[Bootpathguy]

Feel'n pretty salty. I get frustrated when I don't accomplish what I set out to do. Persis has been on my list for quite some time. Not a high priority though. Today was the day to cross it off my list. Ha! I completely underestimated the snow depth and snow conditions. I had grand illusions of standing on the summit with Index seemingly feeling like you could reach out and touch it. Tracking up pristine snow and traveling over frozen tarns. I parked at Hwy 2 at the start of the logging road. Headed up around 6:30 am and walked the first mile of road in the bright moonlight. Twilight was pretty

I started early because I figured a very long day with the long road walk. Pretty boring and the clearcut landscape is ugly

I cut out the last 3 switchbacks of the logging road on my ascent by cutting up through the clearcut slash. What a pain in the ass. I traveled 1/2 mile through this sh## to avoid 1 1/2 miles of road walk. I can travel 1 1/2 mile road walk, depending on my mood and energy level, in 30 to 45 minutes. It took me 45 minutes to stumble my way through the clearcut slash. I'm not sure the leg fatigue was worth it. I traveled the road on the way out

I found the beginning of the climbers trail and headed up. Very steep but pretty straightforward. I put on the snowshoes at 4,350 elevation and was waist deep at 4,500 elevation. Floundering and frustrated, I called it. God Damn It! Right at the sweet spot where the terrain drastically mellows. Grrrr...

The snow wouldn't support my 6'4" Greek God frame. I couldn't get my whippets to bite. Often sinking up to the grips even with the snow baskets on.

When you sink up to your knees, it's referred to as "postholing". Up to your ass cheeks is referred to as "buttholing" I spent about a hour in this crappy snow traveling in large circles. "Buttholing" around to try and find some supportive snow. I became exhausted and said...

and retreated back down the mountain. It was a 12+ mile waste of time

I'll return in late spring

[Nancyann]

My hay guy in Goldbar offered to drive us up to the bootpath and drop us off, but I think I'll put that idea on hold for a while.

[Bootpathguy]

[RichP]

It wasn't a complete waste of time, you came up with a new term. Another Persis virgin here. I'll take a bike when I try this though. Hey Nancyann, if you ever take that guy up on the offer, give me a holler.

[Nancyann]

Thanks for the information, bpg! Will do, Rich P, I've been wanting to get up there for quite some time.

[nordique]

We did Persis many decades ago when you could drive up the road as far as you dared, which was pretty far for us then. I vaguely recall burned out and wrecked vehicles off to the side of where we drove up. The 'path' was not all that easy to follow but we eventually came to a highpoint that was disappointing, after so much hassle. We never considered a return trip. I wonder where my slides from that trip are....

[jdk610]

I did Persis a year or two before the road closed, and it was indeed beautiful up there. I did it in the summer though. Question about the road walk... Does the sign prohibit all entry, or just vehicles? (I don't particularly care if you broke the rules, I just don't want to do it myself.) Also, any reason you couldn't do the road section on an MTB? And finally, am I understanding correctly that you broke trail right to where it mellows out?

[awilsondc]

Oooof! Man, I've never tried to break trail in snow that deep. Sounds awful. You put in a good effort though, especially solo! I don't think I would have made it either.

[Bootpathguy]

[jdk610]

Thanks for the quick response!

[Bootpathguy]

[SKS]

Regarding permit for walk-in: I called the Skykomish ranger station a year or two ago and asked if a permit was required for walking or biking in to the Persis trailhead. They said "No". I repeated the question to make sure because of the permits listed on the Weyerhaeuser site and the answer was the same. Also the sign at the highway gate said something like walking and bikes were permitted. I assume the permit for walk-in is for recreating on Weyerhaeuser property, but not required if staying on the road and passing through, i.e., going to Persis. I'd recommend calling the ranger station to verify and see if anything has changed since I talked to them.

[Bramble_Scramble]

[ale_capone]

Nice. The sunrise on persis and index has been spectacular the past few mornings! I was driving back from an airport drop admiring that morning. I think I can see my house in your second photo. There is a wta report from last winter. Tracks look like someone snowboarded off the top! I have an idea for pow whippets. A small shovel like scoop attachment that turns the pick into an over sized adze. Turn poles upside down for max surface area when post holing on flats. Use like whippets for more vertical booting... I bet them whippets come in handy on that steep trail. More for hooking on veggie belays. 😁

[Yana]