[wiki summary]

Mike220 and I have hatched a plan to do the Spider meadows/Spider gap/Lyman glacier-lakes/Cloudy pass/Suiattle pass/Miner's ridge/Buck creek pass/Trinity loop next weekend. We are starting off from the Phelps creek TH on Saturday the 20th of August, no later than 8 am. We will hike in to Larch knob with a slight detour to see Phelps basin, 8 miles and 2,700 ft of gain (vf). Day two, Sunday, we will hike over Spider gap via Spider glacier, an easy walk-up, and drop down (carefully) to Lyman glacier and upper Lyman lakes, then over to Lyman lake, then up to Cloudy pass (awesome). This day will be 2,000 ft of gain, and an approximately equal amount of downhill, for 5 1/2 miles. Day three we will hike down then up then down then up to Buck creek pass, 9 miles and 2,700 ft up and a bunch down as well. Day four, Tuesday, we will hike over to High pass area and back, a fabulous dayhike. Day five we will hike back to Trinity on the Buck creek trail, 10 miles, 300 ft up, 3,300 feet down. Totals: 32.5 miles, and 7,500 vf (just for the loop, side trips extra). It will be quite the challenge for me, but I think I can make it. I have been to Spider gap before, twice, and I have been to Buck creek pass, once, so I know what I am in for, mostly. So, who wants to go? Mike is willing to close the loop at the beginning on a bicycle, while I get a head start towards Spider meadow, but two cars would make it easier. (We will have two cars.) Oh, I forgot to mention, there are plenty of awesome side trips on this loop for those who are stronger hikers. Cloudy peak, Flower dome, High pass, those are just some of the excellent trips you can do off this loop. In so far: Slugman (no Daisy) Mike220 Forest gnome Newlander Hulksmash (first four days only) Todd Ler (ffdo)

[mtngoat2674]

Bah! That would be a great trip. Oh well, maybe next time! Have a blast!

[Slugman]

Gnomee, better be ready for some Dawn Patrol action. I need an early start to make Larch Knob in one day. Expect me at your place at 4:30 am, raring to go. We need to all meet up at the Phelps TH as close to 7:30 as we can, since we will still have to do the car shuttle back to Trinity with Mike's truck. My car will stay at Phelps, to be picked up at the end. Todd says he has to work Sat, but he will still drive out, park at Trinity, and walk to the Phelps TH, then up to Larch Knob. Man, it must be cool to not be fat and lazy like I am. So, he can bring Hulk back Tuesday, but Hulk will have to come out with one of us, or drive his own rig.

[mike220]

What is the estimated travel time from, say Everrett to trail head? I can also pick Hulk up on the way through (Everrett?) if need be.

[Newlander]

So we are coming back on the 24th right? Any idea what time?

[forest gnome]

usually a drive like that is 3-3.5hrs.?....I mentioned a report from some-one here that showed the lyman valley and the ridge to cloudypass....still snowy uppper lyman, guess ice-ax's are coming out... I plan on one night at lower lyman....we'll see....edit ...I can see most people camp in the spider meadow, then hit lower lyman for the second night...then hike past cloudy pass to the next camp??? just thinkin out loud if we are tired and can't hit larch knob....or if some want to stay with me at lower lyman for a night?....

[Slugman]

Around 2.5 hours from Everett. So if I leave my house at 4, drive to Everett to pick up the gnome, that's at least 4:30 before we drive away, that plus 2.5 hours is 7 am. But then add in 1/2 hour for breakfast at Sultan Bakery, that's 7:30. Then we still have to shuttle the cars. I'm really hoping to start early, so that I can make Larch knob before dinner time. Plus there are going to be a bunch of other people doing this hike, and the Knob is the logical first stop for those doing 4 or 5 days like we are. So the faster hikers should go on ahead and claim a camping spot with room for the appropriate number of tents. As you approach the knob, ask people coming down, if there are any, for info on camp spots. We may have to camp at Phelps basin, before the Knob. While that makes our day two harder, it sure is a beautiful place to camp, totally different from the Knob but awesome in its own way.

[Slugman]

Gnomee, there really is no way to camp at Lyman and complete the loop. We have to make Cloudy pass the second day. And the third day is hard enough, you can't add the climb from Lyman to Cloudy to that. But there is an alternate: the slower hikers, meaning most likely you and me, could camp a second night at Cloudy, or one night at Lyman, then go back out the way we came, and not complete the loop. Basically do two days to Cloudy (fairly hard), then two days out (much easier, just one real climb), with a spare day to kill. We could use that day to dayhike, or to camp at, Image lake. This is why I want my car at Phelps TH. If you and I turn back, we are an independent unit, and our car is "pre-shuttled". If we complete the loop, Mike drives me to my car at the end. Our options will be totally open. Also, you could lag a day behind, and skip the dayhike to High pass. The day we are all doing that, you could catch up the day you lost if you spend one at Lyman. And of course I might be lagging behind with you. I have the advantage of already having been to Buck/High passes, so missing them would not make me cry too much, plus I'd get to see Image lake.

[Hulksmash]

Well it looks like schedules don't quite match up. Not surprised i work some odd hours. So i looks like i'll be driving my self over. As for the loop being too difficult.... have you read my trip reports lately? I don't think that will be an issue with me.

[Slugman]

No, I figured you to be in with Mike as one of the stronger hikers. Gnome I've BP'd with twice before, so I know where he's at, slow, but still faster than I am. Newlander is, well, new, so he could be speedy gonzales or slowpoke rodriguez. Or maybe not a mouse at all.

[Hulksmash]

Humm. Looking at the detour route, there might be some extra traffic to contend with due to that fire in Tumwater canyon.

[Hulksmash]

Well i was thinking about pushing to Image lake on day 2, and and back to Cloudy, or Suiattle pass. That would be a 15 mile day.

[Slugman]

Pin Point weather forecast from NWS/NOAA for Buck Creek pass: Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 62. Light south wind. Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

[Slugman]

Dawn Patrol is heading out. Trip report Wednesday night.