Route:  Blanka Lake & Monte Christo Pk
Climbed:  June 27


Party: Emily, Mimi, Richard, Tom.

Friday: Drove to Troublesome Creek campground.  The campground was
full but the range let us sleep in the picknick area.

Saturday: There is a new parking lot and the first 3/4 mile of trail
has been re routed.  From the lot the trail climbs steeply for 3000 ft
to a ridge above virgin lake.  Drops to Virgin lake then drops 500 ft
to the outlet of Blanka lake.  The weather was hot and by the time we
reached Blanka lake I was very sweaty and dirty.  The outlet is wide
and chocked with logs.  Emily and I waided while Richard and Mimi
crossed on logs.  A foot path continues on around the west side of the
lake, staying by the shore for most of they way.  At the north end we
stopped for a swim.  Though the lake was glacial run off, the milky
white water kept the heat of the sun in the upper foot, making the
lake very swimmable.  From the lake we climbed to a broad rock bulge
just below the glacier.  We had a spectacular view of the tung of the
glacier and the run off stream below.  We camped just off the ridge
top.  The rocks we were on had been scraped smooth, showing the glacier
was once much larger.

Sunday: We got up about 6, packed and headed up up toward the glacier.
We mad our way up the debree on the east side of the glacier.  When we
came out on the glacier proper we roped up and continued.  The glacier
was mostly flat with only hairline cravasses.  Descriptions in
Beckey's climbing suggestions imply that the glacier was recently
higher and connected to the NE pocket glacier.  Now there is a cliff
below the pocket glacier.  We climb a snow field leading to the col at
the north end of the valley.  From there we attempt a gully that should
lead to the summit of Monte Christo, but find the rock rotten.  I climb
to the col for views.  We set up a belay to get down the snow slope,
rope up, and return to camp.  Hike out is long.





[Route description written by Tom Unger]