| Activation Date: 22 July 2017 | |
| Transport: Hike/Scramble | Distance: 9.5 miles |
| Elev. gain: 1160ft | Time: 4-5 hours |
| Rig(s): FT-817, VX-2R | Band(s): 40m, 20m SSB; 2m FM |
| Antenna(s): End-fed half-wave, 12.5 inch flex whip | |
| Cell Service: Solid (T-Mobile) | |
| Parking: Grouse Ridge Campground Area | |
| Trailhead: Grouse Ridge Trail | |
| Fees/Permits: None | |
| Route: Grouse Ridge, Glacier Lake trails, cross-country | |
| Dogs: Yes | Toilet: Maybe |
Several years before I became a ham, when I first camped at Glacier Lake, this group of peaks called to me. I didn’t get around to climbing any of them that first time, but came back a couple of years later to camp at Glacier Lake, and decided to go for it. We chose the highest peak, since it had the most obvious approach, and it’s a short hike if you happen to already be camping at the lake. It’s a steep hike, followed by a scramble to the summit.
Once I started getting into Summits on the Air, it wasn’t long before I checked to see if this summit qualified. What a great excuse to go backpacking to Glacier Lake again! Black Buttes became a must-do part of the itinerary for my backpacking trip with a group of friends, though I would end up being the only person in our group to do it.