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williswall
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Joined: 30 Sep 2007
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williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 11:59 am 
Just a quick update on 1/2 of the Wonderland Trail, for those who might want to hit it. My daughter and I squeezed in Sunrise to Longmire on Monday and Tuesday with about 10 minutes of sun and many hours of rain. Due to the worsening storm forecast on Wednesday, we decided to come back another day to finish. Areas of note: Panhandle Gap has patchy areas of snow with no route finding problems, well established boot track through most, no ice axe needed on soft snow but poles always a help. Stevens Canyon is now open as of Aug 6th, with trail reestablished over a major slide area. Short section at Reflection lake is out but just a short jaunt down the road picks up the trail again....keep eyes peeled as sign is hidden behind a bush. Trail is in good shape with all bridges in. I've included a couple of screen grabs from video, we spent much time in the rain with low visibility over the Gap and a few hours each day of night hiking. Not many thru-hikers on the trail with room in all the campsites! And one last note and plug for my daughter; how many 13 year- olds do you know that can pound out 20 miles a day with nary a complaint in bad conditions and still be smiling at the end of the day? Steve
mist makes for a beautiful White River crossing
mist makes for a beautiful White River crossing
one of the few minutes of sun over 2 days
one of the few minutes of sun over 2 days
typical creek crossing
typical creek crossing
new trail over the Stevens Canyon washout
new trail over the Stevens Canyon washout
Snow ramp leading to Panhandle gap
Snow ramp leading to Panhandle gap
note old destroyed bridge in the background and tree debris
note old destroyed bridge in the background and tree debris
Rain or wet throughout the trip
Rain or wet throughout the trip

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Grizzy
Yellow Cedar Hugger



Joined: 16 Jul 2006
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Grizzy
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 12:26 pm 
How was Indian Bar? Did you say "hello" for me? slobber.gif

All the birds have flown up and gone; A lonely cloud floats leisurely by. We never tire of looking at each other - Only the mountain and I. ~Li Po~
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williswall
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williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 12:29 pm 
Indian Bar was.....wet. We didn't get in until 9PM and it rained all night. Always beautiful, though. And we said "hi".

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peltoms
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 2:39 pm 
Great shot of white river crossing, does not look all that easy though. How hard was it?

North Cascade Glacier Climate Project: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/
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williswall
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Joined: 30 Sep 2007
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Location: Redmond
williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 2:46 pm 
All river crossings, including White River, have established bridges now. So as long as you don't fall off, they are easy. If you haven't been on the Wonderland Trail, it is well established, regularly traveled, and not what one would consider a "wilderness" hike, but incredible and beautiful just the same. Steve
All the river crossings on the Wonderland Trail are well established with bridges
All the river crossings on the Wonderland Trail are well established with bridges

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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
PostFri Aug 22, 2008 4:20 pm 
Your daughter is quite the little trooper. Go girl! Looks like a good, if dampish trip.

Flora
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The Lead Dog
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 4:57 pm 
The shelter still at Indian Bar? That's my favorite shelter in the park. Lots of meeses. paranoid.gif

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williswall
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williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 5:38 pm 
Oh yeah, Indian Bar shelter still houses the meeses.
Indian Bar shelter still there
Indian Bar shelter still there

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williswall
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williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 5:53 pm 
The only way to dry out after 2 very wet days......
drying the feet after a wet day
drying the feet after a wet day

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williswall
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williswall
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PostFri Aug 22, 2008 8:27 pm 
Update on the Update
Hikers, this just posted by the National Park Service: GENERAL CONDITIONS UPDATE: August 21, 2008 August 20, 2008 ALERT: The recent rains have forced the closure of the Wonderland Trail in Stevens Canyon once again. The large section that was closed last summer and the first half of this summer is on the slide again. Hikers must walk the Stevens Canyon Road from Box Canyon to just below Louise Lake to circumnavigate this closure. Use caution while walking the road. Access to Maple Creek Camp from Box Canyon is okay. This must have happened the day after we crossed; I was commenting to my daughter that it didn't look any too stable and with continuing rain it might be a problem. Here are some more frame grabs from the video highlighting the area:
another view
another view
slide area climbing out of Stevens Canyon
slide area climbing out of Stevens Canyon
lower portion of slide
lower portion of slide
slide area looking back towards Stevens Canyon
slide area looking back towards Stevens Canyon
I'm now really glad we hiked this section when we did since it's been closed most of the time for almost 2 seasons now.

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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
PostFri Aug 22, 2008 8:41 pm 
Too bad about that section of trail. Probably won't do so well this winter, either... Glad you folks made it through before the heavy rains.

Flora
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phillyjon
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PostSat Aug 23, 2008 8:34 pm 
Does anyone know what that red stuff on the snow is on the Panhandle slope picture? I see it in a lot of places and at first thought it was bird droppings.

"No matter how high one sits upon a pedestal, one still sits upon his arse." Ben Franklin
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williswall
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williswall
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PostSun Aug 24, 2008 2:33 pm 
pink snow
The pink is actually caused by algae...check out this article on "watermelon snow" for a good explanation: watermelon snow

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