Follow U.S. Highway 20-126 to the Hoodoo Ski Bowl and Big Lake turnoff on Santiam Pass. Turn south off U.S. 20-126 toward Hoodoo Ski Bowl on USFS 2690. Follow USFS 2690 4.2 miles to the Patjens Lake trailhead on the west side of Big Lake.

Follow an unmarked trail along the lake for two or three minutes, to a junction with a second trail called the Patjens Lake Trail. Continue around Big Lake until the trail leaves the shoreline. At an obvious junction, turn left (east). (Continuing straight will lead away from Mt. Washington to Patjens Lake.) Head east for about five minutes. Several spur trails will join the trail from the west, but continue east until the trail splits. Take the right fork for two or three minutes to a clearing with a pile of dead logs on its south side. (The left fork continues around the east side of Big Lake). Turn right (south) in the clearing and follow a wide trail for five minutes to its junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Follow the PCT south for 30 minutes (or about one hour from the road head), to a climbers' trail which goes uphill to the east. The climbers' trail is usually marked by a cairn and is just after a large rock on the left side of the trail. If you reach Coldwater Spring, the only year-round water source on this section of the PCT, you have missed the climbers' trail and hiked about 10 minutes too far. About 150 feet after leaving the PCT, the climbers' trail splits. The right fork can be used for gaining the west ridge or routes on the south face. Follow the left fork until it breaks out of the timber onto the north ridge proper. Drop onto the east face. Continue up the ridge for routes on the north and west faces.

As you approach the summit pinnacle, stay on top of the ridge as long as possible. Skirt several towers to the west until you reach the north wall of the summit pinnacle. Move up a short loose gully to a notch just below the northeast side of the mountain. Move right (west) 30 feet and scramble up to a fractured ramp. (I consider there to be two ramps ... take the second.) Climb the ramp up and left 35 feet to the base of a rotten chimney. (Start of chimney is slightly overhung) Climb the chimney and move left, then up, to a ledge with a large block. The block usually contains one or more rappel slings for the descent. About 250 feet of scrambling leads to a second chimney. From the top of the chimney, scramble 100 feet to the summit.

Steve's Notes
Once on the north ridge, follow the trail. When you come to a long snow field, go above it and gain the top of the ridge. The trail is quite distinct on top of the ridge as it goes over the top from east to west. The trail passes the next obstacles on the west side of the ridge.

Rock shoes are not necessary for this route as the climbing is quite easy. Take 4-6 long double length slings, 3 short slings, 10' sling and 20' sling. I did not have to place any hexes or camming devices. I was able to sling rock horns with slip knots. I will set a fixed line. Climbers will use a prussick knot to ascend the fixed line. The assistant leader will untie the bottom of the fixed line and be belayed up the first pitch with a top rope.

Steve's Drawing of Summit Route (right-click and choose 'Save Target As')

Climbers ascend all fixed lines using their long prusik and a locking carabiner. This simple technique is repeated for all three sections of the climb to reduce confusion for the climbers. The climb leader will set the first fixed line belayed by assistant-1 from the notch.
1) Girth hitch a single-length runner at the bottom of the ramp where two rocks touch.
2) Sling the rock horn at the top of the ramp with a double length runner.
3) Sling a rock horn on the overhung start of the chimney for safety.
4) Place a camming device in a one inch crack 15 feet above the top of the ramp.
5) There are some barely suitable rock horns six feet above the crack. Tie a sling here where the route dog legs to the left. There is a small platform below these horns that allows climbers to use both hands to clip past their prusik knot. This placement is necessary for the rope to follow the climbing route.
Assistant-2 brings up the second rope and removes the two extra pieces of protection (3&4). He then walks east around the corner and flakes out the rope below the small tree and fixes the bottom end a safe distance from the exposed terrain (back toward the top of the first pitch). The rope was flaked below the small tree to minimize rope drag.

The leader climbs the second pitch without belay, tailing the climbing rope. He climbs up and then left onto the solid rock ramp. At the top of the ramp he turns right and climbs some broken colorful rock to a large horn. He slings this horn with a ten foot sling. This will be used as the anchor for the second rapel. The leader hauls the remaining rope up on each turn in the route to minimize rope drag.

The assistant-3 hauls the third rope and will be first up the second fixed line. He will go with the leader to the base of the final chimney. Baby powder will be dropped along the way to mark the way around the corner and onto the loose rock trail as a guide for following climbers. Assistant-3 will flake out the final 100' rope below the chimney and feed it out to the leader, who is tailing the rope, to avoid tangles. The leader ties a bowline around a large rock to secure the top of the final fixed line and assistant-3 fixes the bottom of the line.

Assistant-1 is the last to climb the first pitch and is belayed by assistant-2. This rope is left at the top of the first pitch for the final rapel. Assistant-1 and assistant-2 clean the second pitch in a similar fashion and leave the rope flaked and ready to be thrown down for the middle rapel.

Assistant-1 is the last to ascend the final fixed line and will untie the bottom of the final fixed and haul part of the rope to the top of the chimney so that it does not get in the way of other climbers who may follow. Once assistant-1 has summited a group photo is taken. Climbers will demonstrate a clove hitch and a Munter hitch to the leader and then use a Muunter hitch for the first rapel. Assistant-1 is the first down this rapel and immediately sets about setting up the second and third rapels. Assistant-2 will man the top of the middle rapel. Assistant-1 will man the top of the last rapel. Assistant-3 will man the bottom of the final rapel and be ready with a fireman's belay if necessary. The leader will clean the top fixed line and down climb the chimney. Assistant-2 will be last down the middle rapel. Assistant-1 will be last down the final rapel. Practice on the top two rapels will give confidence for the final rapel. Using three ropes will allow for twelve people to move through quicker than eight climbers with two ropes. It is important that climbers have a good understanding of rapel. Consider having a pre-climb meeting to review/teach rapel technique, rope coiling and prusik knot use possibly at Willamette Stadium. Climbers could choose to have the climber following them to check their rapel rig before starting down.