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cascadetraverser
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Joined: 16 Sep 2007
Posts: 1407 | TRs | Pics
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Swimming across the creek...Wow. Excellent trip and report. I did this loop back in the mid 80`s (in early July I believe) and there was a good solid trail the whole way from start to finish with minimal blowdown and I surely don`t remember any difficult river crossings so I suspect there was a bridge back then (??). That circuit was featured in the old Manning and Spring`s North Cascades book and was reasonably popular at the time. Things have changed! We did have to negotiate the Shellrock pass cornice, though.... 
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Brushbuffalo
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Joined: 17 Sep 2015
Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics
Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
| cascadetraverser wrote: | | suspect there was a bridge back then (??). That circuit was featured in the old Manning and Spring`s North Cascades book and was reasonably popular at the time. Things have changed! We did have to negotiate the Shellrock pass cornice, though.... |
Further historic comment but from the 1990s..
Prompted by the book mentioned, I thought about running the loop but as I approached Shellrock Pass there was so much snow that I realized I probably wouldn't make it all the way that day ( it was June), so I retreated the way I had come before getting too far along. Didn't get to see the cornice but surely it was there.
Then on August 1, 1995 I completed the loop in a day (14 hours). My notes say ' very difficult.' I remember a big mess of avy'd trees south of Robinson Pass, the Eureka Trail was better than today, and although snow wasn't a problem, there were hundreds of trees across the trail between Shellrock and Pistol Pass. Also there had been a fire south of Pistol Pass with many charred fallen trees. The descent to Eureka Creek was long and hot but there was still a bridge then (1995). When I reached the trailhead the sign said 'Trail Abandoned'.  ( self "do your research beforehand"). Not sure if I would have tried to one- day it if I'd known that starting out at Robinson. I probably wouldn't if there had been no bridge, solo, but surely Eureka Creek would have been lower, slower, and warmer, and I used to be a solid swiimmer.
I wonder if a new bridge will ever be built. I kind of doubt it, since that end of the loop is tough and not done much.....maybe because of no bridge....a Catch-22.
I am so impressed by the original posters swimming that then- raging, ice cold creek!
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Jake Robinson
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Joined: 02 Aug 2016
Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
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I have been to that crossing twice in the last few years. First time in early June when it was raging and we didn't even consider it. Second time was in early August and by then the crossing was trivial, mid-calf depth. Also, in mid-July we talked to some folks out by Lake Doris who had made it across without issue.
Does anyone know when the bridge washed out? Interesting to hear that it was still there in 1995 - I would have assumed it was gone by then. We found the trail to be in pretty bad shape near the creek but as Jeff mentions, much better up towards Pistol Pass.
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pcg
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Joined: 09 Jun 2012
Posts: 334 | TRs | Pics
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pcg
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 Tue Jun 09, 2020 7:23 pm |
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Impressed by your river crossing, and the risk analysis that preceded it. I'm curious to know how you dealt with the backpacks?
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rstoddard24
BBQWingz
Joined: 30 Dec 2016
Posts: 74 | TRs | Pics
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@Jake according to WTA Lost river page the Eureka Creek bridge collapsed in 2006
I remember reading this nwhikers TR and getting excited about what would have been a timely bridge for me. But I dunno if they are still planning to complete the project or no
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Jake Robinson
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Joined: 02 Aug 2016
Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
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Thanks for the info Ryan! We were there in 2018 and I would have guessed 20+ years of decay rather than 12 based on the condition of the trail beyond Eureka Creek. Guess that goes to show you how much maintenence goes on behind the scenes and how much we take advantage of it.
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Jeff Pod.
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Joined: 28 Nov 2017
Posts: 24 | TRs | Pics
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Ryan,
I remember looking at your entry on Peakbagger of your Shellrock Slam. Way cool!!! Yes, we swam with our packs on. No way!! VOBS - I have heard that the base in Ely is amazing, Yep! Maybe we will run into you out there sometime.
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Jeff Pod.
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Joined: 28 Nov 2017
Posts: 24 | TRs | Pics
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Nancyann, It feels like a good trip when you are challenged in both of those ways. We wore our backpacks when swimming across. Ended up working okay.....
And no, I would never have a group of 16-19 year olds jump in a river and try to swim across with their big packs on. Pretty dangerous. Ir we came up to that we would have turned around - but ideally we just would not have gone that way on an Outward Bound trip. We will do smaller creek crossings with Outward Bound and we will have students unbuckle there pack straps and either go across the creek in sets of 1,2, or 3.
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Eric Gilbertson
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Joined: 04 Jul 2018
Posts: 188 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
I highly recommend using a packraft to get across Eureka creek in the spring. The best part is on the way out you can just float down the lost river instead of hiking back. That's what I did to access peaks back there in June a few years ago.
A packraft is also useful to access some bulgers near stehekin to save some hiking miles and not need to worry about catching the park bus.
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