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Justus S.
Member
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 1298 | TRs | Pics
Location: WA |
Very cool, that side of Glacier looks awesome IMO. I'd love to visit Gamma, Grassy, or Vista sometime. Thanks for the inspiring TR.
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Riverside Laker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 2820 | TRs | Pics
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chiwakum
not credible
Joined: 29 Jun 2009
Posts: 980 | TRs | Pics
Location: Ballard |
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chiwakum
not credible
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 Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:34 pm |
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Thanks for the beta. I'm not too worried about this getting overrun by hiking hordes. Beautiful pics.
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Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 7113 | TRs | Pics
Location: Arlington |
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Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
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Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:41 pm |
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| JVesquire wrote: | | So, was the trail totally demolished after 4500 feet? It looks like from there where the trail flattens out, the ridge is a straight shot south, so you could pretty "easily" abandon the trail and follow your compass. |
If your goal is looking for abandoned trail and you enjoy that as a scavenger hunt i would say no it is not totally demolished.
The slope gradient is manageable to go straight up on a compass baring. The ridge narrows making for a smaller search area of the trail. However too many people doing that will create an erosion rut, and mask sighs of the old trail on the way down.
The return trip allows for a better territorial view just by being up hill looking down. I was able to follow the old trail on the way down mainly by the old blazes chopped into the trees that have healed over. Butt ends of logs cut out of trail were use full in confirming the blazes were man made not form some natural event.
One observation. The blazes were not lower case "i" on the Gamma Ridge trail...but were on the upper Suiattle trail.
Anyone have any insite on that little bit O history
Was the Gamma Ridge trail not originally forest service? Miners, Sheep herders? It was clearly built with the intent of mule trains.
Maybe it just became too time consuming to chop the dot in the lower case i?
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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contour5
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Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 2965 | TRs | Pics
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contour5
Member
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Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:46 pm |
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I wondered who would be the first to post a full-on Gamma TR. Congratulations and thanks for all the illuminating photobeta.That is one nasty little gully in the center-right foreground...
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gb
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Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Posts: 6316 | TRs | Pics
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gb
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Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:04 pm |
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Nice trip and well documented. You've done Crowder and Tabor proud.
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cartman
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Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics
Location: Fremont |
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cartman
Member
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Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:17 pm |
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You sir are the leader on Most Remote Destination of 2015 to date. Which is illuminating as Gamma's not all that far as the crow flies from a road.
Thanks for all the pics and beta.
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Kim Brown
Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 6901 | TRs | Pics
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| Hulksmash wrote: | | One observation. The blazes were not lower case "i" on the Gamma Ridge trail...but were on the upper Suiattle trail.
Anyone have any insite on that little bit O history |
Depends on who cut the blazes. Back east, the "i" meant "go straight" and triple horizontal bars meant "switchback here." So if it was someone who was used to blazes of that style, they did that. A good example of that style is the Snowy Ccreek trail from Smith Brook to Rock Mtn summit, though many of those trees are falling. I would enjoy seeing them on the Gamma Ridge trail!
Often people just hacked in a squarish blaze and when you stopped seeing them, you'd look around to see where the next one was.
The latter style would be less time-consuming, I expect. The Press party just did hacks, I believe.
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:22 pm |
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Outstanding!  Thanks for writing it up, HS.
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cascadetraverser
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Joined: 16 Sep 2007
Posts: 1409 | TRs | Pics
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Well done HS! Looks so much different than when I was up there before the road went out. Did you check out the Gamma hot springs?
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Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 7113 | TRs | Pics
Location: Arlington |
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Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
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Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:49 pm |
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No i did not take the time to look for the hot spring.
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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iron
Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6392 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
Member
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Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:21 am |
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^ is that frostbite ridge and the rabbit ears?
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hikerbiker
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Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 155 | TRs | Pics
Location: Rock Creek |
| iron wrote: | |
^ is that frostbite ridge and the rabbit ears? |
Yes. Best route on GP by far IMO.
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wolffie
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Joined: 14 Jul 2008
Posts: 2693 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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wolffie
Member
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Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:06 am |
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So if you ever want to mount a Masochistic Idiots' Expotition in there, with real saws, sign me up.
I took my nephuse up there in 2003 -- Dolly-Dusty High Route, Harmony Meadows -- we scrambled up the 7700 summit, came down to Gamma Peak and bivvied (amazingly, found another party camped up there). Tried to find Gamma Hot Springs, failed. I recall the Gamma Peak Trail as being not too bad, just a bit more blowdown than usual.
We were among the last people to cross the Milk Creek Bridge and that lovely PCT bridge. I remember thinking it seemed a little close the the... uh... flood plain?
OMD, 13 years doesn't seem like a long time anymore...
 Suiattle River PCT bridge Aug. 2003  Suiattle R. PCT bridge 8/2003
Some people have better things to do with their lives than walking the dog. Some don't.
Some people have better things to do with their lives than walking the dog. Some don't.
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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 6901 | TRs | Pics
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Neat photos wolffie. in 1999 the Skyline bridge was extended because the river migrated and widened the channel.
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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