[Dayhike Mike]

That's the route I referred to as the "Mutineer's Route" that the other party we met last year had done.

[Bright River]

Well, I know that we did this traverse in August and it was probably like 1990. We had a very green 16 yro boy scout and a very experienced 76 yo - it was hard to keep up with the 76 yo in the front. This is a breeze compared to the other route. As I remember Beckey was talking about bushwaching up Noisy Creek and did not recommend it. In contrast, we were in noisy creek a very short time. I have tried to find my Lake Shannon quad to get some take on the altitudes and distances - I am not much of a map manager. You basically go right over the shallow ridge and notch or very close to it as you traverse the benches north of Mt. Watson to get over to the SW. ridge of Bacon in order to drop into the basin and lakes that the other route starts from. After you are in Noisy creek it is a walk up through forested slope(little brush or understory) - contours only tighten about 50 vertical people at one point, then it was mixed pleasant meadows and easy snowflields. If there has been a climax avalanche this year and a lot of avalanche debris, it would be a very different trip, but you would see this from the watson area. Did another map search and found the Bacon Peak quad: this is what we did from a notch north of Andersen Lakes at 5,000': traverse almost due W over scoured glacial benches (very easy) about 2 miles at about 4,900-5,000'. As a NE rib of Watson steepens the terrain ,descend about 100' and cross a shallow notch at 4,900'. Follow a small watercourse and easy terrain down in a NE direction to noisy creek at 3,800. You may have to go up the creek a little, but ascend a forested rib over gentle terrain between watercourses. the slope becomes meadowed and open after about 1000'. We camped in a open basin at about 5,700' . the crux of this trip was trying to get accross the Baker River at the end - it had been very warm and the river was quite high - to keep from being sweeped away I had to lean into the current, and that in turn sweeped my feet out from under me. Finally, my husband who is somewhat taller than I, crossed in tandem anchoring each and moving one step at a time. No bridge then. the descent off Blum lakes was pretty continuously steep too ( Only other continuously steeper descent that I can remember was coming down Luna arm in a rainstorm)

[Tom_Sjolseth]

Very cool trip, folks. I intend to go in there soon.

[Tom]

No need to go in soon unless you just want to bag peaks and don't care as much about scenery. I'd wait another month minimum. Also, while the alternate route up Bacon may be faster you miss views of some of the unmapped lakes like this one:

[Dayhike Mike]

Nice aerials, Tom! I'm going to have to snag a full-size copy of the first one from you sometime...I've been wanting to see what the traverse across the backside looks like. Looks fairly benchy on the Topo and not too bad from the resized pic you posted.

[peltoms]

Awesome report it is great to maintain the right tude on that marvelously frustrating, curse inducing traverse from Watson onto Bacon. A traverse I can no longer bear to do. Gotta check out that rock of doom.

[Tom]

Mike, those are Scurlock shots from this group. I linked the largest available size. He has a few more of the area including these:

East Watson

Noisy Glaicer Terminus

5 labels

Why it's better to zag left (labels)

[cartman]

[Tom]

To each their own I guess. There's more color diversity than you might think on those gray benches.

Looking Up To Mt Watson

Bacon from East Watson 5030 Tarn

[Tom_Sjolseth]

I can see it both ways, Tom. And although certainly peakbagging is something I enjoy, it's always nice to have great scenery as well, which is one of the main reasons I get out in the first place. That being said, I have several reasons for getting out, not JUST scenery, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from a certain combination of them. I would ideally like to get into Bacon/Hagan/Blum/Mystery in about late August or September (most likely September after the bugs have subsided) for the reason you suggested. Another thing to consider, though, is that I take time off when I can get it, and if I can only get it next week, and the Bacon area is where I want to go, then that's when I'll go. I enjoyed my Pickets trip even though folks swore it was "too early". I think we hit it just right. No bugs, no brush, easy travel on easy snow. These are things people often complain about after a trip into the Pickets. I didn't have a single complaint on that trip, and I enjoyed the snow-covered scenery as much as I would the other way around. Another thing to consider is that I often make repeats of climbs - sometimes multiple, so getting to see scenery at different times of year is yet another perk. Thanks for posting your photos. They are spectacular.

[Randy]

Definitely a trip I'm still planning on squeaking in this year. Late August/September is still in the plan.