Forum Index > Trail Talk > North Fork/Middle Fork Cascade River - need information if you have it!
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REJ
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REJ
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PostThu Mar 21, 2002 8:24 pm 
Admin Note: Some of the initial posts have disappeared. My brother and I hiked both the South and Middle Fork trails in the spring of 1999. The Middle Fork trail was recently brushed to the first big avalanche path (you should be able to see the patches on air photos from Terraserver). My guess is the first avalanche path is about 3 miles from the end of the old road. The first part of the trail fine except for one big blow down and a tricky stream crossing. Once through the dense vine alder and brush (you could barely see the tread of the old trail through the vegetation) there was about another 1/2 mile of good trail through the woods to the big avalanche path which was at that time completely covered with snow. (We did found several natural appearing piles of rocks which seemed to appear just when we needed a landmark to help guide us through some tricky spots) The South Fork trail is brushy in spots until about 4 miles where the trail has been washouted by the South Fork. Brushwack through the washout zone and pick up the trail on the other side. The trail did seem better on the other side of the washout. We didn't go to end of the trail. Search the net. I have found a couple of reports describing the trip to the South Cascade Glacier with pictures as I recall.

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polarbear
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polarbear
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PostThu Mar 21, 2002 9:14 pm 
Stefan, I suspect I am the only one here that has been up the trail...3 times waah.gif This year will be my 4th and last lol.gif I think the worst brush was climbing up towards the lake at maybe mile 8(?) that's where I turned around on my last trip (last september). There can be some wet lowland brush I believe in the 6-7 mile area. I suspect the 2nd creek crossing can be challenging depending on the time of year. And while you hunt for a place to cross it, there is this bees nest that your are inclined to step on, only some of the bees don't have as much venom as they used to (why?)...itch...itch...the climb around the box canyon is steep, and when you think you've reached the top? Not! The road is being allowed to return to nature--how sad--I suspect the whole trail will be overgrown eventually. Here is a photo of the Mid-fork near the confluence:
nearconfluence
nearconfluence

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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 12:04 am 
Hey P-bear, why dont you just get in there via Downey creek and the ridgeline between Woods lake and S.Cascade lake? That's that way I want to do it this summer. Thoughts? TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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MtnGoat
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MtnGoat
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 10:14 am 
Cause it's just 2x longer?

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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Stefan
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Stefan
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 11:18 am 
Great! People have been there! Good info. Does anybody have any pictures of what Peak 5808 looks like? I would like to climb it--that is why I wanted to know about access. The peak lies between Cleve Creek and the South Fork of the Cascade River. Here is the location of the peak: http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.a....=10&W=2

Art is an adventure.
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REJ
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REJ
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 4:16 pm 
Good luck: For what it's worth my advise is to stay out of the brush and the avalanche chutes. The old growth forested areas are reasonably open. I doubt if many have been to that summit

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lopper
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Joined: 22 Jan 2002
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lopper
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 7:11 pm 
5808 looks like a spectacular perch. On the map, the NW ridge (which I have not done) looks a lot like the NW ridge of Bald Eagle Mtn above the W Fk Foss (which I have). I wish you blue skies and dry brush.

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polarbear
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polarbear
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PostFri Mar 22, 2002 9:05 pm 
Wow, that looks like a tough climb. I tried going up the east ridge once but the rocks in the gully I was going up got pretty large and ultimately insurmountable for me.

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polarbear
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polarbear
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PostSat Mar 23, 2002 7:11 pm 
Backpacker Joe, I think your route would be a real classic and the most scenic way to go if the trail isn't too bad. It looks tempting. Looking up the ridge from where stefan is going, my Pargeter map shows a neat little tarn on the slopes of Mt. Formidable...

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Brian Curtis
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Brian Curtis
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 10:02 am 
That tarn on Formidable is called Alp Lake.

that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
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Backpacker Joe
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 4:42 pm 
P-Bear, the trail is great to Bench lake. After that Woods isnt a problem (ranger told me) from there it seems way closer than trudging up the outlet to south cascade lake. Fredd gives his thoughts again on the route too. I think we could do it no problem I'd like to make a loop out if it by coming out via white rocks, spire glacier, itswoot and cob lake! The route

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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polarbear
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polarbear
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 9:37 pm 
I think it should be called the Ptarmigan Reverse.

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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 10:01 pm 
Only a very small part of that traverse, smart guy! What say you? Wanna do it? TB tongue.gif tongue.gif tongue.gif tongue.gif tongue.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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polarbear
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polarbear
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 10:16 pm 
We'll see. rolleyes.gif

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