[meck]

Trip: Royal Creek-Dungeness River Divide Ridge ONF/ONP Date Dec 28 2013 Distance: probably greater than 8 miles RT Elevation Gain: ~4500 feet Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Road to Upper Dungeness TH in good condition as of right now, icy in a few spots around a couple of shaded curves, but otherwise very passable. The trail to Royal Basin pretty much requires traction devices for your boots. Whole sections of trail are covered with either “glazed black ice” or 3-5” thick slabs into which even crampons would have problems digging into. Otherwise only very minor amounts of snow (appears to be < 1 foot), even in the upper basin. Since the weather looked to be pretty good and the precipitation has been so low, I figured it would be nice to visit some higher elevation territory that was new to me, in this case the divide between Royal Creek and the Dungeness River. IanB’s and FungiFan’s had posted great TRs, and having scoped out the ridge from just about everywhere else in the Buckhorn (minus Warrior, Constance and Mystery) it appeared to be a great goal for the day. Got a much later start than I’d intended, leaving the Upper Dungeness TH at 10:00 am. It was icy in places along the FS road, but not bad enough that my 2wd vehicle couldn’t cover it. The parking lot was completely iced over (slush that had been frozen solid).

Icy Road down to the TH

Icy Parking Lot

First portion of trail to the Royal Creek Jct., along the “Dungeness Highway”, was only iced over in a few spots (looked like black ice with a light coating of needles and small rocks, felt almost like walking on non-skid).

Recent log work near the start of the trail (big blowdowns)

Royal Creek

After crossing the bridge, followed game-trails all the way up the ridge line.

Begin the climb on game trails

Up and up

Had lunch at 12:30 pm along the last portion of the ridge before it breaks out of the trees, only trace amounts of snow had been encountered to this point.

snow was not too deep, hard crust but easy to crunch through

the first goal is in sight

As I headed up to the unnamed points north of Petunia Peak and Goat Lake, I took way too many photos of the surrounding ridges (reconnaissance for future trips). They all looked so bare for this time of year…

Neon orange lichen on top of the slightly lower point just north of the high point)

Goat Lake

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There's the highpoint for today... (North Petunia?)

Arrived at my highpoint for the day at ~3:00 pm north west of Goat Lake, elevation a tad under 7,000’. Had a quick snack, took many more photos of the same stuff I’d already shot (it all looks so darn cool though!), albeit from a better vantage point. Fearing the route finding down to Royal Basin could be unpleasant, I left the top at ~3:20 pm.

Shelter Rock in Royal Basin from the top

neon green lichen (picture color does not do this justice...)

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Petunia Peak (foreground), Fricaba and Hal Foss in the background

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Mt. Deception and Royal Basin

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The Needles (at least a portion of them)

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Buckhorn Pass (Copper Peak, Iron Mtn in the background)

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Marmot Pass (Boulder Ridge in the background)

Above Marmot Pass

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Charlia Pass

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Cloudy Peak, Warrior Peak, and Mt. Constance

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Graywolf

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Graywolf & Baldy saddle

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Baldy

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Tyler Peak

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the northern "exit" down the Upper Dungeness drainage

The route finding down, while not terrible, was certainly not fun. Unlike the relatively gentle ridge on the way up (steep grade in places, but always sure footing) this was mostly a descent over scree and small boulders, sometimes covered with about 8” of snow (perfect for hiding gaps into which one’s foot/lower legs fits nicely). Got a few more pictures of Mt Deception/Needles and Royal basin with the fading light and beautiful sunset.

Sunset over Mt. Deception

Fortunately there was enough ambient light so that I did not have to turn on the headlamp until the last 300 yards or so before I reached the lowest meadow in Royal Basin. Had to bushwhack through some low pines, partially soaked my boots while attempting to gracefully cross Royal Creek (simultaneously slipping on/breaking through thick ice around the edges), but successfully made it to the trail by 5:30 pm. Had a quick snack, put on the ice-trekkers, and began the long, dark, icy walk back out. I don’t have any good pictures, but portions of the trail, including sections that would be exceedingly hard to avoid around by bypassing along the edges, are completely iced over. In some cases it was black-ice (slick but passable if moving slowly w/ small rocks and needles embedded which provided some traction). Other sections (almost 25’ long in one portion) were filled in or covered with thick, 3-5” thick, ice (looked like the stuff you’d see in waterfalls). I would not recommend this trail in its current condition without some sort of hard/sharp ice traction devices for your boots and trekking poles for balance. Arrived back at the car by 8:15 pm. [edit 3 April 2022 to reinsert photos uploaded to another site]

[Alpendave]

Great TR and photos. Glad you could make it so far up in the high country so that you could share it with us.

[IanB]

That is so amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your photos.

[reststep]

Yes, thank you for the report, photos and the update on the road. It looks like you had a great day.