We did this about 40 years ago. We didn’t like the looks of that gully so we continued a long rising traverse to the left until reaching the ridge. Dropped over to gigantic boulder fields below the summit. An easy scramble to the top. We bivyed on a huge flat boulder and we were back at the car about noon. The only place we used the rope was descending those rock bands on the lower ridge.

I did this with another fellow in the summer of 1985. Awfully tiring, especially the bushwhacking up the east ridge as you pointed out. At 8:00 this is what Beckey calls the "obvious gully". This was before there was a civilized trail to the lake so it was also the dangerous hike to start with. Thank you for such nice video.

Who doesn't love bushwhacking? Devil's club always a favorite. Grab on one once, remember forever!

Love those thick gloves for the Busch

What dates did you attempt the summit? I am seriously considering attempting to summit this weekend with a good amount of snow allowing me to walk over the bushwhacking sections and beautiful clear weather on the radar. . .

Yeah that looks sketchy as hell, people have fallen through and gotten sucked under snow like that around this very area. Good call. edit; please take your tape with you when returning, it's annoying to see when you're trying to routefind on your own.

I've tried to summit Index from both the east and SW approaches. Didn't succeed. Index is a mountain that wants to kill ya.