Forum Index > Trip Reports > Sawtooth Mtns. HP, Pt. 4684' via Canebrake Valley, 1.19-20
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Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher



Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics
Location: Margaritaville
Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher
PostThu Jan 24, 2013 10:39 pm 
What to do for MLK wknd.? Only 3 days is a little limiting, & 2 is even more so. This was originally planned as a 3 day trip but MM couldn't get the 3rd day off so we had to squeeze this adventure into 2 days...ouch. hink.gif stun.gif Well, 2 days would be easy for a normal person, but for a slow mofo like me it was quite taxing. embarassedlaugh.gif I decided I wanted to scratch the Sawtooth Mtns. HP off my list, & after having done the nearby Red Top & more recently a partial exploration up the valley, I had some idea what was in store. Once again online research didn't produce much, but I did read in one report that the last bit may not be advisable unless you have roped protection. paranoid.gif Once again MM & I drove up to the (newly constructed) TH off of the NFK Indian Gorge Rd., & took off toward the low pass.
TH
TH
MM starting up from the car
MM starting up from the car
Sombrero Pk.
Sombrero Pk.
The low pass
The low pass
I noticed some pottery shards as I climbed the trail up the drainage. They were bigger pieces than what I normally see.
Heading up to the saddle
Heading up to the saddle
Pottery shards
Pottery shards
Pottery shard
Pottery shard
Before long I was at the pass, & paused a few mins for MM to catch up. He took a little time to improve a slippery section of trail along the way.
Canebrake Valley & Inner Pasture beyond
Canebrake Valley & Inner Pasture beyond
We made our way down the other side, & passed by some big rocks w/what looked like the beginnings of some grinding holes. At this point, they were more like little smoothed out depressions. This time we found a nice wash to follow on the east side as we made our way down to the valley.
Cholla ball
Cholla ball
Smoothed out places on the rock
Smoothed out places on the rock
Looking back @ the pass we came over
2 labels
Looking back @ the pass we came over
More evidence of grinding
More evidence of grinding
We reached the old Canebrake rd. & turned left. Here is where we walked on & on....& on.... dizzy.gif
The old rd. heading up the valley
The old rd. heading up the valley
Flat rocks
Flat rocks
Square rock
Square rock
Pt. 4684' hidden back up there somewhere
Pt. 4684' hidden back up there somewhere
Looking west to the edge of the Laguna Mtns.
Looking west to the edge of the Laguna Mtns.
Afternoon sun on the valley
Afternoon sun on the valley
The south end of the summit of Red Top
The south end of the summit of Red Top
Campsite to be on the far right, beneath the saddle
3 labels
Campsite to be on the far right, beneath the saddle
MM headed up the valley
MM headed up the valley
South end of Red Top
South end of Red Top
Pepperwood Canyon
Pepperwood Canyon
Pt. 5532'
Pt. 5532'
Pt. 4436'
Pt. 4436'
Unnamed canyon heading up to Thing Valley
Unnamed canyon heading up to Thing Valley
We walked all the way to the end of the valley, aiming to camp near the "spring" marked on the map. We saw an area of bushes, presumably where water resides sometimes. We found a nice little spot a little west of Pt. 3011', getting there shortly before sunset.
Sunset
Sunset
The next morning was bright but chilly. cool.gif
Making b'fast
Making b'fast
Morning camp
Morning camp
We got a day pack ready & headed up the drainage behind the tent, west of Pt. 4684'.
Leaving the tent for the day
Leaving the tent for the day
Heading up the gully
Heading up the gully
Red Top across the way
Red Top across the way
Looking across Canebrake Valley
3 labels
Looking across Canebrake Valley
X marks the spot
X marks the spot
MM partway up the gully
MM partway up the gully
A little further to go
A little further to go
My map showed the pk. just above this saddle, so we started going up the south ridge. Like Red Top, the boulders got bigger & bigger, & before long we were making use of secret passageways / rock tunnels. tongue.gif up.gif
A little further to go
A little further to go
The white ball
The white ball
Heading up the south ridge of the false summit
Heading up the south ridge of the false summit
MM in one of the secret passageways
MM in one of the secret passageways
More big boulders ahead
More big boulders ahead
Crawling through another gap in the rocks
Crawling through another gap in the rocks
Nice ass
Nice ass
Rocks on the south ridge
Rocks on the south ridge
Once we topped out on the ridge though, we realized there was a higher point just to the east. D'oh! doh.gif This wasn't the 1st mislabeling I've found on this particular topo map. irked.gif
Atop the false summit to the west of Pt. 4684'
Atop the false summit to the west of Pt. 4684'
THAT'S the real deal ;-)
THAT'S the real deal ;-)
We had a quick snack & then pressed on, passing by some snow patches left over from the previous wknd.'s storm. We dipped down a bit, circled around the back (north) side of the pk., then made the final steep push to the summit. I practically tripped over the summit register, which was placed at the bottom of the south summit rock.
Penis rock
Penis rock
North summit rock
2 labels
North summit rock
View east to Red Top
View east to Red Top
Canebrake Valley
Canebrake Valley
View back over to the false summit; Lagunas behind
View back over to the false summit; Lagunas behind
View northish
View northish
View NE
View NE
Indeed there was a near-vertical "10' exposed Class 3 crack" that was mighty sketchy. There were pretty good hand- & footholds to go up, but a fall would not have been pretty. I considered it, but it didn't take long for me to realize that it wasn't worth the risk. MM however, managed to work his way up that thing. eek.gif
MM on crack
MM on crack
MM atop north summit rock
MM atop north summit rock
Meanwhile I went back up & over & down the south summit rock, & signed the register, which was a tiny roll of stapled paper inside a film canister, inside the usual aluminum can. This tiny roll of paper held entries covering the last 32 yrs. So yeah, this pk. doesn't get visited too often! hockeygrin.gif up.gif
Summit register dates back to 1981
Summit register dates back to 1981
Looking for a different way down
Looking for a different way down
Monument Pk., Garnet Pk.
2 labels
Monument Pk., Garnet Pk.
MM takes a look down the nearby gully
2 labels
MM takes a look down the nearby gully
Canebrake Valley
4 labels
Canebrake Valley
Zoom of Red Top's summit rock
Zoom of Red Top's summit rock
MM gets the camera ready on the south summit rock
MM gets the camera ready on the south summit rock
Granite Mtn. to the NW
Granite Mtn. to the NW
False Sombrero pokes up
False Sombrero pokes up
Whale Pk.
Whale Pk.
BC & MM atop Pt. 4684'.  It looks like I'm grabbing his crotch but I'm not. ;-)
BC & MM atop Pt. 4684'. It looks like I'm grabbing his crotch but I'm not. ;-)
On the way down, we took a slightly different way, which may or may not have saved time/effort. There were still lots of big boulders to go up/over/down/around, & my arms were used a lot to lower myself down. It took longer than I hoped to get back to camp. hmmm.gif
Looking back @ the summit rocks
2 labels
Looking back @ the summit rocks
Heading down
Heading down
More pottery
More pottery
Finally back @ camp
2 labels
Finally back @ camp
We finally reached the tent not long before sunset. It would've been a great time to relax w/some booze & dinner souse.gif hungry.gif but no, we still had to hike out 6ish miles, most of which would be in the dark. doh.gif
Looking back @ the pk.; highpoint no longer visible
Looking back @ the pk.; highpoint no longer visible
Another way up
Another way up
Sunset
Sunset
The moon was about 2/3 full, so we actually didn't need the headlamps until we were going up & over the pass...& even then we got away w/using the red lights. Once back on the regular trail, it was a breeze. Absolutely no other peeps sighted the entire trip. Aaahhhh, Canebrake! wub.gif

Home is where the hiking is. "Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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BirdDog
Member
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Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 1067 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
BirdDog
Member
PostFri Jan 25, 2013 11:06 am 
Beautiful! I love desert hiking. Appreicate you posting these TR's as reading them keeps me half sane while living in the grey gloom of the PNW.

"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." Teddy Roosevelt August 6, 1912
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Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher



Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics
Location: Margaritaville
Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher
PostFri Jan 25, 2013 6:12 pm 
Thanks! However today in SD it has been raining ALL DAY LONG. confused.gif I have an outdoor job so I really notice it. irked.gif It brings back memories of all those cold, dark, wet months in WA. lol.gif doh.gif shakehead.gif embarassedlaugh.gif

Home is where the hiking is. "Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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the Zachster
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Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 4776 | TRs | Pics
Location: dog training
the Zachster
Member
PostFri Jan 25, 2013 6:14 pm 
Really fascinating landscape! Thanks for the report and cool pics! up.gif cool.gif

"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
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Gabigabs
Trail Breaker



Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 841 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Gabigabs
Trail Breaker
PostMon Jan 28, 2013 1:58 pm 
Beautiful scenery.

Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Sawtooth Mtns. HP, Pt. 4684' via Canebrake Valley, 1.19-20
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