Advertisement: The summit treats you to great views of multicolored mountains, networks of ridges and alpine meadows from the summit. The grassy summit is a perfect spot to sit for lunch. If ripe, wild blueberries are abundant for the picking on the lower slopes.
More photographs.
Difficulty: 5 mile hike (depending on route), 2500 feet of elevation gain. See route section for details. This is a trail-less hike. Some easy creek crossings may be involved (no need to get wet).
Route
Only park shuttle buses are allowed to drive on this part of the park road. Ask your shuttle driver to drop you off at Tattler Creek (pictured above). It’s west of Igloo Creek and east of Sable Pass. Follow Tattler Creek north and your goal will be the highest peak to the climber’s left (to the west). Keep to the climber’s right (east) of the stream, as ahead the stream hugs a cliff on the west side making it impassible. After this cliff, cross the stream and climb the first climbable ridge to the climber’s left going up to Sable Mountain (the guidebook describes this as “the first grey ridge after red ridges;” there is another ridge satisfying this criterion which looks utterly unclimbable in summer seasons). This will be a class 3 scramble on loose scree and may be uncomfortable for some; the most difficult sections involve navigating around outcroppings of loose and unstable rock with steep drops over talus on both sides. Do not climb on the fall line of any other climbers. The rock is very loose, so do not depend on rocks as stable handholds when climbing.
If one wishes to avoid this otherwise fun climb with great views, one can traverse to the climber’s right and take the obvious saddle to the climber’s right of Sable Mountain, and then ascend the gentler ridge.
Preparation: I learned about this hike from Ike Waits’ excellent Denali Guidebook. Other than studying the route on a map, there’s no extra preparation for this hike.
Red Tape
The “backside” of Sable Mountain (i.e. facing the meadow, on the west side of Sable Pass) appears more or less permanently closed for wildlife. Do not descend the backside (we did, unknowingly). Check the map at the Backcountry Office near the Wilderness Access Center (WAC) to see which areas are closed before starting the hike.
Bears
The lower areas of Tattler Creek involve hiking through some brush, which might make it difficult to see bears. Make noise when hiking this section and be aware.
Summary: This hike is a lot of fun if you enjoy climbing these kinds of ridges and you have views more or less the entire way once you take the ridge. The views on the backside of the mountain are equally stunning; you can see as far as Polychrome Pass to the west. 5/5
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| Tattler Creek flowing through the beginning of the hike (The pictured mountain is not Sable Mountain.) |
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| Looking back at the main ridge ascending Sable Mountain, and rock outcroppings |
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| View of Tattler Creek near the summit |
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| View of the network of ridges from the summit |
More photographs.
Difficulty: 5 mile hike (depending on route), 2500 feet of elevation gain. See route section for details. This is a trail-less hike. Some easy creek crossings may be involved (no need to get wet).
Route
Only park shuttle buses are allowed to drive on this part of the park road. Ask your shuttle driver to drop you off at Tattler Creek (pictured above). It’s west of Igloo Creek and east of Sable Pass. Follow Tattler Creek north and your goal will be the highest peak to the climber’s left (to the west). Keep to the climber’s right (east) of the stream, as ahead the stream hugs a cliff on the west side making it impassible. After this cliff, cross the stream and climb the first climbable ridge to the climber’s left going up to Sable Mountain (the guidebook describes this as “the first grey ridge after red ridges;” there is another ridge satisfying this criterion which looks utterly unclimbable in summer seasons). This will be a class 3 scramble on loose scree and may be uncomfortable for some; the most difficult sections involve navigating around outcroppings of loose and unstable rock with steep drops over talus on both sides. Do not climb on the fall line of any other climbers. The rock is very loose, so do not depend on rocks as stable handholds when climbing.
If one wishes to avoid this otherwise fun climb with great views, one can traverse to the climber’s right and take the obvious saddle to the climber’s right of Sable Mountain, and then ascend the gentler ridge.
Preparation: I learned about this hike from Ike Waits’ excellent Denali Guidebook. Other than studying the route on a map, there’s no extra preparation for this hike.
Red Tape
The “backside” of Sable Mountain (i.e. facing the meadow, on the west side of Sable Pass) appears more or less permanently closed for wildlife. Do not descend the backside (we did, unknowingly). Check the map at the Backcountry Office near the Wilderness Access Center (WAC) to see which areas are closed before starting the hike.
Bears
The lower areas of Tattler Creek involve hiking through some brush, which might make it difficult to see bears. Make noise when hiking this section and be aware.
Summary: This hike is a lot of fun if you enjoy climbing these kinds of ridges and you have views more or less the entire way once you take the ridge. The views on the backside of the mountain are equally stunning; you can see as far as Polychrome Pass to the west. 5/5
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