Forum Index > Trip Reports > Upper Royal Basin | Petunia May 6-9th
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Luc
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Luc
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PostSun May 16, 2010 11:35 am 
Hey Folks, I arrived home last Sunday from a 3/4 night trip in Upper Royal Basin! As you can see, there's lotsa snow left up there. Here's a few details and some eye candy! I haven't viewed the photos full res yet so i have yet to really identify everything. This trail can get tough to follow near the lower meadow in the snow. This was my case upon arrival as it was also snowing heavily from 2:30pm - on and I was starting to get wet from sweat and the falling snow. It was near white out once I got past the lake but i managed to find Shelter Rock ok, but didn't approach because the snow bridges were nearing the beginning of their most dangerous time of year, and I need to get to camp. I actually got a little off track but found a suitable (for it being a white out and all) place to park it for the weekend here: 47'49.428 N 123'12.609 W right at about 5600ft. At this point @ 6pm it was dumping like it wanted me to have a wet shelter, dumping faster than i could shake if off my ground sheet let alone the tent itself. As i was methodically, yet frantically preparing to setup the shelter in the dumping snow, THE TENT POLE BROKE. aaaaarrrrgh. "OH. MY. GOD...... OH F*&K. OH F*&K." is what you'd have heard if you were a fly on the wall, or say, a camp robber in the bush. Improvise did I. Thank god I brought the kitchen sink...er, my Equinox tarp, and I used the broken pole to somewhat keep the tent near it's intended shape, but used the tarp to shelter the tent from the heavy snow, and also give myself a bit of a porch to stage my gear and make up for the lost room in the drooping shelter. Thats the way it was all weekend and it worked overall, partly because I'm typically a dry freak when it comes to tent wetness, and also because the wind never realllly picked up. The next day was a real avalanche show. The noisy ones were up near Deception and Clark, but they were present everywhere. They started at around 11am and lasted until late in the afternoon. Rivers of snow in all sizes tumbled over cliffs and filled the gullies. Most were in the upper reaches but the sluffing was everywhere. Friday was not a good day to test the mountain's mood. So rather I climbed onto a high shoulder a mile or so from camp and watched the display below the Needles, and counted the sunny snow showers. Each evening the snowing stopped by dark:30. And this next morning was beautiful. I got an early start and found water to fill my one gallon jug (been taking a gas station water jug w me on these types of trip). I filled my belly with water, my nalgene, and the jug and put it in the sun for my return from Petunia. The climb up Petunia was a challenge in due to a combination of warming snow, steepness, and the sun. Lathered up with sunscreen I still managed to get kissed real hard, and that with several apps. At the top you have a 360 degree view of the NE Olys. From Buckhorn, to Warrior, Fricaba, Deception, Needles, out to Gray Wolf Ridge and Tyler Pk. But still, the traverse up took about 2.5 hrs and the trip back took about 2. Coming down was a challenge as well because it was too steep for snow shoes, with an error margin that at times had some uncertainty, so eventually I made my way slowly and safely to where I knew the fall-line well, jumped down on my arse, and slid a good 600f with the ax as a break. worked like a charm and i saved myself some time and sweat. but still the traverse back seemed longer than up. i think it was because of the sun. as soon as i began the decent from Petunia which covers a half mile of knife edge, the sun was in my face. Back at camp, my water was waiting for me, and I plopped down to enjoy the evening. All in all, typical backcountry challenges. I thoroughly tested my Reactor (yes, needs sump in cold temps) and it is indeed a snow melting machine.......and also doubles as mini campfire/handwarmer if you're desperate. Also had a hair/head wash on day two to get the climb-in off my melon. A somewhat luxurious trip with that, my big tent, big camera and binox. I'll get my tent fixed soon (2003 sierra designs Meteor Lite). Here's some photos.
Royal Creek Valley From Camp
1 label
Royal Creek Valley From Camp
had equipment failure
had equipment failure
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin
Camp Rambling
Camp Rambling
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin
1 label
Upper Royal Basin
Warrior From Petunia (back left)
2 labels
Warrior From Petunia (back left)
Buckhorn Ridge from Petunia
1 label
Buckhorn Ridge from Petunia
Nearing Petunia/Goat Ridge Crest
Nearing Petunia/Goat Ridge Crest
Upper Royal Basin From Petunia
3 labels
Upper Royal Basin From Petunia
Upper Royal Basin From Petunia Ascent
3 labels
Upper Royal Basin From Petunia Ascent
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
3 labels
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
Royal Creek Valley Sunset
Royal Creek Valley Sunset
River Crossing @ Lower Meadow = Dicey
River Crossing @ Lower Meadow = Dicey
River Crossing @ Lower Meadow = Dicey
River Crossing @ Lower Meadow = Dicey
Royal Creek Valley Sunset
1 label
Royal Creek Valley Sunset
Goat Lake slopes, Warrior and Constance
Goat Lake slopes, Warrior and Constance
Evening Tracks to Camp
Evening Tracks to Camp
That Guy on Petunia
That Guy on Petunia
Upper Royal Basin from Petunia
Upper Royal Basin from Petunia
Buckhorn from Petunia
1 label
Buckhorn from Petunia
Goal Lake slope w Warror
Goal Lake slope w Warror
Buckhorn Ridge and Goat Lk Basin
Buckhorn Ridge and Goat Lk Basin
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
1 label
Upper Dungeness From Petunia
Petunia and Valerianos from Upper Basin
Petunia and Valerianos from Upper Basin
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin from Petunia
Upper Royal Basin from Petunia
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin
Upper Royal Basin (N) from camp
Upper Royal Basin (N) from camp
N Deception, Clark and the Needles
N Deception, Clark and the Needles
Upper Royal and Deception
Upper Royal and Deception
Royal Creek Valley From Camp
Royal Creek Valley From Camp
Full set here.

GNGSTR
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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostSun May 16, 2010 12:26 pm 
Great pics Luc.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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raising3hikers
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PostSun May 16, 2010 12:40 pm 
up.gif up.gif I've been curious about Royal Basin lately. Thinking about a future trip to Deception or something. Thanks for the report

Eric Eames
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Schroder
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PostSun May 16, 2010 12:44 pm 
up.gif very nice. That answers my question of snow conditions in that area.

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El Dooder
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PostSun May 16, 2010 5:32 pm 
Well done and great pix also. agree.gif

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Slugman
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PostSun May 16, 2010 6:11 pm 
Awesome! What an adventure. Great pictures. Thanks. up.gif up.gif Some of the trips posted here are so beyond my abilities that I just can't get into reading about them, especially the climbing ones. There's nothing wrong with them, I just don't care about climbing, it's of no interest to me. While this trip is also beyond me right now, it isn't so far beyond me that I can't relate to it. I once went to Royal basin when there was deep snow in the upper basin. Nothing like what Luc had, though, as it was super consolidated for me, and only started on the far side of the lake. This type of report, a real adventure but still in the range of what a "normal human" could do, is my favorite type.

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Luc
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Luc
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PostSun May 16, 2010 6:52 pm 
Slugman wrote:
Awesome! What an adventure. Great pictures. Thanks. up.gif up.gif Some of the trips posted here are so beyond my abilities that I just can't get into reading about them, especially the climbing ones. There's nothing wrong with them, I just don't care about climbing, it's of no interest to me. While this trip is also beyond me right now, it isn't so far beyond me that I can't relate to it. I once went to Royal basin when there was deep snow in the upper basin. Nothing like what Luc had, though, as it was super consolidated for me, and only started on the far side of the lake. This type of report, a real adventure but still in the range of what a "normal human" could do, is my favorite type.
Thanks Slug - and i agree, on several points. I don't think i'll ever really get into technical climbing, so there's a lot of peaks that are out of the question, but there are even more that are in my range, and equally as challenging - relatively so. This trip, the climbing challenge was much more psychological. Gaging the stability of the slope, compared to my ambitions and my experience in the odds of the weather and terrain, and then choosing the safest route (and one that you can descend with in a hurry if electricity or another emergency happens). That's not always easy, but is still within the range of a 'normal human'. The same can be said for Mt Rainier, and other giants.

GNGSTR
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Magellan
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PostSun May 16, 2010 7:02 pm 
I've been waiting for these pictures, and you did not disappoint. up.gif up.gif Wait to tough it out under less than ideal circumstances. I can't wait to get up to Royal Basin soon. Edit: You forgot to label one picture of you so I helped. clown.gif

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Luc
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Luc
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PostSun May 16, 2010 7:16 pm 
Magellan wrote:
Edit: You forgot to label one picture of you so I helped. clown.gif
touche'

GNGSTR
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Slugman
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Slugman
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PostSun May 16, 2010 8:27 pm 
I love the labels! lol.gif I'm glad you weren't offended by being called a "normal human". embarassedlaugh.gif

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Phil
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PostMon May 17, 2010 7:20 am 
Wow: snowy! Nice pics. Surprised at gray wolf ridge and baldy being so snow-covered.... thought they would be more melted out by now.

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OlyBoots
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PostMon May 17, 2010 9:36 am 
Hey, pretty danged awesome stuff, my friend. Looks like you had some large showers, with high cloud ceilings between them, as it appears on your shots of surrounding ridges. Good visibility. Are the Olys snowed in until August??

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Luc
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Luc
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PostMon May 17, 2010 12:47 pm 
we shall see.

GNGSTR
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silence
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PostMon May 17, 2010 12:59 pm 
way to get up there and bag a peak too .. i would've had fears with the avy conditions .. anyhow it's been on my mind for many months now so i appreciate your tr and great pix .. fact is .. i always enjoy reading about your unique adventures in the olys biggrin.gif

PHOTOS FILMS Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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NWtrax
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PostMon May 17, 2010 5:47 pm 
Looks like all kinds of moody weather. Nice early report from the area!

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