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Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
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Fletcher
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Thu Jun 30, 2016 1:32 pm
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Reed, John and I climbed Devil's on Tuesday; the worst bushwhack in living memory. So bad, in fact, that if we hadn't underestimated it, we probably would have chosen a different peak to climb.
Reed and I had to hike into McCallister Camp on Thunder Creek Tuesday evening, so we needed a "quick and easy" morning objective beforehand. Devil's seemed pretty easy, with a fun summit block, so we decided on that. John met up with us on the Mtn Loop Monday night, and we were hiking up the closed Coal Creek Road at 5:30.
We followed the road for a few miles until pink flagging lead us off the road and up the left side of the creek draining Devil's Lake. The route was fairly easy to follow and the forest was beautiful.
Big Four and Hall from Coal Creek Road forest scrambling waterfall
The route eventually comes out in the basin below Devil's Peak and Lake and abruptly ends. There is no route that we could find through the impenetrable brush wall that guards you from Devil's summit block 1600 feet above. We basically just dove in head first and began making our way (very, very slowly) upward. This was the worst and most sustained brush I have ever encountered, horrible. So thick you can't see anything more than a few feet above or below you. Small cliff bands everywhere to negotiate, places where you must make class 5 moves up shrubby trees. At one point a horse fly came along and bit me 3 times within about 20 seconds, causing me to panic and lose my cool briefly. We probably would have turned around, if we hadn't thought that continuing up would be easier. Eventually, around 4600 ft, we came out of it into more open terrain. All were relieved.
the summit block above, with impenetrable brush wall in the foreground class 5 moves over shrubby trees, much worse than it looks brush free with the summit ahead!
We worked our way up to the obvious col just south of the summit block and dropped some gear. As we were "exploring the route" we accidentally topped out on the very short crux and found ourselves at the exposed ledge. The ledge was really easy and we quickly found ourselves on the spacious summit. We had a little bit of pro with us, but it only served as weight training.
summit Reed and John on the crux, beginning of the ledge is just over Reed's head looking back across the ledge
It was a beautiful day and the views were grand.
Three Fingers and Whitehorse Jumbo and Baker Glacier Monte Christos
We spent 20 minutes on the summit, then began our descent. We rapped off of 2 30ms at the well established anchor halfway across the ledge. Reed's first alpine rappel!
Reed rapelling John rapelling
Back at the col, we decided to work our way down the ridge toward Devil's Thumb to try to find an easier way down into the basin. We didn't quite make it to the low point between the two peaks before dropping down off the ridge. Lots of class 3 and a little class 4 down climbing on mossy rock, and just a little brush later, we were having a snack at Devil's Lake.
looking back John descends with Devils Thumb descending fun with poor focus descending fun we came down that Devils Lake
The hike out from the lake was trivial compared to what we had endured earlier in the day. We made it back to the car at 3:40, making it just over a 10 hour day. John drove back to Seattle and Reed and I headed into Darrington to restock on provisions and head into NCNP.
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Thu Jun 30, 2016 7:37 pm
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The "Devil" part of the name might have been a clue. I've wanted to do this too, but it seems like ideal conditions (snow over brush, clear dry rock) are hard to get.
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Mike Collins Member
Joined: 18 Dec 2001 Posts: 3086 | TRs | Pics
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When I climbed Devils Peak it was mid-April and don't remember the brush being bad. In fact we added Devil's Thumb to the day making it a 2-fer. There must have been snowpack helping us during the early season outing as our car-to-car time was 12 hrs.
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
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Fri Jul 01, 2016 10:17 am
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This is a nice winter climb. Back when I first did it in the 60's we could drive that road bed almost to the basin & it was about a 2 hour climb.
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olderthanIusedtobe Member
Joined: 05 Sep 2011 Posts: 7687 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
Yeah I did that one either late winter or early spring, route was snow covered, no brush to contend with. Definitely the way to do it, sounds like.
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jcocci Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Posts: 483 | TRs | Pics Location: Longmont, CO |
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jcocci
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Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:58 pm
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Yeah we definitely hit it too late. Oh well. Was definitely some Type 2 fun. Here's a few more photos.
Fletcher wondering WTF! Don't let the smiles fool you. Fletcher getting onto the ledge. The bushwhacking pay off. Some of the decent.
Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7676 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Finally, a photo of Devils Lake! Most unimpressive I might add..
Devils Lake
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Notgood27 Member
Joined: 30 May 2020 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
I am adding the devil’s lake hike to my list. Let the bushwhacking begin. Though the lake doesn’t look amazing, it looks like a fun challenge.
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Notgood27 Member
Joined: 30 May 2020 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
It will be worse, considering I can’t do it until July. Hello Devils Club protecting Devils Lake. I’ll make my kid lead the way.
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7676 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
So they accessed it via coal lake road, I thought the “normal” approach was off Deer Creek road? I suppose either will work, not sure which is best.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Notgood27 Member
Joined: 30 May 2020 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
I have seen some GPS routes and guidebooks that show you follow the overgrown road, and when it ends you basically follow the creek to the waterfall and climb left. We’ll see how possible it is in a few weeks.
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Riverside Laker Member
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Posts: 2818 | TRs | Pics
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See if you can find the trail and the mine adit. If you get to the adit, back up a bit, go climbers left and it's not terrible up to the lake area.
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Notgood27 Member
Joined: 30 May 2020 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
Digging through google earth to try to find the Adit, I think I have the general range based off a map I’m looking at. My assumption it is on the left of the creek a little past the first major bend in the creek.
For the trail, I believe it is deer creek road to double eagle road, to following coal creek up. (Joseph)
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Riverside Laker Member
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Posts: 2818 | TRs | Pics
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I don't mind giving this away, since hardly anyone would go there. Boealps used to go up there for their field trip every spring -- wonder if they still do? This info is twenty years of brush ago, the road was relatively easy to walk, so this is way out of date. Flag is surely gone:
Quote: | Getting there:Take Deer Creek Road about a mile to 1968'.
Trail report: Walk the abandoned logging road to the right (shown on the USGS Silverton 7.5' map). This road is in good shape for walking, but not easily bike ridden due to many berms. The road switchbacks three times. Continue on the road to about 2940' (2.4 miles). A berm blocks the road, where beyond the road is very overgrown. Look for an overgrown road to the right marked with a flag. Follow this road to a stream crossing at 3200', where a trail continues on the opposite side. This trail can be difficult to follow but continues up to the Double Eagles mine and a nice waterfall at 3650'.
For more great scenery rarely visited, go away from the mine around the cliffs and some brush to more open forest, heading up to Devil's Lake. Climbers and High Lakers are probably the only people who enjoy the views of Devil's Lake, which has a couple nice campsites. |
See also NWhikers
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Notgood27 Member
Joined: 30 May 2020 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
I can’t imagine to many people want to bushwhack when the lake is not impressive. I personally want to do it because it is challenging and my kid and I will have fun searching around. Rumor is 2 adit, 1 by the waterfall and who knows where the 2nd is. Finding the 2nd one is the goal for us.
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