Forum Index > Trip Reports > McClellan Butte 7-26-2008
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theCougAbides
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theCougAbides
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PostMon Jul 28, 2008 10:18 am 
Got started at 9:20 Saturday morning from the road that the trail crosses 1.5 miles from the official trailhead. That cuts 3 miles total off the trip. Patches of snow in the avy chutes, and one sketchy snow bridge in one of the chutes. Steady snow started when the trail hits the ridge, and you go from a mostly SE facing slope to a NW facing slope. The scramble at the top is clear of snow though. It took me about 1 hour, 40 minutes up; I stayed on the summit for an hour. I didn't see anyone until about 10 minutes after I had left the summit. Surprising to me because I thought 9:20 was a late start. On the way down the were probably about 25 people coming up.

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Canuck
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PostMon Jul 28, 2008 11:13 am 
I'm always amazed how late some folks start hiking. But, like one poster said, sometimes it's worth a really late start to catch a great sunset. I prefer to get up there early, though.

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bigmauler
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 10:01 am 
Mcclellan
I am hoping to do this hike this upcoming weekend. i don't have any snow gear (ice axe, crampons). Was getting to the top possible without the aforementioned gear?

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tigermn
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 10:24 am 
theCougAbides wrote:
I didn't see anyone until about 10 minutes after I had left the summit. Surprising to me because I thought 9:20 was a late start. On the way down the were probably about 25 people coming up.
There seems to be a couple of waves. I've seen this on Si as well. If I start up around 9ish you seen the early birds coming down and don't see a lot of other people. Then by the time you are coming down it's like a cattle heard coming up. I can see going later sometimes if you are hoping for fog/clouds to burn off and views to open up. Personally I like to be hiking by 8 (even earlier if a real hot day/non shaded hike), and 9 at the latest. Sometimes that doesn't always work out but....

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EastKing
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EastKing
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 11:24 am 
Thanks for the update on McCellan's Butte. up.gif up.gif I was wondering about the details of that peak. I'd like to do that peak very soon.

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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The Angry Hiker
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 11:36 am 
Quote:
Got started at 9:20 Saturday morning from the road that the trail crosses 1.5 miles from the official trailhead. That cuts 3 miles total off the trip.
That's the Iron Horse Trail, isn't it? You still had to walk up the trail a ways from wherever you parked.

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tigermn
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 1:00 pm 
The Angry Hiker wrote:
Quote:
Got started at 9:20 Saturday morning from the road that the trail crosses 1.5 miles from the official trailhead. That cuts 3 miles total off the trip.
That's the Iron Horse Trail, isn't it? You still had to walk up the trail a ways from wherever you parked.
No I think you can drive up Garcia road to a starting point above the Iron Horse trail to cheat some mileage off the hike.... Never done that but heard about it.

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theCougAbides
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 1:20 pm 
It's the road, not the Iron Horse Trail. No need for Ice axe or crampons, I didn't use them or see anyone with them. But there were a few spots that, if I had slipped, I wouldn't have stopped without an ice axe. The steps are well laid out though, and most steps are flat. I did my best to flatten some that were a little too sloped for my tastes. I have noticed the same morning and afternoon waves on Tiger as well. Furthermore, I have noticed that the morning people as a group seem a lot happier and more apt to greetings than the afternoon people.

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tigermn
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PostTue Jul 29, 2008 2:29 pm 
theCougAbides wrote:
It's the road, not the Iron Horse Trail. No need for Ice axe or crampons, I didn't use them or see anyone with them. But there were a few spots that, if I had slipped, I wouldn't have stopped without an ice axe. .
Isn't that the definition for wanting an Ice Ax? The if you slip it's buh bye? I hate slippery/even marginal steep traverses. The butte is one I'll either do snow free or not at all.... I like the views from Granite better anyway...

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