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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Last year I had a nice view of Bannock Mountain and Stonehenge Ridge from Miners Ridge and Plummer Mountain. Stonehenge is an attractive line of about 7 peaks, while Bannock towers above Canyon Lake. Totem Pass is between them. The remoteness of these peaks interested me. Furthermore, some research suggested that Stonehenge doesn’t get done very often, which really interested me.
first time I've seen a trail banshee outside of the Olympics strawberries and cream mushroom Dakobed Ridge
Heather and Josh and I started up the Suattle River trail Thursday morning and hiked to Miners Ridge lookout. Heather spotted some Hydnellum peckii “Strawberries and Cream” mushrooms along the way. Some guys were stationed at the lookout making repairs to the shutters. It was really a treat to get to go inside and see the original Osborne Fire finder in immaculate shape.
the seven points on Stonehenge Ridge the point which looks highest is the true summit Bannock Miners repairs Image Lake Sitting Bull Plummer Bannock Points 1 and 2 on Stonehenge Canyon Lake camp
We then hiked to Canyon Lake where we made camp. The trail to the lake was a little brushy in spots and had some blowdowns, but overall wasn’t that bad. We had hoped to make it to the lake with enough time for Bannock Mountain, but when we did the math, we didn’t have enough hours to get back to camp before dark.
up to Totem Pass porcupine porcupine Dome Sinister Buckindy Misch group point 1
The next morning we hiked up to Totem Pass. In a snow patch below the pass we encountered a porcupine! It sauntered away slowly with all it’s spines sticking up. At the pass, Josh and I traversed some slabs to the north so we could get a clear view of Hanging Gardens. I knew we were unlikely to have time for it since we didn’t get Bannock the first day, but at least we could get a look at it.
going up point 1 on top of point 1 looking at the rest
We descended back down the south side of the pass to where we could start ascending the point number one of seven plus points along the ridge. The USGS suggests that point number five is the highest at 7362 feet. So that was our main objective for the day. The trouble was that point number 2 appeared to be difficult to get around. I had spent time studying photographs and topo maps and I had a route planned for us which I hoped would work out.
Josh on the northeast ridge of point 2 traverse of point 2 shoulder saddle on the south ridge of point 2 cliffs on point 3 passage below the cliffs
We hiked over the top of point number one and up the northeast ridge of point number 2 which was narrow and had some exposure. Before we reached the top of point number 2 we traversed to the shoulder on the south ridge and then dropped into a bowl shaped basin between points 2 and 3. Point number 3 has formidable cliffs on its east face so we skirted around those to a place where we could cross the south ridge of point 3. Animal trails helped in steep terrain.
crossing between two south ridges boletus nice traverse below points 4 and 5 point 5 above going to point 6 nearing the top of 4 with 5 behind point 5
We crossed a brushy gully to a second south ridge and ascended that for several hundred feet. From there we were able to make a really pleasant ascending traverse past points four and five to reach the USGS Point 7362. There was only one problem. Looking back at point number five, it was obviously much higher. It also looked steep and potentially dangerous. But we went over there and it wasn’t as bad as it looked. There’s evidence to suggest that we were only the 4th party ever to climb this peak, however that’s impossible to confirm. Also my GPS settled on 7420 feet, which means the map for this peak is way off.
Sinister and Gunsight Bannock Sulphur? point 5 Dome again Josh high on point 5 looking back at point 6 point 5 summit first ascent entry 2nd and 3rd ascent parties Agnes Stonehenge Ridge summit looking back at point 3
We retraced our route to Totem Pass, stopping only once along the way to harvest 6lbs of boletus mushrooms to add to our dinners. The horseflies were unusually bad and we killed scores of them. From the pass we ascended the southwest ridge of Bannock Mountain which was more challenging than I had expected. There was a little bit of class 3 getting around/over the crux gendarme along the ridge.
Bannock crux ahead Canyon Lake below the crux section lookout remains more remains Bannock summit ahead
I had promised Eric Willhite to check out Point 7484 for the remains of a lookout. Heather found the first bit of evidence in the form of a wooden shingle. Then I saw a stick with wire wrapped around it. We continued on to the summit which afforded views beyond my description. To the north was hands down the best view of Gunsight Peak I’ve ever seen and to the east Bonanza looked pretty scary. In every direction, awe inspiring
Gunsight! Agnes Sitting Bull and Fortress Bonanza! Copper to Maude Stonehenge Sinister Agnes Gunsight again Plummer and Fortress Bannock summit Three fingers, Whitechuck, Whitehorse
I suggested we try a route variation on the descent, and this could be useful for future parties who wish to add Hanging Gardens to the itinerary. At 7220 feet we dropped off the northwest side onto some steep dirt and loose rock and then traversed northwest slopes back to the pass. It involved big talus, snow slopes and slabs, but felt overall easier than our ascent route.
steep dirt we came off the ridge here traverse back to Totem Pass
We made it back to camp with just enough daylight to prep and boil our mushrooms. I went to bed totally stuffed.
Image Lake
Our final day was very hot and both Heather and I got stung by ground wasps. I was very impressed by the level of pain brought on by the stings and length of duration. For about an hour I felt like I was getting stung over and over again in the same spot, like a knife was stuck in my leg while I was trying to hike. My screams of agony surely scared off any bears that were in the area. I puzzled and pondered whether my sting was worse than Heathers or if she just handles pain differently than I do.
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5633 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:53 am
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Very nice trip. No thoughts of continuing back via Bath Lakes for a loop?
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Distel32 Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 Posts: 961 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Distel32
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Sun Aug 14, 2016 11:36 am
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Nice trip
Also, have to give a shout out to Stepdad Steve in the register:
Gimpilator wrote: | 2nd and 3rd ascent parties |
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Jake Robinson Member
Joined: 02 Aug 2016 Posts: 521 | TRs | Pics
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Beautiful photos! Very cool that you guys got some seldom climbed peaks.
I feel your pain with the wasp experience. I got stung through the sock a few weeks ago and for the rest of the day it felt like I had a knife in my ankle. My whole ankle was swollen and itchy for the next few days. Not fun!
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Jetlag Member
Joined: 17 Aug 2010 Posts: 1410 | TRs | Pics
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Jetlag
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Sun Aug 14, 2016 3:29 pm
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One of those wonderful areas I've always wanted to visit. Thanks for providing such helpful detail!
The boletes don't look too worm-infested.
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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2344 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
very nice getting in to that remote part of the cascades i hope to get there one day myself. thanks for posting
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Leafguy Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 525 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
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Leafguy
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Sun Aug 14, 2016 6:08 pm
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Nice trip! Never have seen the shrooms. Really cool looking. Thanks for the great report.
And who was driving when you reached that max. speed?
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HitTheTrail Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 5455 | TRs | Pics Location: 509 |
Can we start a gofundme account to get Josh a pair of pants?
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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1324 | TRs | Pics
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Looks like it was everything it was cracked up to be! Fun trip! So cool to be able to stand on a high point that has had so few visitors. Very special.
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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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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Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:17 am
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Nice to see some recent pics from the area. Been contemplating the Bath Lakes High Route.
"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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ree Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 4399 | TRs | Pics
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ree
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Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:14 am
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Did you get any shots of Bannock Lakes?
Nice detailed trip report. The route between Image and Canyon Lakes was beautiful.
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Yeah, I took a couple, but they didn't turn out great. I can email them you if you like?
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Phil Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 2025 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline, WA |
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Phil
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Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:19 pm
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Boletus...dead horseflies...well done!
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