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philfort
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Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 444 | TRs | Pics
Location: seattle |
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philfort
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 Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:58 pm |
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Access to Ross Lake is available year-round - except of course this year, since the highway is closed at Newhalem due to the rockslide. Normally it's closed at MP134, which is the trailhead to Ross Lake. Elevation is around 2400ft, and its plowed to there, and a popular trailhead with snowmobilers heading up to the pass.
The highway opened in mid-april last year, about average.
Historical openings/closings:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/northcascades/closures.htm
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MooseAndSquirrel
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Joined: 10 Nov 2002
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| PAP wrote: | | MooseAndSquirrel wrote: | | Not when Hwy 20 opens for sure, probably more like mid-June (thru Sept.)- it's at 6000' |
Typical opening of HWY 20 is late April. Last year was way late into May, a record late opening I believe.
BUT, the access to Ross from 20 is not even close to 6000'. I'm sure someone will be linking the DOT HWY 20 opening page soon. |
No, No, No. Desolation Pk. is at 6000'- that's what I was trying to get across to him. I've edited my original post to avoid any further confusion.
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MooseAndSquirrel
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Joined: 10 Nov 2002
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| Malachai Constant wrote: | In the Spring there is not much water in Ross Lake until the snow melts making a long walk from the lake and poor pictures  . You can call the Dam # in phone book under City Light and they will tell you the level. |
That's a very good point MC made- if you visit too early when the water is drawn down--- it's ring-around-the-bathtub, very unsightly. I think to do it mid-summer is the best approach for best weather, a fuller lake like in my pictures and avoiding any lingering snow on the trail- but with the lack of trees on Desolation's slopes I'm sure that's not an issue too long into summer anyway.
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#19
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 2197 | TRs | Pics
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#19
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Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:15 pm |
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| philfort wrote: | | The highway opened in mid-april last year, about average. |
Frick I'm getting old. Years run together.  Year before last was the late opening, thanks for the correction and link Phil.
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Andrew
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Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 1175 | TRs | Pics
Location: Arlington |
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Andrew
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Fri Mar 05, 2004 11:06 pm |
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Thank you everybody! It's starting to feel like I should take the whole month of July off! There are way too many hikes I want to do, but I think Desolation Peak is one of the frontrunners for this year... 
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cheakamus
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Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 331 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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cheakamus
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Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:08 pm Desolation Peak
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For anyone interested, there's a recent book, Poets on the Peaks: Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Jack Kerouac in the North Cascades, by John Suiter, which is very readable and has some great black and white photography. I bought it on remainder at U. Bookstore for practically nothing!
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Stefan
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Stefan
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Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:18 pm |
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I am a cheap bastard.
How difficult is is to carry kayaks from Highway 20 down to Ross lake?
I know most people go to Diablo lake, put their kayaks in, and then pay $20 or some odd bucks for a truck to take you up to Ross Lake per boat.....ONE WAY.....but I was thinking of saving some money...
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16098 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
| Stefan wrote: | | I am a cheap bastard.
How difficult is is to carry kayaks from Highway 20 down to Ross lake?
I know most people go to Diablo lake, put their kayaks in, and then pay $20 or some odd bucks for a truck to take you up to Ross Lake per boat.....ONE WAY.....but I was thinking of saving some money... |
I checked that out but the trail goes down a looong ways and dosen't look that good for portage. Canada is still the best way IMO.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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#19
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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#19
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Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:27 pm |
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| Malachai Constant wrote: | | Stefan wrote: | | I am a cheap bastard.
How difficult is is to carry kayaks from Highway 20 down to Ross lake?
I know most people go to Diablo lake, put their kayaks in, and then pay $20 or some odd bucks for a truck to take you up to Ross Lake per boat.....ONE WAY.....but I was thinking of saving some money... |
I checked that out but the trail goes down a looong ways and dosen't look that good for portage. Canada is still the best way IMO. |
IIRC, the trail drops about 500' from the HWY 20 at Happy Flats, down to Ross - but there was a dock there in the early '80s.
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jackchinook
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Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 684 | TRs | Pics
Location: Winthrop |
Stefan,
my buddy did it last summer with a seakayak. However, he's got one of those portage carts like they use up at the Bowron Lakes Prov. Park in BC. This thing has fairly large, soft tires that can handle pretty rough terrain. That thail is steep, has a few switchbacks and some parts where it gets down to bedrock. You'd have to be a he-man to do it without a good cart...and you could expect to crash it a time or two on the downhill. I'd leave the expensive fiberglass/kevlar boat at home! having hiked to the dam several times and having driven the route up through BC, I'd pay the money to the Resort to bring the boats up from Diablo.
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MooseAndSquirrel
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Joined: 10 Nov 2002
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FWIW, back in '98 when I caught the water taxi at the end of that trail from Hwy 20 (which was indeed a pretty steep drop and would be a b*tch to haul a kayak down), I seem to remember there was a road that came down to that dock because I saw a pickup down there while I was waiting. It's anyone's guess if the public can access that dock now, and from Hwy 20. Maybe that road is the one mentioned from Diablo Lk.? Sounds like quite a racket someone's got up there- I can't believe there isn't a public boat launch on the south end of Ross.
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mpaul_hansen
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Joined: 05 Apr 2003
Posts: 246 | TRs | Pics
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mpaul_hansen
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Wed Mar 24, 2004 9:15 pm boat launch & road to Ross Lk from SR 20
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Well, there is no road to Ross Lake from SR 20 and probably never will be.
Seattle City Light considered this and even had a road designed many years ago, which was not built following the resolution of the High Ross Dam issue.
Seattle City Light, in lieu of a road, has a helicopter service company on retainer to provide lifting or other access services, as may be needed for emergencies, etc.. [to also act as a supplement to the rough road from Diablo Lake to the top of Ross Dam]
Given the area and Dam are in a NRA adjacent to a National Park, I 'wouldn't hold my breath' in the expectation of a road being built. PROBABLY NEVER.
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