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Hiking_Husky
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Joined: 07 Nov 2012
Posts: 79 | TRs | Pics
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I had planned on doing Mt. Maude and Seven Fingered Jack this summer, but with summer fire closures, and a fairly early winter onset, it does not seem to be in the cards for 2016. I figured I could still get a nice view of them from Carne Mountain, so off we went!
The road was as joyous of drive as always. Deeply rutted and rocky, and a nice pond on Chiwawa River Road that was 5-6” deep and unavoidable. Not bad in a 4WD with clearance, but low clearance vehicles would need to take care. Plan a carwash after for sure if you venture that way!
Trail snow free for about 2mi, then a nice boot path through the snow to the basin, where most folks on trail decided to call it a day. From there it was up to us to break trail, and we improvised…trying to take a more direct line to the summit. Consistent 2’ snow and 3-4’ drifts in places guarded the last 1000’ to the summit like a powdery, frostbite inducing moat. Two steps forward, 1.75 steps back. With a lot of wading, postholing, and cursing we slowly got there (snowshoes would have helped), and were rewarded with spectacular views of the Entiats! Even the larches were still larching! We took a different track down, trying to follow the official trail, but once again we ended up taking a more direct route, plunge stepping to the basin. It was still less steep than the route we took up.
Backcountry travel in the high country is definitely becoming more challenging, but I do love this time of year as we transition from fall to winter…all the fall colors blanketed in white. Makes the effort well worth it!
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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 Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:33 am |
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Beautiful with the fresh snow.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Distel32
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Joined: 03 Jun 2014
Posts: 961 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Distel32
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Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:56 am |
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Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics
Location: On the Summit |
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Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
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Mon Oct 24, 2016 11:28 am |
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olderthanIusedtobe
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Posts: 7708 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline |
Looks like a nice reward for your efforts. Beautiful pictures. 
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fourteen410
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Joined: 23 May 2008
Posts: 2628 | TRs | Pics
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I'm [pleasantly] surprised to see those larch needles hanging on.
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Hiking_Husky
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Joined: 07 Nov 2012
Posts: 79 | TRs | Pics
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| Blowdown wrote: | And I prefer the rutted and washboarded Chiwawa River Road to the slow crawl back through Startup and Sultan  |
Agreed! At least now that I have a high clearance vehilcle (Subaru Crosstrek)...road is actually kinda fun to drive. I took my old Ford Focus up there a couple of years ago though, and had to seriously hold my breath over some of those rutted out crossings.
Here's a photo of the road taken by my friend. "Country roads, take me home..."!
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timberghost
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Joined: 06 Dec 2011
Posts: 1324 | TRs | Pics
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See much for animal sign up there?
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