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wildernessed
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PostSun May 08, 2016 10:51 am 
Access : Up Foggy Dew Road towards TH. At the second switchback in the road the unmarked access trail to the Foggy Dew Ridge trail begins. This is a primitive trail. Maps : GTM - Prince Creek, TOPO Stats : 9.4 mi, 5000' r/t
Foggy Dew Ridge 7549'
Foggy Dew Ridge 7549'
This trip was designed to get up higher, evaluate the snow conditions in one of our favorite areas, while getting some Spring conditioning and what on the map appeared to be some potentially great views. I knew we would be on a narrow tree covered ridge which would have some snow loading and drifting from the West, but in this year of record snow and near record melt out snow coverage and access has been rather variable. Steve, mtn.climber, and I were on the access trail a little before 0800 hr. under blue skies and sunshine grinding out the steep slope to the Foggy Dew Ridge trail and I was glad for the early morning temps and the tree cover that shaded us much of the way. I last did a monster loop using this route to do Switchback and Martin from Cooney Lake and out the regular Foggy Dew trail with Justus S. and Steve quite a few years ago. Early stats going up which is a grind (.3 mi, 749', 1.0 mile nearly 1800', 1.5 mile just over 2400') of gain. The trail just kept giving, but leveled off some with quite a few blow downs early on but the Ridge trail was much more visible than in the past with a nice corridor between the trees. We put gaiters on around 5600' and had mostly snow at 5800' which was consolidated well for the most part as we followed the ridge arcing up to Point 7549ish which was a grind in the deep, drifted snow, and sunshine. I imagine there were sections in there with drifts still up to 10' deep. The summit was fairly broad with the summit rocks covered with lady bugs and a large flattish section melted out. We had a lot of great views and were up there for nearly two hours. I needed that time to recharge and to fill my hydration bladder with snow and let it melt on a rock. The trip back still seemed like a worker, and longer than the trip up. It was a good time, great views (once we were on the summit), with good company up.gif
8208' the last rocky point on Ravens Ridge.
8208' the last rocky point on Ravens Ridge.
Summit cairn
Summit cairn
Bigelow and East Bigelow above Upper Eagle Lake.
Bigelow and East Bigelow above Upper Eagle Lake.
Sunrise Mountain 8002' surrounds Sunrise Lake.
Sunrise Mountain 8002' surrounds Sunrise Lake.
End
End
End Mountain 7327' and Bryan Butte 7855'
End Mountain 7327' and Bryan Butte 7855'
North Navarre 7953'
North Navarre 7953'
Nice view of Switchback 8321' and snowbound Cooney Pass along with the saddle - ridge route to Martin 8375' with Cooney Peak 7674' the high point on Foggy Dew Ridge  below.
Nice view of Switchback 8321' and snowbound Cooney Pass along with the saddle - ridge route to Martin 8375' with Cooney Peak 7674' the high point on Foggy Dew Ridge below.
Cheops 8270' and Martin Lakes Basin
Cheops 8270' and Martin Lakes Basin
Point 8033' and unnamed point on the ridgeline between Martin Creek and Eagle Creek Basins just East of Cheops.
Point 8033' and unnamed point on the ridgeline between Martin Creek and Eagle Creek Basins just East of Cheops.
Angling up to the high point which I had as 7549' but I didn't take a measurement from the summit which was a saturated rock pile of lady bugs.
Angling up to the high point which I had as 7549' but I didn't take a measurement from the summit which was a saturated rock pile of lady bugs.

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Distel32
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PostSun May 08, 2016 11:03 am 
up.gif Always appreciate your condition updates

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HitTheTrail
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PostSun May 08, 2016 3:50 pm 
Looks like some of that area is starting to melt out. Good beta. up.gif I still have some unfinished business up there to bag a few more of those lake basins between Foggy Dew and Twisp Pass.

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RichP
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PostSun May 08, 2016 4:00 pm 
Looking good over there. smile.gif

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wildernessed
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PostSun May 08, 2016 4:55 pm 
HitTheTrail wrote:
Looks like some of that area is starting to melt out.
We did Crater Lakes the end of May last year and two 8k' bare peaks. A week later Silver Lake and two near 8k' peaks. If the trend continues could be as melted out as much as last year. eek.gif Cooney Lake - Foggy Dew Peak - Merchants Basin Loop 2015

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wildernessed
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PostTue May 10, 2016 10:09 am 
HitTheTrail wrote:
I still have some unfinished business up there to bag a few more of those lake basins between Foggy Dew and Twisp Pass.
We were probably at the high point of the trail which descended to an open and snow free slope when we left it to head up to the high point. It follows below the rest of the ridge and comes out around 6700 - 6800' where we came in last year to do Foggy Dew Peak. You could get into Cooney right now and those peaks because the ridge bypasses many stream crossings. Those stream crossings / summer fords are what hinders you right now. I still want to get in and do that Point 8033' up Martin Creek. I took a recon photo of it's East ridge and it looks good only Crater and Eagle Creek are in the way right now they are really roaring I'd imagine.

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Waterman
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PostWed May 11, 2016 8:29 am 
Thanks for the TR. Was wondering what I would find this weekend. Did the recent fires have any impact?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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wildernessed
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PostWed May 11, 2016 8:54 am 
Waterman wrote:
Thanks for the TR. Was wondering what I would find this weekend. Did the recent fires have any impact?
The ridge trail is in better shape now than when we last came through there a lot of blow down has been cleared but there are spots where you have to cross over, under, or out flank down fall still. It appears that bikes have been using the primitive trail so I suspect they a long with hunters have kept the route viable. I did not see any recent significant fire damage there is a lot of tree cover. Last year coming in the standard Foggy Dew Trail at the end of the road it was surprisingly well maintained but that was last year. We did not drive to the end of Foggy Dew Rd. this year but the forest service said last week that there were trees down over the road starting around 2.5 miles in. I don't know if those remain but I would bring a saw and rope if you are going in the lower route. The road is snow free to the TH.

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