[Randy]

I'm always up for some good brush whether it's swath of slide alder, a thicket of nasty, angling cedars, or a flat of Devil's Club. So, lets hear some of your most memorable brush routes!

Here are my top 5 from recent trips:

1. Burnboot Creek
2. Nazanne to Delta (and we were going downhill!)
3. Nine Hour to Rainy Creek
4. Carole to "Lake 4662"
5. Dream Lake (west traverse route)

[Brian Curtis]

Randy, judging from those routes you don't just tolerate brush, you seek brush even when it can be avoided. You'd fit right in at the Trail Blazers

I've experienced the Delta to Nazanne brush going up. Just out of Delta we thrashed in it for an hour when we consulted the map and discovered we'd gone roughly a quarter mile as the crow flies. On the way down it was pouring down rain. That was fun.

I'd rate Alpine Lakes brush as bad, but not as bad as North Cascades brush. If you want some nasty, prickly, thick, gnarly, and nasty brush try heading up Hidden Creek at the north end of Baker Lake.

The worst we found this last summer was a stretch on a hike we did above La Rush Lake. We actually headed for the slide alders as relief because they were easier going.

[Randy]

I enjoy a good thicket thrashing every now and then, but in the name of progress and keeping hiking partners I try to avoid it more often than not  

[#19]

I only know what I've experienced and I wouldn't consider myself extensively experienced in the world of brush bashing.

However, upper Stetattle Cr gets progressively worse and worse the farther up you go. Finally, it becomes hideous.

Miss the climbers trail up the rib next to Terror Cr and continue up the Goodell Cr valley and you are in hell.

[McPilchuck]

Brush lovers, my kind of people!

The lower level of river valleys in the Olympics have it all beat when trying to get up higher. And when you encounter a downed tree in that zone, it's usually 8-10 foot thick which makes it too difficult to climb over, one has to go around, and around and around, to include the devils club, slide alder fight and always wet-wet moss of the jungle.

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in the granite high-wild alpine land . . .
www.alpinequest.com

[Mike Collins]

Randy, the worst brush I ever encountered was the Anderson Creek approach to Index.  We were prepared with leather gloves and eye protection but on the downclimb it got so frustrating we just jumped into the creek to escape. The water filled our boots of course but it was our salvation, like escaping from a forest fire.

BurntBoot and Dream Lake come in close seconds though.

[borank]

Quite a few areas of the Nfk and Mfk Snoqualmie are very bad.  The east side traverse to Dream from Dorothy, and the traverse from Mowitch to Honey bring especially bad memories.  
Sulphur creek from Ross Pass, an angling traverse in Upper Panther Creek below Cosho Pk, Illabot Creek where I got a bee sting in the face - more fond memories of past nightmares.

[Sore Feet]

I think the two worst places I've dealt with brush are:
1 - Sygitowicz Creek Falls, just west of Van Zant.  Absolutely disgusting thrash me and a friend did.  And half of the 1/3 mile we were walking across a super crumbly 75 degree slope, sometimes not having anything to support us other than ferns.  But it was worth it.  Pretty falls.
2 - Hilt Creek Falls, near Rockport.  This is the one that took me 45 minutes to go 500 feet from the road to where I could get a good picture of the falls.

I haven't really done long brush hikes...yet  
I'm hoping to do Depot Creek up to Ousel Lake this summer if anyone wants to join me.

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Bryan Swan
Pictures - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bryanswan
Waterfalls - www.waterfallsnorthwest.com

[polarbear]

Pappy, how many hours is it up Terror Creek to the ridge?

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...and a window that looks out on Corcovado...  Corcovado Hill

[#19]

white bear,

I was up there prior to Selected Climbs was published.  There was good trail (steep) from the valley up to about 4300' - 4500' .  Then it was just like Nelson described it in Selected Climbs, trail peters out and there were ribbons going off in different directions.  Think it may be a bit more continous now.  

But to answer your question, it's a haul.  I'd say unless you are exceptionally fast, it's a full day for most normal people.
Even the 3.5 (which seemed like 5) miles of relatively flat approach up the old Goodell road seemed to take longer than we thought it would.

Relating this to the Brush thread:  I went up earlier that year to find where the climbers trail went up Terror and missed it.  Went up Goodell far enough to be 'wantin' my mommie"!    

[Backpacker Joe]

Yo Randy, you mentioned coming down from Nazanne.  Did you approach it from the backside and Jewel lake?  I always thought the best way to access Nazanne would be from Otter's outlet(or close).  Al least you'd have a trail (elevation gain wise) to Otter.  How was the lake?  As I understand it some of the worlds best brush busting is BACON creek on the way to Burdeen lake in the North Cascades....

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."

—Wayne's John Bernard Books in The Shootist

[Randy]

We came in from the east and visited Jewel along the way. The route option you're talking about from Otter is illustrated in the CAG, so I'm sure it goes. Unless you really wanted to see Otter I see that route as far slower than one of the more direct ones; that's just based on my experiences in the area. With some careful route finding you could be half way up the hill (probably more) by the time you even reached Otter going the other route.

[Backpacker Joe]

I get what you are saying.  Is the lake as pretty as the photo in the lakes book shows it?  I've always wanted to check it out.

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."

—Wayne's John Bernard Books in The Shootist

[Brian Curtis]

I agree with Randy on the route. The brush above Delta isn't all that bad if you just go around the worst of it instead of trying to go straight through. Nazanne is a pretty lake. View Lake is most notable for its stunning lack of any view.

[MtnGoat]

Here are my votes, not in any particular order...

Thunder Creek drainage on the White River, Camp Robber Creek, Middle Fork Cascade River, South Fork Cascade River, Lewis Creek (Gunn Peak)

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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers