https://www.mountaineers.org/activities/routes-places/mount-cruiser-southwest-corner
Starting and finishing at Staircase Ranger Station at the Staircase entrance to Olympic National Park. This is a unique climb for the Olympics which includes a 5th class rock climb to the summit.
This route is typically done as an overnight trip with a camp at Flapjack Lakes or Gladys Divide. However fast and light it is doable as a day trip.
This one has it all, Lush forests, blue rivers, sub alpine lakes, steep snow, and a finish on a 5th class rock climb lands you on the summit of Mount Cruiser, the high point of the Olympics Sawtooths!
The approach trail is a bit long from the rock climbers perspective but a pleasant trot to the experienced trail runner. Although very pretty, the route to Flapjack Lakes and onto Gladys Divide doesn’t need much description as it is well established and signed.
From Gladys Divide in most seasons the snow fun begins. Needle Pass is obvious from here as “The Needle” looms in its notch. Don crampons here if needed and ascend with axe in hand. If this section actually fully thaws late season I bet its a nasty scree gully and likely its more enjoyable with snow.
Once you gain the pass head climbers left and enjoy a good stretch of generally class 2/3 scrambling all the way to where the base of the climb begins. The canon hole is a notable feature on this route and once you get through it, you’ll know, and you are ready to flake the rope and get ready for the most fun part of the day!
Cruiser has some bolts placed but I wouldn’t rely on them completely. We carried a small rack of pro and ultimately placed two cams and utilized two existing bolts. We also used a 60m rope rather than a 30m some sources suggest. While a 30m rope has the benefit of being lighter it means multi pitch over single pitch, and multiple rappels. We found the 60m was perfect for one pitch that got us perfectly from belay station to bolted anchors at the base of the scramble to the summit. And the 60m also was perfect for one rappel down.
My climbing partner of the day Kyle lead the route and I simply followed and played tour guide on all parts not technical rock. We both did this route in approach shoes, myself for all portions. Him everything except the actual lead portion he lead in rock shoes.
Once back to the base of the rock climb it was a matter of retracing steps back to the truck!
While this route was meant to be a fast/light day, fkt was never in our minds, adding this as an opportunity for a new route that doesn’t have one. But since this is fastest KNOWN time, maybe it is!
