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ragman and rodman Member
Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1219 | TRs | Pics Location: http://rgervin.com/ |
I've been to Mowich Lake a lot of times... and I have never seen the road in better condition... if you can find a pothole or some washboarding on it, take a photo and send it to me because we didn't see either on the entire drive.
From the main parking area (~4930') we walked into the campground (most sites are still covered with snow) and hiked the .1 miles around the lake to the Patrol Cabin... stepped across the log at the "Unmaintained Trail" sign and headed up toward Knapsack Pass on a snow-covered, but easy to follow trail.
At ~5400 feet we left the beaten path, turned south and worked our way over to the long west ridge of Fay Peak on open terrain. Once we reached the ridge (~5800'), we followed it east to the summit block (~6250')... hiked a short distance along the south side of the summit block and found a good path (brushy at first) that led up to the summit (6494')... Class 2.
After a leisurely stay on the Fay summit, we continued east along the ridge until we were forced off the ridge on the south side... continued beneath the ridge for an eighth of a mile and found a path leading back up to the ridge top... then stayed on the ridge until we found a mostly snow-free route down to ~6120 feet on the north side of the ridge... where we began the traverse on snow or scree over to Knapsack Pass (6200').
From the pass we dropped onto the huge, mostly snow-covered shelf (~5920') on the east side of pass... then continued south for awhile before taking a direct, snow-covered route to the Mt. Pleasant summit (6454').
After a relaxing stay on the Mt. Pleasant summit we continued SW and followed the ridge to the saddle (~6200') between Pleasant and Hessong Rock... then dropped into the snow-covered Spray Park (~5700')... where rodman's GPS helped us find the Wonderland Trail that led us down to ~4880 feet and the short side trip over to Spray Falls... now on snow-free trail, it didn't take very long to finish up the last two miles back to Mowich Lake.
6.8 miles total, gaining 2616 feet of elevation.
Normally at this time of year, Spray Park is awash with Avalanche Lilies... however, that will not happen this year for at least another two weeks of warm weather.
We used our microspikes for a short distance getting up to the west ridge of Fay Peak... and we used our ice ax for a short distance coming down from the ridge leading from Fay Peak to Knapsack Pass.
I've never seen Spray Park so peaceful... we saw two skiers on the east side of Knapsack Pass... and perhaps a dozen people between Spray Falls and Mowich Lake.
Spray Falls is definitely worth the side trip.
GPS route and photos of our trip to Fay Peak and Mt. Pleasant
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Scrooge Famous Grouse
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics Location: wishful thinking |
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse
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Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:16 am
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Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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Popcorn Member
Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 151 | TRs | Pics Location: Another Place |
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Popcorn
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Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:13 pm
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MANY thanks. Great photos at the link you provided.
Does anyone have a link to a 2010-2011 monthly snowfall accumulation in MRNP?.
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TrailPair Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 1699 | TRs | Pics
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Great trip! We haven't hiked in the park since we got the Chihuahuas.
This thing called work is interfering with my play
This thing called work is interfering with my play
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tigermn Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics Location: There... |
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tigermn
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Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:32 pm
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Thanks for the trip info. I started to do this last year but got fogged out at Knapsack pass and wasn't real keen on low/no visibility route finding being solo.
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BarbE Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 1153 | TRs | Pics
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BarbE
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Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:31 am
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Ragman promised Fay Peak would would deliver a lot of bang for the buck, and boy, did it ever!
My new favorite Mt. Rainier perch.
Prepared for the usual Rainier mosquito blood fest I came prepared. Fortunately Deet, Sting-ezze and headnet never left the pack.
Hard to believe at the end of July!
heading up to Fay Peak Veggie belay/scramble below Fay Peak ridge leading to Fay Peak group on Fay Peak Knappsack Pass & The Mothers Ragman ahead of us Larman/Rodman descending crossing another steep snow field below Knappsack Pass- two skiers above Ragman reaches Mt. Pleasant leaving Mt. Pleasant Rodman & Hessong Rock dropping down into Spray Park Spray Park Spray Falls
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