Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mt. Skookum (or is it The Louvre?); 8/8/09
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
GeoTom
Member
Member


Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 3215 | TRs | Pics
Location: Earth
GeoTom
Member
PostSun Aug 09, 2009 3:16 pm 
Trip overview: Crew: yukon222, Schmidt Alti-Babe, Kiefer & Rowena, GeoTom, Jasper and Soapy Access: Interstate 90 > SR 903 > Salmon la Sac Road > FR 4315 Maps: Green Trails #208 Kachess Lake and #209 Mount Stuart plus a TOPO! creation Trails/Route: Sasse Mtn. #1340 > Jolly Mtn. #1307 > Jolly Creek #1355> Skookum Basin 1393.2 and some off-trail travel Mileage: ~8? Elevation Gain: 2,800 total Summits: Mt. Skookum, aka The Louvre (6,394), Unnamed Point 6,050 Full flickr photo set (many included below) Trip Details: With an iffy weather forecast for the west side, Schmidt AltiBabe and yukon222 talked me into joining them for another journey east, to a peak that we had viewed last November during our adventure following the Yellow Hill Trail. We were able to 'cheat' a little bit by driving up FR 4315, thereby shaving off about 3 miles each way and ~2,500 feet of gain. We parked just before some trenches in the road, and walked 193 feet before intersecting the Sasse Mtn. Trail. The trail and decommissioned road joined again for a short while before we finally settled down on a decent trail. I huffed and puffed trying to keep up with yukon and the AltiBabe while Jasper kept trying to annoy the whippets. After a few ups and downs we veered sharply left on the Skookum Basin trail and descended straight down to the low saddle between Jolly and Skookum. Soon we left the official trail and followed a decent bootpath until it disappeared. We then continued along the ridge towards our goal. We had read slightly varying accounts regarding the difficulty of the final false summit and summit blocks, so I was prepared to stop if the going got too tough for Jasper. However, none of the dogs had serious issues with the rocks, and soon we all found ourselves standing on the summit. The actual highest point (~2 feet higher) was a few feet away, yukon and AltiBabe headed over to touch it while I waited with the dogs. Upon their return, Soapy and I headed over to touch it. Apparently there is some debate as to whether or not Soapy actually summitted. Yukon has the photographic evidence. After some rest, snacks and liquids, we retraced our steps back to the waiting vehicles, with a short side trip to another 'summit', Point 6,050, which is confusingly called Skookum Peak on peakbagger.com. As we got close to the 'trailhead', we had thoughts of a quick side trip to Sasse, but I had to return to the west side by 6:00, and it really didn't look all that appealing on this day. We'll probably save it for a snowshoe trip. Some photos:
Our route and goal
Our route and goal
At the low saddle
At the low saddle
Final slopes and a Wild Mountain Jasper sighting
Final slopes and a Wild Mountain Jasper sighting
Mt. Stuart and friends
Mt. Stuart and friends
Heading for the highpoint
Heading for the highpoint
Smiling Skookum Summit Steve
Smiling Skookum Summit Steve
Steve points out Tisha's false summit
Steve points out Tisha's false summit
Tisha touches the top
Tisha touches the top
Restrained whippets
Restrained whippets
Summit sign
Summit sign
Soapy reminisces on Skookum Peak
Soapy reminisces on Skookum Peak
Descending
Descending
Horny snags
Horny snags
More snags
More snags
Log and dog
Log and dog
Point 6,050
Point 6,050
Still more snags
Still more snags
D300's in action
D300's in action

Knows literally nothing
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Go Jo
of the lykkens



Joined: 08 Jun 2003
Posts: 2248 | TRs | Pics
Location: Around The Bend
Go Jo
of the lykkens
PostSun Aug 09, 2009 3:30 pm 
GeoTom wrote:
Log and dog
Log and dog
This depth of field (or is it size ratio?) is very flattering for your stout companion winksmile.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig



Joined: 13 Apr 2008
Posts: 350 | TRs | Pics
Location: Burrowing in the snow
Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig
PostSun Aug 09, 2009 3:54 pm 
Jo- I growl in your general direction.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Ingunn
Hiking Viking



Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 1751 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 4:08 pm 
Jasper, are you going to be sneaky and count this as a summit even though you were two feet off? hmmm.gif No offense to the photographer, but I miss Alti-Babe's photos.. bawl.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
yukon222
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 1893 | TRs | Pics
yukon222
Member
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 4:11 pm 
Ingunn wrote:
No offense to the photographer, but I miss Alti-Babe's photos.. bawl.gif
huh.gif mad.gif Hey, I was on the trip too!! rant.gif clown.gif I'll post some lame pics tonight; sorry, I was up in the mountains on Sunday too so haven't been able to post any pics yet. hockeygrin.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Go Jo
of the lykkens



Joined: 08 Jun 2003
Posts: 2248 | TRs | Pics
Location: Around The Bend
Go Jo
of the lykkens
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 4:21 pm 
Jasper wrote:
Jo- I growl in your general direction.
I have treeeaaaatttssss...

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
yukon222
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 1893 | TRs | Pics
yukon222
Member
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 9:38 pm 
The 4315 access road gates at 3400' and 4800' were both open so we just kept driving up the narrow roads until reaching an abrupt end on the side of the mountain at 5100'. Trenching cut off the access to the Jolly-Sasse TH intersection and very, very little room to do a 8 pt turnaround with a fullsize truck. Would have been much better if they would have cut the road access 200' farther up the road at a nice big flat parking area. shakehead.gif Nice day up there, breezy with ZERO bugs. Hopefully the recent rains will clear up the skies a bit; quite a bit of haze in the sky.
DSD_3375 GeoTom going for the Skookum summit
DSD_3375 GeoTom going for the Skookum summit
DSD_3382 GeoTom tops out on Skookum
DSD_3382 GeoTom tops out on Skookum
DSD_3384 Soapy's "summit" - he said he touched it with his tongue when his back was turned to us
DSD_3384 Soapy's "summit" - he said he touched it with his tongue when his back was turned to us
DSD_3389 GeoTom climbing down off Skookum summit
DSD_3389 GeoTom climbing down off Skookum summit
DSD_3413 Mt Stuart thru the 29 days of rain-free haze
DSD_3413 Mt Stuart thru the 29 days of rain-free haze
DSD_3422 yelling is effective way to get people and dogs to look back  ;-)
DSD_3422 yelling is effective way to get people and dogs to look back ;-)
DSD_3426 Pt 6050', Skookum and Stuart
DSD_3426 Pt 6050', Skookum and Stuart
DSD_3428 Pt 6050'
DSD_3428 Pt 6050'
DSD_3448 Summer at 5700'
DSD_3448 Summer at 5700'
DSD_3449 decommissioned road and extra 1/2 mile road walk
DSD_3449 decommissioned road and extra 1/2 mile road walk
pano
pano

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 10:18 pm 
Nice! up.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Ingunn
Hiking Viking



Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 1751 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostMon Aug 10, 2009 10:40 pm 
You always take great photos Yukon, but those doggy pics are even more excellent than usual! wub.gif Looks like a great trip - now I feel inspired to go somewhere more adventurous than the lazy hikes I've been on lately.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
GeoTom
Member
Member


Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 3215 | TRs | Pics
Location: Earth
GeoTom
Member
PostTue Aug 11, 2009 7:03 am 
yukon222 wrote:
Would have been much better if they would have cut the road access 200' farther up the road at a nice big flat parking area. shakehead.gif
Ahem. It was 193 feet up the road. biggrin.gif

Knows literally nothing
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
yukon222
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 1893 | TRs | Pics
yukon222
Member
PostTue Aug 11, 2009 8:15 am 
GeoTom wrote:
yukon222 wrote:
Would have been much better if they would have cut the road access 200' farther up the road at a nice big flat parking area. shakehead.gif
Ahem. It was 193 feet up the road. biggrin.gif
Ahem. Ahem. I parked 7' below your truck. Remember? So for me, it was 200'. lol.gif hockeygrin.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mt. Skookum (or is it The Louvre?); 8/8/09
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum