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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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 one of the few minutes of sun over 2 days typical creek crossing new trail over the Stevens Canyon washout Snow ramp leading to Panhandle gap note old destroyed bridge in the background and tree debris Rain or wet throughout the trip
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Grizzy Yellow Cedar Hugger
Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 1936 | TRs | Pics Location: Switchbacks |
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Grizzy
Yellow Cedar Hugger
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Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:26 pm
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How was Indian Bar? Did you say "hello" for me?
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~
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 poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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 Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 1760 | TRs | Pics Location: Worcester MA |
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peltoms
Member
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Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:39 pm
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Great shot of white river crossing, does not look all that easy though. How hard was it?
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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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
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Flora Enjoying the Sun!
Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics Location: Land of many waters |
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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
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Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:20 pm
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Your daughter is quite the little trooper. Go girl! Looks like a good, if dampish trip.
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The Lead Dog Member
Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 981 | TRs | Pics Location: Kent Wa |
The shelter still at Indian Bar? That's my favorite shelter in the park. Lots of meeses.
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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
Oh yeah, Indian Bar shelter still houses the meeses.
Indian Bar shelter still there
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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
The only way to dry out after 2 very wet days......
drying the feet after a wet day
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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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williswall
poser
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Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:27 pm
Update on the Update
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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 slide area climbing out of Stevens Canyon lower portion of slide 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 Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics Location: Land of many waters |
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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
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Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:41 pm
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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.
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phillyjon Member
Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 383 | TRs | Pics Location: White Center |
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
"No matter how high one sits upon a pedestal, one still sits upon his arse." Ben Franklin
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williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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williswall
poser
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Sun Aug 24, 2008 2:33 pm
pink snow
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The pink is actually caused by algae...check out this article on "watermelon snow" for a good explanation:
watermelon snow
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