountain falls in the last category. I suppose that the Cascade Alpine Guide (Fred Beckey, 1977) may be given some leeway on account of its venerable vintage. But, one might have expected that Beckey's route description would have been corrected in 75 Scrambles in Washington (Peggy Goldman, 2001). Goldman, to give her credit, does describe the best route under the heading Alternate Route. She neglects to mention that the Alternate Route consists of a pleasant trail nearly all the way to the summit, whereas the Standard Route includes a fair amount of 2nd class rock, steep traverses on heather and a couple of short descents to notches in the ridge.
The Standard Route to its credit, does provide a lovely view of Minotaur Lake (5550'). This image is from a point about 5700' on the slope west of the lake. The lake outlet is on the right. The Alternate Route goes along the ridge on the other side of the lake. Theseus Lake is behind and 500' below that ridge.
On the summit (6376'), Barb shared with me fruit marinated with chili peppers and other spices and dried, a Thai delicacy. It was delicious and exotic, possibly accounting for the intensity of Barb's smile. This view is looking west.
After lunch, we traversed the ridge east toward point 6287', but were stopped by brush and fourth class rock before reaching the summit. This view of Theseus Lake (5060') is from about 500' northeast of the Alternate Route at about 6000'.
Averaged over 1 hour, our peak ascent (descent) rates were 1440 ft/hr (-1680 ft/hr) at 10:15 AM (3:45 PM). These data were logged by an altimeter watch.
You are visitor number 
Date created: 2002.06.28
Last modified: 2002.06.28
Copyright © 2002, Walter A. Siegmund
Return to my home page