Forum Index > Trip Reports > Aug 4-7, 2011 Tupshin 8320', Devore 8360', Flora 8320'
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John Morrow
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John Morrow
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 12:32 pm 
donb and Roald invited Jake and I for this great mini vacation trip at the end of Lake Chelan. We had so many fortunate events fall into place on this one. Upon arrival into Stehekin we promptly found rides, boats, and old pickups donated by the generous people of Shehekin allowing us to cut off the 8 or 9 round trip hiking miles from Harlequin Bridge to Weaver Point. As evidenced by the pic at the end of the report, the boat even floated! Thursday was the casual ascent 5 miles up Devore Creek trail to Bird Creek camp. It did gain 3000 vertical feet but was a nicely graded trail. Friday we got out of camp a little after 6AM for the long combo of Tupshin and Devore. After the first 500 feet of climbing through lightly brushy forest I realized I left my camera in the tent, I wasn't going back! Since I have no pics of the day, and there are good reports on the net between Matt, Stefan, and Klenke, (soon add the Honey Badgers), I'll just add this: Warning: what follows is a long winded and boring route description. Tupshin was scrambleable through at least the first three pitches (pitches 0,1,and 2) as described in Summitpost. At the start of Klenke's Pitch 3 we thought we were basically at the base of the 5.4 corner/flake. I guess we weren't moving that fast with 4 of us. So I started straight up and found a reasonable low class five move in the vicinity of what Klenke calls "5.hard". It really wasn't. Then, by the time I reached the 5.4 move, the rope had run out its full length and we began simulclimbing. The move was solid. I then moved right on easier class 3/4 ground to set up the belay at the first rappel station. Everyone else came directly up under me to add more enjoyable mid fifth climbing (by avoiding my rightward exit to reach the 1st/highest rappel station). In all, that would make two pitches of reasonable low fifth class climbing. It also can basically be completely avoided by moving right when things "look difficult" as discovered by Matt, Carla, and Franklin. Somehow, we neglected to find some of that rightward easier stuff. I have to say that with lots of loose debris on the ledges, this climb was not really very enjoyable having to constantly worry about stuff coming down onto the rest of our party of four whether climbing, rappelling, or pulling the rappel rope. Note, though, that the holds and climbing are basically solid. I guess I am a bit tainted toward this mountain by also having taken a 2x4 inch rock to the side of my jaw, instantly disorienting me for a bit, making my ear ring loudly and my jaw throb in a good deal of pain for a few hours. No problem in the end, it was a just another lesson of many, and could have been much worse. Reminded me of all the times I "got my bell rung" as a neighborhood kid in pick up games of whatever! The four rappels we did were slow, tedious, and cautious due the the loose junk on the ledges and 4 in the party. With a headache and throbing jaw, I was just glad to be back on the snow. The descent into Bird Creek Basin from 6800 feet to 5800 feet was non eventful through mostly open steep meadow. Needless to say we didn't start for Devore until 4PM! We raced to the top to reach the final moves a bit before 6PM. At 5800 feet the broad grass, snow, and rock gully that splits the waterfall basin headwall is obvious. It reaches the lakes bench to the east of the lakes. Having left all gear behind, the fourth class move, the traverse around the SW exposed class 3 corner, and the final gully all took time with four of us moving carefully, safely, and methodically. Summitpost description is right on. Backing down, descending Bird Creek to the left (north) through often less than pleasant wandering at dusk, brought us back to camp at 9:30PM. Darkness in the forest and triedness in the body. Hmm, another tent in camp...20 minutes later Carla and Franklin arrived back from Tupshin to share some stories and discussion of the day's events! Saturday was a long and pleasant walk through much gorgeous larch basin country to Flora.
Got route beta??
10 labels
Got route beta??
Sat morning and Wy'east
Sat morning and Wy'east
Wy'east and Lk Marie Basin
Wy'east and Lk Marie Basin
Wy'east to Devore
Wy'east to Devore
Avoiding the long circuitous approach in Summitroutes, we ascended into the first major basin south of point 8015 to reach its 7440+ foot saddle.
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Key Saddle
Key Saddle
Arriving at saddle
Arriving at saddle
The east side descent of this saddle was the only scrambling of the day and we were off through beautiful Castle Creek basin to the south slope of Flora.
Cl 2/3ish downclimb
Cl 2/3ish downclimb
Castle Creek meadows
Castle Creek meadows
Tupshin peeks out
Tupshin peeks out
Chelan Mtns. Crest
Chelan Mtns. Crest
Fernow to Bonanza
Fernow to Bonanza
Flora top with Jon and Don
Flora top with Jon and Don
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Eldo-Buckner-Tupshin-Logan
Eldo-Buckner-Tupshin-Logan
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Chelan and Domke a long way down
Chelan and Domke a long way down
Retrace our steps, back to camp, get some sleep, hike out, board the pirate ship, engorge ourselves on Stehekin Bakery pies, cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, and quiches, and then the long ferry home.
Finally about done ascending!
Finally about done ascending!
Flora afternoon
Flora afternoon
Saddle Basin
Saddle Basin
Jake leaves the pirate ship
Jake leaves the pirate ship
There you have it, congratulations, you have reached the end of another long, unimaginative, and dry trip report! The truly entertaining version here: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7993180&highlight=

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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honey badger
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honey badger
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 3:25 pm 
Nice tr John. Thanks for writing it. Maybe gets me off the hook? nah... We were glad you guys were off Tupshin before we got there. And assuring we were on route when we heard your voices 200' up on your traverse. So dang hot, we took it slow, hiking from shady spot to shady spot. I was looking forward to a row in the pirate boat. I think it added to the adventure. We did manage to get bakery goods and a relaxing wait on the deck in Stehekin on an enjoyable lazy day out.

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silence
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silence
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 3:35 pm 
don't have a clue where this is .. seriously i've never heard of these beautiful places (great pix btw) .. but i like it and your tr is just dandy and not dry and boring at all .. thx for posting it ..

PHOTOS FILMS Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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Roald
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 4:23 pm 
Thanks for your tr and pics, John! Franklin's still on the hook for a tr, but does this get me off the hook? Traveling with such skilled and generous partners - and trading dessert and stories with Carla and Franklin in camp – made this a super outing. Thanks! And then there's Stehekin...

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Stefan
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 4:38 pm 
great stuff. love the campfire picture of reading the route stuff--I don't think one of those pages was from Beckey!

Art is an adventure.
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John Morrow
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John Morrow
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 4:53 pm 
Roald wrote:
Thanks for your tr and pics, John! Franklin's still on the hook for a tr, but does this get me off the hook?
No way, Jon. Not a chance, nada...git it done! Franklin...a must. Besides, I forgot to mention a few key happenings like the trek pole that loved to swim and the bicycle "incident"! Oh, Stefan, thanks for the great TR earlier this month to help us out! No helpful assistance from Beckey on this one after all.... John

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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iron
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iron
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PostMon Aug 08, 2011 5:01 pm 
is don b done with the list yet?

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twodogdad
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PostTue Aug 09, 2011 12:46 pm 
Congratulations, pirates. I don't know about the rest of you, but Jon has now used skis, plane, and boat in his T100 quest: how about hijacking a hot-air balloon, Jon--for the Moxes? Or for ptaking Ptarmigan, in Don's case. (Idea comes from the late-nineteenth century American mountaineering classic To the Matterhorn in a Boat--the boat in question being a Hot-Air Balloon.) N

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Matt
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Matt
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PostTue Aug 09, 2011 9:21 pm 
Sound like this was the area to be lately, between your party and fwb & Dicey this weekend, plus Stefan's group earlier. I had hoped to be there also no the same weekend, with mtnmike & Fay Pullen but had to change plans.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Tom_Sjolseth
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Tom_Sjolseth
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PostWed Aug 10, 2011 2:36 pm 
Cool report on a neat area. Thanks for sharing. up.gif

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Quark
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Quark
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PostWed Aug 10, 2011 4:09 pm 
Been a long time since I've seen a trip report from Devore, et al. I guess the road washout has something to do with that..... Nice pics, John. It's not unimaginative and dry at all! Jeezus.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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honey badger
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PostThu Aug 11, 2011 1:59 pm 
I think the area is less visited due to the ferry to get to Stehekin then another 9 mile walk or a bus ride part way, or bringing a boat to cross the lake. Though you can also get there from Holden. Just more logistics and time needed. Quark, no road, so no washout issues.

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Aug 4-7, 2011 Tupshin 8320', Devore 8360', Flora 8320'
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