Forum Index > Trip Reports > Slodal Direct (USGS Bedal), 12/8/11
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostFri Dec 09, 2011 1:58 am 
Date: 12/8/11 Destination: “Slodal” Peak (USGS Bedal Point 5740) Party: Matt, Dicey, Gabriel, Lindsay, b00 Dicey said, “I don’t want to do the soul-sucking road walk.” So we didn’t. We went direct from the highway up the ridge instead.
Slodal Elevation Track (actually it seems slightly off, since we were directly on the crest going up)
Slodal Elevation Track (actually it seems slightly off, since we were directly on the crest going up)
We started just past the Bedal Creek gate, 1400 feet. The bottom thousand feet was moderately brushy with big logs for obstacles. At 2400 we crossed an abandoned road, and higher up was a few hundred feet of small hemlocks, but they didn’t obstruct progress From 2700 onward, we were on a smooth ridge crest under tall trees, for straightforward uphill ridge hiking. At 3900 we hit the tracks of several other recent groups who had done the soul-sucking road walk, and followed them to the top. Circa 5400, we transitioned onto the long summit crest, with multiple ups and downs following tracks to the summit. Or maybe not quite???!!!
Hiking up the upper ridge
Hiking up the upper ridge
Transitioning to the summit area.
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Transitioning to the summit area.
Dicey on an outcrop of Slodal, with Sloan beyond
Dicey on an outcrop of Slodal, with Sloan beyond
Group at end of the tracks, but not the summit
Group at end of the tracks, but not the summit
We stopped at an open high point where all the tracks ended. But the GPS said the summit waypoint was 200 feet further. So we walked untracked snow further along the ridge, and found a slightly higher point in a clump of trees. The altimeters, GPS, and visual observation all agreed that this point was 10 feet higher. It was also a thoroughly uninviting point for a break, so we went back to the nicer spot. I also walked a few hundred feet further along the ridge to look at views. Unfortunately trees on the south side obstructed the views of the Monte Cristo peaks. Summit views:
Bedal
Bedal
Glacier
Glacier
Sloan
Sloan
Summit break:
Break with Whitechuck & Pugh
Break with Whitechuck & Pugh
Break with distant peaks (Chaval & Snowking?)
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Break with distant peaks (Chaval & Snowking?)
Summit tea with Sloan
Summit tea with Sloan
Summit tea with Sauk Valley
Summit tea with Sauk Valley
Summit reflection: people, poles, and a smile
Summit reflection: people, poles, and a smile
As we headed down, shadows began to climb up the sides of the opposite peaks.
Shadow of Slodal on Bedal
Shadow of Slodal on Bedal
Shadows of the Mountain Loop: Chokwich and Forgotten cast their shadows eastward across the Sauk valley toward Pugh.
Shadows of the Mountain Loop: Chokwich and Forgotten cast their shadows eastward across the Sauk valley toward Pugh.
Going back down:
Going down through nice forest
Going down through nice forest
Going down through not nice forest
Going down through not nice forest
Only two minutes of road walking at the end
Only two minutes of road walking at the end
This route made an enjoyable off-road way to get up Slodal. Solid snow. No snowshoes. A few people used crampons or ice axe, but they weren’t really necessary. 6 miles, 4350 gain, 8 hours.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Jim Dockery
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Jim Dockery
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PostFri Dec 09, 2011 12:50 pm 
Thanks for the report, I was wondering about snow conditions and whether to take skis this weekend. Wish I'd had some time off this week to get above the muck like you guys. Great shots - esp. the W face of Sloan.

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SeanSullivan86
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PostFri Dec 09, 2011 2:37 pm 
Is your route name a play on the "Slovak Direct" route on Denali?

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Ingunn
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Ingunn
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PostFri Dec 09, 2011 3:08 pm 
Matt wrote:
Only two minutes of road walking at the end
Only two minutes of road walking at the end
Only two minutes yet she still looks like she's suffering. lol.gif

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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostFri Dec 09, 2011 4:45 pm 
SeanSullivan86 wrote:
Is your route name a play on the "Slovak Direct" route on Denali?
"Slodal" is an unofficial name given to Point 5740 because it is adjacent to Sloan and Bedal. First used by Iron in his trip report last January, where they took the road-hiking route.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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raising3hikers
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raising3hikers
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PostFri Dec 09, 2011 5:25 pm 
Good idea for the direct route to avoid the long lazy road walk. I was up there last weekend with Cartman and Gregor. Nice pics

Eric Eames
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b00
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b00
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PostSun Dec 11, 2011 6:01 pm 
white chuck, pugh, bedal, glacier,sloan and gabriel on slodal ridge
white chuck, pugh, bedal, glacier,sloan and gabriel on slodal ridge
great tr matt! thanks to all for a great day in the mountains, it was fun!
on slodal ridge looking at baker, white chuck, pugh and bedal
on slodal ridge looking at baker, white chuck, pugh and bedal
matt i think you are right about the name slodal, i think it was iron who came up with it. good thing iron is away for a while as he would be disappointed when he finds out that our trip earlier this year ended about ten minutes from the summit :<( stats from our 12-8-2011 slodal trip 6.61mi 4351' gain 4:34 car to summit 1:09 summit stay 2:20 summit to car 8:03 car to car compared to slodal 5740 1-23-2011 4:28 car to turnaround point 2:55 turnaround point to car 8.47mi 3890' gain the conditions for 12-8 were a lot easier :>)
after i said to do something crazy, the four reactions are rather interesting - lindsay goes wild, gabriel smiles knowing i would say something like that, while carla and matt look on mildly annoyed with me :>:) l-r: lindsay carla, gabriel and matt
after i said to do something crazy, the four reactions are rather interesting - lindsay goes wild, gabriel smiles knowing i would say something like that, while carla and matt look on mildly annoyed with me :>) l-r: lindsay carla, gabriel and matt

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lopper
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lopper
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PostSun Dec 11, 2011 10:00 pm 
Thanks for the fun report and pics. That ridge is a scenic one for sure. A great angle on Sloan.....but then Sloan doesn't really have any bad sides, does it? Here is Sloan from pt 5752 in summertime 1977, a little further east on the Slodal ridge.
77SloanWside
77SloanWside

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Now I Fly
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Now I Fly
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PostWed May 12, 2021 9:02 pm 
That looks like fun! Thanks for the TR!

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