Forum Index > Trip Reports > An attempted Hibox - Alta traverse 8.29.18
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jupsal
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jupsal
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PostFri Aug 31, 2018 5:17 pm 
On Wednesday a friend and I headed out to try to do Hibox -> Alta Mountain -> Rampart Lakes -> Out. I found a trip report with the Alta to Hibox route, so I thought I'd try the other way as it seemed more amenable to checking out Rampart Lakes, which I had never been to. First, we went up Hibox, which had some very nice views, with only a minimal smoke layer to the southeast.
Then, we went on our way trying to get to Alta. Here's the route we took:
From the top of Hibox we thought we might be able to go along the ridge a bit and drop down one of the gullies before North Box, basically the opposite of the Alta -> Hibox route previously mentioned. But as you can see from the track, we quickly chickened out as neither of us were in the mood to downclimb anything that sustained and vertical that day. We looked around for other options, but decided that it was probably quickest to go back down the Hibox trail and hit the ~4800 contour to traverse around the steep walls of Hibox. Getting through the trees sucked, and there was some side hilling of scree fields which wasn't great, but we did stumble upon some nice meadows and big long boulder fields (which I love).
The waypoints on the north end of my map are where I started seeing a trail and cairns, which I have read about on this forum. I'm not sure where they go, it seems they promptly stop, but it's interesting because the trail actually seems pretty prominent there. We ended up hitting the lakes above Lila, which were nice, but the highlight there was the ridge above the Lila lakes.
We were close enough to quickly summit Alta, but decided it probably wasn't worth it since we'd already seen most of the stuff from Hibox that we'd see there and it was getting later than we wanted. We went onto Rampart lakes and out, 10 hrs RT. In the end, this route wasn't worth it. We would have been much better served just going back down the Hibox trail and doing it all on trail. That being said, I think that Alta to Hibox is easier than Hibox to Alta. The stuff we tried to get down below Alta wouldn't have been nearly as bad getting up, if you are into that kind of thing.

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neek
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PostFri Aug 31, 2018 6:28 pm 
I was just looking at that route...kinda glad I didn't try it.
jupsal wrote:
The waypoints on the north end of my map are where I started seeing a trail and cairns, which I have read about on this forum. I'm not sure where they go, it seems they promptly stop, but it's interesting because the trail actually seems pretty prominent there.
Possibly the trail that goes up "East Alta".

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Sculpin
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PostSat Sep 01, 2018 4:12 pm 
jupsal wrote:
the trail actually seems pretty prominent there
You most likely stumbled upon the old trail that goes from the lakes above Lila over Alta to the PCT. At least one segment on the climb up Alta was blasted in, and tread can be followed over the top and down the other side. But nowadays it disappears at the saddle N of Alta and then eventually reappears contouring to the PCT.

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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puzzlr
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PostSat Sep 01, 2018 10:19 pm 
You were wise to back off trying to get down one of those gullies west of Hibox summit. That may have been one of the times I came to closest packing it in during 30 years of hiking in the NW. Even after making it down, the long side hill traverse over to Lila Lake did a number on my feet. A trip to remember, but never to repeat.

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cascadeclimber
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PostTue Sep 04, 2018 8:49 am 
Well, this certainly isn't the first time I pieced together a route that was judged "not worth it". That said, where the OP tried to go down is not at all where I went up (going the other way). In 2009 we climbed 4th class brush adjacent to those gullies...not pleasant. What I did in 2014 was no more than 3rd class, except the direct finish to the top of Hibox, which was scary, loose 4th (and completely, easily avoidable).

If not now, when?
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jupsal
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jupsal
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PostTue Sep 04, 2018 10:38 am 
cascadeclimber wrote:
That said, where the OP tried to go down is not at all where I went up (going the other way). In 2009 we climbed 4th class brush adjacent to those gullies...not pleasant. What I did in 2014 was no more than 3rd class, except the direct finish to the top of Hibox, which was scary, loose 4th (and completely, easily avoidable).
Maybe if I had looked around there more I would have found a better way down. I still believe that going up it wouldn't have been so bad, but going down it was an easy decision to avoid it.

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cascadeclimber
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PostTue Sep 04, 2018 11:15 am 
jupsal wrote:
Maybe if I had looked around there more I would have found a better way down. I still believe that going up it wouldn't have been so bad, but going down it was an easy decision to avoid it.
I'm not debating the decision you made on the terrain you were on. But I don't see how you can say that about the route I took since you never got to it (it's clear from your track) smile.gif

If not now, when?
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