Forum Index > Trip Reports > Lost Peak, Three Pinnacles, Many Trails, Johnny Peak, 9/20/20
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Dansjolseth
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Dansjolseth
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PostMon Sep 28, 2020 6:32 am 
Yes I am alive and kicking. Although I'm 76 I still get out. Cliff Lawson died in 2002. I placed a register on Pioneer Ridge as a memorial to him in 2003.

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Dansjolseth
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Dansjolseth
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PostMon Sep 28, 2020 6:35 am 
Thanks for the memories.

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Tautvydaite
Milda Tautvydas



Joined: 25 Sep 2020
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Tautvydaite
Milda Tautvydas
PostMon Sep 28, 2020 8:01 am 
Hi Stuke (hello Eric, Fletcher, Alden). I came up with this loop in 2015, and posted my route on Peakbagger.com, as well as here in this conversation, in the direction you inquired about. Eric did it in the reverse. The only difference is that we (Dave and I) descended the NE ridge (just west of Johnny Creek) of Many Trails peak to get down to the Lost River, rather than the NW Ridge, because the NE ridge got us down to the Lost River and trail #477 further east, and closer to our destination (Billy Goat Corral TH). In my route description on Peakbagger.com, I suggest to take the NW ridge down to, or up from, Hidden Lakes to get between the Lost River and Many Trails peak because of the steep cliffs that terminate the NE ridge above the Lost River. Here are some more details: Many Trails Summit Date: 2015/09/23 ; Itinerary: Three Pinnacles, (Lost), Johnny Peak/Trailblazer Peak, and Many Trails via a Lost River Loop from Billy Goat Corral TH: Additional notes: We had a late start from Billy Goat Corral, having driven up from Seattle, and having had to make several stops along the way, so on our first day we hiked from Billy Goat Corral TH to the Lost River and camped on the dry river bed near the confluence of Drake Creek. At the Drake Creek confluence, the Lost River goes underground (late season or all year?), and the river is in a gorge with tall, steep, broken cliffs and some solid walls (thus the name Lost River Gorge on USGS maps). On the morning of day 2 we walked south on the dry riverbed, studying the steep faces until we found a gully among the cliffs (south of point 5121, east of point 6638, see route description in earlier post above). It appeared it would get us out of the Lost River gorge, so we gave it try, and the route was a success. The rest of the route we took goes easily, as do the summit climbs (Three Pinnacles, Lost, Johnny Peak/Trailblazer Peak; however, Johnny Peak does pose some fun route finding puzzles near the top, and we did some route finding to gain Many Trail's south ridge from the Johnny Lakes basin). Take care to NOT ascend to the south ridge of Many Trails peak too soon from the Johnny Lakes/Johnny Creek basin. There are gendarmes on Many Trails Peak's south ridge, south and north of Pt. 7650'. We had to climb among teetering towers, with overnight packs, before we got to the easy walking terrain further on this ridge. On our last day, when we exited down the NE ridge of Many Trails (the ridge just west of Johnny Creek), in the rain, we encountered a burn, some steep bushwhacking, and then high cliffs above the Lost River. It looked like we had come to a dead end. After so much descending, and being rain-soaked, we had no interest in having to go back up to get to the NW ridge. We knew the NW ridge would go down to the river easily, albeit with a bushwhack, because we studied it from Many Trails summit and from our last high camp. We could see the toe of the NW ridge gently blend into the Hidden Lakes area. We took the NE ridge because it got us closer to our destination, and it was the devil we didn't know. We took a chance and went down it. As we got lower on the NE ridge, I could see steep, high cliffs across the Lost River. My heart sank because I could tell that the steep terrain we were on was dropping away below us, the way that cliffs do. Both sides of the Lost River are lined with steep walls under this NE ridge. We persevered, and found a very narrow, very steep break in the cliff. We down-climbed carefully, dangled on vegetation holds, slithered and slipped between steep dirt and rocks to the bottom. It was great to feel level earth under foot, near the river. A short bushwhack, an easy river ford, and another short bushwhack had us back on the trail, on our way to our car parked at the Billy Goat Corral TH. (party of two: Milda Tautvydas and David Salinger) GEAR: map, compass, altimeter, hiking poles, MSR water bags (a 4-Liter and 6-Liter bag, for two people). No GPS. https://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=789661 The entire trip was beautiful and fascinating. It's always hard to have to go home, for there is so much wild beauty to behold, to bathe in, to investigate.

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twodogdad
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twodogdad
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PostMon Oct 05, 2020 5:39 pm 
Congratulations, Eric: astonishing progress! I was very happy to see your report because I've contemplated climbing Lost from the East: it should save at least one day. How bad is the bush along Drake Cr trail (549)? (I'll be doing it both directions if my plan works.) Is the beginning of Drake Cr Trail obvious? Having seen that country up close, does it seem feasible to you to wade up Lost River (which should be very low), from Drake to Billy Creek, and then gain the ridge that connects the Pinnacles and Lost? (On the map that seems an easier route than yours but you probably wanted to bag the Pinnacles anyway). Thanks, 2dd

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Eric Gilbertson
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Eric Gilbertson
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PostTue Oct 06, 2020 8:03 pm 
The beginning of the Drake Creek Trail is pretty easy to find, but it soon deteriorates and I basically just bushwhacked the mile from the hidden lakes trail. Once you clear the border of the burn zone from the 2018 fire the trail is followable down to the lost river where it ends. Caltopo shows all these historic fire boundaries. The Lost River was completely dried up when I went. It was very easy walking in the middle. I anticipate no problem with water upstream of where I was this season. Yes, that sounds doable to gain the Lost-Pinnacles ridge that way. For reference this is a picture I took looking down Billy Creek from the ridge, I believe from the saddle just south of pt 7851.

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Lost Peak, Three Pinnacles, Many Trails, Johnny Peak, 9/20/20
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