Our trip was a great success - even Jeff Hancock and Roy said so.
Roy, Peggy and I got to 10-Mile Pass the first day (Saturday) and then Roy and I climbed Riddle Peak next day while Peggy waited at the saddle. We went around onto the east side to get up to the ridge but came down by following the ridge all the way - culminating in a 75-foot rappel to get back down to the saddle. Dulfersitzes are fun, fun fun!
We then moved camp by descending into 4th of July Basin and crossing Devore Creek to climb up to a lovely meadow - lined by huge larches - directly below Enigma where the last water flowed.
On Tuesday we left early and went over the pass to Castle Creek (a broad, beautiful valley - seldom visited) and angled up over a ridge to reach the 7200' meadow on the west side of Castle Rock. Peggy hung out while Roy and I scrambled on a rising traverse toward the summit (a bit of light rain but not enough to make things really slick) and enjoyed the view down to Stehekin Landing.
On Wednesday morning Jeff showed up (wet from sweat and wet brush) right on time to do Enigma with Roy and me. That afternoon we moved camp down to the 5400' camp where the main trail crosses Devore Creek.
Thursday we headed up behind Jeff to do Wy'East. The upper valley was beautiful with flowers everywhere all the way to the nasty, loose scree in the broad gully leading up to the ridge east of point 8220. Then it was a matter of shuffling to the east through all the bumps on the ridge trying to find the highest one. We put on our harnesses and had our rope and pro ready but never got around to roping up. Instead we scrambled a steep chimney and mantled onto a shelf to step off onto the summit and find Roper's film canister from 26 years ago. We were the fifth entry on the deteriorating slips of paper (no stubby pencil - but we had one with us). I got a cell call in to Justine but when Roy tried my phone the signal was gone???
We stayed overnight in Holden on the way out. Did you know they have a bowling alley, a whole mess of pool tables and a ping pong table? I beat Peggy twice at pool (- once because she scratched. She claimed she hadn't played before).