Forum Index > Trip Reports > 2019 Father’s Day: Persis Index Traverse
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SultanHiker
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PostMon Jun 17, 2019 9:51 pm 
I used this for beta: https://www.summitpost.org/persis-index-traverse/906517 And Mike Lewis for the GPX From last year when I came up short: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8028261 Red Tape: need a permit and key from Weyerhaeuser to avoid a 5.7 mile road walk (each way). I almost made it last September. We were so close and just had to turn around for fear of losing the trail if it got dark on our way back to camp at Persindex tarns. This time I started earlier, had more daylight, and a pretty fast companion. My son Mason is 15 and has done hikes like Stickney, Baring, and St. Helens. I knew he could do this one. I consider myself to be pretty quick over talus and boulders (up and down), at least when compared to some of my hiking friends. Turns out, my son is comparably quick. This important for making good time in the back county. The plan was to repeat the same itinerary (spending the night at the tarns below Persindex after summiting Index). But we ended up carrying all that extra weight for no other reason than to burn extra calories. We ended up finishing back to the car in one day. Left the “trailhead” at 7:45a, reached the first Persis tarn at 9:30 (1.65 mi 2300ft gain. If you need more info, there are reports on the interwebs. The trail is “kinda” maintained. Myself and another party have been cutting back over the last 10 months. But it is still a wicked trail). We quickly made for the far side of the upper tarn and stopped to put on sunscreen (it was sunny at the tarns). But we didn’t see the sun for quite a while after that. We skipped Persis summit as we could hit it on the way back, and we’d been there before. Visibility was about 100 yards when we descended into the traverse. I couldn’t see any landmarks. If you’ve never done this before, do not attempt this traverse in these conditions without a GPS device and downloaded track. At least an altimeter and stay at or above 4700 ft. I was constantly double checking my position to make sure we were relatively on track.
Lower Persis tarn pano
Lower Persis tarn pano
Upper Persis tarn pano
Upper Persis tarn pano
Terrible visibilty
Terrible visibilty
Entered the gully that leads to Persindex at 11:00a (I read one report calling it the Snoco Gully. Please enlighten me in the comments on the etymology.) Still such bad visibility that we couldn’t see the cliff walls on each side. But as we neared the top, the sun began to break through.
Light at the end of the gully
Light at the end of the gully
We reached the Persindex tarns and took a break to drop our packs, get some water, and pack a summit bag. We headed out for the 2nd half of the traverse around 11:55a. The trail is often difficult to find. But the descriptions from other reports are pretty accurate. They all mention the down climb on the side of Point 5212 on your way down to the saddle. Class 3 at least. Probably a 4. This is the crux of the climb (if you don’t count navigation). It was still cruddy and somewhat filled with snow. The snow was slushy on top. We brought microspikes, but might have done better with crampons. Mason went into a slide above a sapling and he chose to use his legs on the tree, because he didn’t have time to self-arrest with his axe.
Us at the Persindex tarns
Us at the Persindex tarns
Mason down climbing the tricky stuff
Mason down climbing the tricky stuff
Have to cross the snow while downclimbing
Have to cross the snow while downclimbing
View of the saddle. We chose the rocky channel to ascend.
View of the saddle. We chose the rocky channel to ascend.
From the saddle, we chose some of the forest and some of the steep heather slopes. I’m still not sure which is better. When we left the steep forest shoulder for the more broad upper slopes, we saw fresh goat tracks in the snow headed away from us. We followed them for 5-10 minutes before they disappeared in some rocks. Then it got steep again. And we had a choice between steep snow (fairly slushy top layer) and a nasty looking scramble. We chose the scramble. Mason is pretty good with scrambles. This was easier than the earlier scramble. Still class 3, but it could be a 4 depending on who grades it. The rest is pretty straight forward.
We chose this route.
We chose this route.
2:15p The summit register was very heavy pipe bomb (circa 2008). The Ziploc bag was dilapidated, so we donated a fresh one, but accidently poked a fresh hole with the pencil. The views to the north were spectacular. Baker, Glacier, Kyes, Sloan. Some of the nearby familiar peaks were covered by clouds at the tops. The south was mostly cloudy except for Rainier who would show up once in a while during our summit stay. ESE: Daniel and Hinman played a little peakabo, along with Stuart.
Pano on the summit.
Pano on the summit.
Pipe bomb summit register
Pipe bomb summit register
--Photosphere from summit (click image in link to get 360)--
Summit selfie
Summit selfie
We filtered a little water out of puddle and left around 3:00p. We took pretty much the same route back to our packs. We used less microspikes on the way back since the steps were already kicked in (still had the axe out). We took glissades where we could (combo of standing or sitting depending on the slope). We had decided to move camp back to Persis tarns, or more likely the summit for the night.
Mason climbing the "tricky bit"
Mason climbing the "tricky bit"
At the Persindex tarns just before 5:30p, and we had a bit of pack arranging to do. So we decided to eat Phad Thai for dinner. While boiling water, packing, and cooking we accomplished the majority of cook and wait times. But it was still hot, so we made short jaunt to the base of Persindex and dropped everything for the 15 minute round trip to bag the summit. The meal was delicious (don’t add the siracha powder, and let it cook a little longer, but follow the directions otherwise…)
Persindex Pano
Persindex Pano
View of Index from Persindex with labels
View of Index from Persindex with labels
Persis from Persindex
Persis from Persindex
6pm Quick glissade down the gully and round the corner to sidehill the traverse back to Persis… By now Mason had talked me into making this a day hike…
View of the traverse from the boulder field below Persis tarns.
View of the traverse from the boulder field below Persis tarns.
We made Persis summit just before 7:20p. With daylight waning, we spent only enough time to sign the register. We both had been here before. So we made quickly for the descent. The way out on such a steep and nasty trail is never pleasant. But we slogged through it without letting our weary legs give our rear ends a taste of the trail. We made the “trailhead” just before sunset at 8:58p.
Trailhead sunset.
Trailhead sunset.
Stopped for McDonalds on the way home, and surprised the family (I would be home for all of Fathers’ Day!!!) Stats according to tracker: 10.16 miles 9:50h total moving time 3:21 total stoppage time (summits, long breaks, and small breaks) 13:11 hrs total ~5700 ft gain/loss Moving average 1.0mph Forgot to mention... Mason snapped an aluminum pole from Black Diamond near the end of our adventure (descent from Persis). I'll have to research whether i can get a replacement section... GPS:

healeyio
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GoodStuff
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PostTue Jun 18, 2019 9:17 pm 
Thanks so much for posting this amazing trip report. And thanks also for all the work you've done clearing the trail. I've gone up a couple times over the last few months to do some clearing but got bogged down carving up a few deadfalls, at least what I could get through with my handsaw. If you're the one who cut the tunnels through the really brushy sections on the lower half, that made a huge difference. The trail is much easier to follow now. Just curious, did you use had clippers or pruning shears for that? I've been using hand clippers and was thinking I'd bring the pruning shears for a few sections next time I'm up there to maybe be more efficient.

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RichP
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PostWed Jun 19, 2019 6:24 am 
Great beta. Thanks up.gif

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Waterman
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PostWed Jun 19, 2019 10:45 am 
Did you have any part of logging out the many logs that covered the trail 10 years or so ago?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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SultanHiker
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PostWed Jun 19, 2019 8:26 pm 
GoodStuff wrote:
Just curious, did you use had clippers or pruning shears for that? I've been using hand clippers and was thinking I'd bring the pruning shears for a few sections next time I'm up there to maybe be more efficient.
Just used hand clippers (Felco). Something more substantial would be a great help. Unfortunately, I often had deadlines and goals on the way up, so i only helped a tiny bit. My biggest contribution was to a log walk with small trees encroaching climber's right. I went after them vigorously so it was more obvious. Plus it kept them from pushing you off the log...

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SultanHiker
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PostWed Jun 19, 2019 8:35 pm 
Waterman wrote:
Did you have any part of logging out the many logs that covered the trail 10 years or so ago?
Nope. I've never been up FS62 and Persis until last year when I bought the Weyerhaeuser Recreation Pass. The road has been gated so frequently in years past, and I'm only 5 years into my serious hiking career... I sincerely hope that future climbers continue to maintain the trail (at least to a minimum.) The Persis summit and the traverse hold such a special place in my heart. I often see Persis and Index from multiple vantage points from around the Eastside and my commute. But when I get closer to them, it becomes harder to get glimpses (except for North and Middle Index when driving down Hwy2.)

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Mike Collins
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PostMon Aug 30, 2021 11:39 am 
The gate is open for both Forest Road 62 and the gate higher up. No need to pay for the Weyerhaeuser permit at this time. Who knows when that will change? This traverse for successful summit bids on Index (main) and Persindex was done over last Sat/Sun. The link will take you to the trailhead for Persis which is the access to the desired traverse. It is a difficult traverse and not a “date hike”. https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/mount-persis

Slim
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