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Alden Ryno
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Joined: 04 Jun 2019
Posts: 150 | TRs | Pics
Location: Issaquah, WA
Alden Ryno
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PostMon Jun 08, 2020 12:10 pm 
Azurite Peak, 06/5-6/2020 Stats: 26 miles, 11,000' gain.
A huge shotout and kudos to those who publicly "established" this route to the upper Methow Valley: Jake, et al (Jake links to their reports). The approach to Methow Pass via Mt. Hardy shaves off many miles of (easy) trail on the PCT and allows access to the area earlier in the year. I'd be surprised if this doesn't become a standard for Bulgers/T100 in the area (Azurite, Golden Horn, Tower, Ballard) in lieu of the PCT in coming years. With weather skated to arrive late Friday and through Saturday, I wanted to get as much done on Friday as possible: another early start! I began logging at 0410 and crossed the bridge over Swamp Creek, turning into the woods immediately. The forest here is dominated by older trees with a dense canopy. I assume that this contributes to the fact there is little brush on the ground. There is, however, ample dead fall. I had set a way point on the shoulder of Mt. Hardy at 7,400' to traverse east thanks to topo maps and a confirmation in Jake's TR; I essentially made a bee-line to the way point, adjusting left and right to avoid either dead fall or sections of brush. By 5,800' the forest gets pretty thin and open slopes are shortly thereafter.
The snow began at 6,200' like a weather front across the mountain side.
This is where I changed into boots and gaiters. I should have donned crampons but I waited for a few hundred more vertical since I was able to modestly kick steps here and there with the boots. I try to minimize my time in both boots and crampons since they cause a cast-like effect on my foot, preventing articulation and thus increasing pain from immobilization. This is selective to me, as far as a I know. The traverse along the 7,400' contour was simple and relatively easy. The snow was firm and there was little in the way of rocks and trees.
As soon as I crossed the cliff bands, I began my descent to Methow Pass at 6,600'. The terrain is steep to about 7,000-6,900' then becomes gentle as I lost the final 400-300' of elevation loss over a third to half mile to arrive at Methow Pass at 0820.
From Methow Pass, I simply dropped down through the trees, again relatively sparse, to about 5,600' when I actually began to take the wider tree swath cut by the PCT. Until then, I had been slightly left of the PCT which switchbacks down from the pass. The PCT remained entirely snow laden until ~4,900' with very small sections of bare trail and numerous high stream crossings.
It wasn't until the Methow River crossing that the trail was predominantly snowfree. Just on the other side of the bridge is where I swapped by overnight pack for my day/summit pack. This is where I figured I would camp for the night. When not snowbound, there is a hikers camp on the east side of the river (signed). I was exactly one mile from the turn Azurite Pass (Mill Creek) Trail at 4,300'.
I was at the turnoff at 1230. There wasn't a cairn, which I read had been placed by more than one party, so I erected one (again, seemingly). I'd imagine that many thru-hikers would knock this down not knowing that it does demarcate a trail.
The lower 200 or so feet of the trail was quite brushy, but it's still relatively easy to figure out where to go. As I ascended the trail became more and more distinct. The trail is certainly defunct as there are felled logs and shrubs/trees growing in the trail here and there.
Overall, a good trail with AWESOME views of the upper Methow River Valley. I swapped back into my boots around 5,800' (1340 time): the terrain was steep and would remain so until off the snow above Azurite Pass. Instead of going to the pass, I turned uphill more sharply since I found dry ground that was also a distance shortcut. The snow before was soft enough to kick steps at this point.
I followed the ridge and the first view of Azurite's summit came!
As I trekked farther and farther along the ridge, it looked like there would be a significant hurdle around rock or tgat I'd have to downclimb rock, but it was an illusion. Not until just below the primary summit pyramid (~600-800') did I need to begin traversing under cliffs. Until this point, I had lost no gain since the pass. And I didn't start now!
There are numerous cairns along the traverse. They're easily visible on small rock outcroppings (thank you, predecessors!). I made about 4 rock-to-snow-to-rock transitions before arriving at the main gully to the summit. As noted in other reports, it isn't quite visible until you're in it or right below it. I imagine that the rock/earth under earth the snow-filled gullies is crap, so "yay, snow!" (not too often said by me).
I kicked steps up 100 of the final 120 or so vertical to the summit and clamored up the final ~20' to the summit. Woo! Time being 1610. I immediately noticed that the north summit was about the same elevation... Uh oh. I whipped out my phone to compare my track to the others and what a relief it was to see that I was in the proper summit. I would have been quite disheartened to have to downclimb and get up the farther summit.
No sooner than when I sat down for a summit snack it began to snow. I had rummaged in the rock for a register, I knowing that one had been there, but I found nothing. There were snow banks around the rock, however, so it might have been buried. I I began my descent and opted to stay on the sh##ty, wetted rock in lieu of downclimbing the snow. I should have taken the snow. It was slow going on the loose rock while downclimbing 4th stuff. Nothing terrible yet tedious. Thankfully the snow was still relatively firm and my steps were solid so descending much of the route to the ridge was smooth sailing. Once on the ridge, I went to check the time... My FitBit was gone! Son of a... I just got that thing a month ago. Since I couldn't really do anything, I just kept going down (it was 1730). Stoicism in the wild?
Progress from there was easy and I boot skied to the snow line, transitioned to trailrunners and cut the switchbacks (accidentally). I felt off track, so I checked my GPS and I had skipped a creek crossing (it's crossed numerous time along the way) so I was on a separate earthen finger. Since it all goes down and foliage was relatively sparse, I kept along the finger. I eventually reach the PCT at 1915 and was back to my overnight pack at 1930 (4,400').
While I had decided to camp there, I felt great with light feet. It was also beginning to rain. As such, I rearranged my gear from my day pack into the night pack and took off. I only wanted a patch of bare earth to camp on... NOT snow.
I made it about a mile or so up the trail when I came to a large creek crossing, Golden Creek (4,600'). I searched around the area for a spot with decent canopy coverage and staked my claim. It wasn't entirely flat, but smooth enough for 2/3rds of my body with my feet slightly down slope. I hastily set up camp and scurried inside. It was cool yet wet.
I really didn't want to get out and go get water from the creek. I knew that I'd be even more reluctant to do so in the morning so I went a filled up my water stores. Once back, I promptly fell asleep to an increasing intsity of rain pitter-patterning the rain fly. I awoke at 0245 to a similar intensity of rain and dozed off. At 0630 I woke to silence. With an 80% chance of precipitation, I sat up to open the tent with an expectation of gloom... Blue skies! Halfway.
The peaks on the edge of the valley were shrouded, from what I could see in the trees, while the sky above me was clear. I made breakfast and hastily packed up, ensuring not to leave anything behind. I knew rain would come but I wanted to get as far as possible as quickly as possible. 0815 is when I began.
I retraced my melted boot tracks almost all the way to Methow Pass, which I reached at 1045. It intermittently rained and snowed from 0930 to 1030. From the pass at 6,600', I sauntered along the gentle ridge to about 6,900' when I stopped to snack. While seated on a rock, the sun came out in full force! Then the clouds hid it, then it came out, back and forth. This continued with increasing sun as I progressed for the rest of the day.
I steeply ascended back to 7,400' and began traversing. I dropped back down and made it to snow level (6,200') quickly at 1230. Here, I took an extended break. I ate, sun bathed for a bit, changed clutches, rearranged the contents of my pack, and set off for the last time.
I began moving again at 1315 and was back at the car by 1405.

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Jake Robinson
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Jake Robinson
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PostMon Jun 08, 2020 4:34 pm 
Good on you for getting out in the rain and getting it done up.gif Looks like a lot more snow out there than last year at this time.

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MangyMarmot
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PostMon Jun 08, 2020 8:38 pm 
Well done! Especially this early in the season.

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Cyclopath
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Joined: 20 Mar 2012
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Cyclopath
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PostMon Jun 08, 2020 9:24 pm 
Gorgeous pics! It sounds like an adventure.

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Magellan
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Magellan
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PostSun Sep 27, 2020 6:11 am 
Great stuff! That is a lot to pack into two days.

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