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SnailMail Member
Joined: 22 May 2018 Posts: 10 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
I went out to Little Giant Pass last weekend and intended to go back and make it into the other side of the valley, but was met by road closure due to fires in the area. Instead I headed up White River Road to head out to Boulder Pass. The hike through the valley was nice when it was close to the river. Its about 4 miles to the junction with the Boulder Pass trail.
The first few miles are long low grade switchbacks mostly in the trees. Once you reach the valley floor and cross over Boulder Creek (wet feet required to cross) the valley opens up and is still very green with lots of wildflowers. Its another few miles through overgrown areas following above the creek but nothing real challenging or high effort required. Aside from the smoke, it felt like spring bloom through here and was pretty amazing. After reentering the trees and switchbacking up a bit higher in the valley, Clark Mountain comes into view along with the pass.
The climb up to the pass and the views of Clark are amazing. Lots of rocks, waterfalls, and wildflowers. I made it up to the top of the pass and decided to drop down due to there not being any good views up high due to the smoke which had gotten worse as I gained feet. There is a campsite at the pass which would be good for another time when there wasn't any smoke.
The next morning I got up to another smokey day and was thinking of heading out. I was eating breakfast and the marmots started making a lot of noise. I got up to look around and at the bottom of the scree field I was camped by a wolverine had just hopped out and was about 50 feet away from me. I managed to get a photo of him running away from me through the rocks, and after some exploration of a nearby snowfield found some tracks in the mud and snow he left behind on his way by me.
After seeing a wolverine, I decided this was probably a good place to stay another day and do some exploring. I headed off trail west along the ridge ending up on the edge where the glaciers on Clark are. I took some time to explore the recently exposed rocky areas along here. There are lots of waterfalls and pools of water and large boulders. The smoke was thick and it made everything feel really surreal.
I made my way back to camp crossing this time back over the snowfield, and decided to hike down to the Napeequa River. There are some really cool looking meadows through here, but the trail mostly stays in the trees. Once I got to the bottom and the river I did not see any spots I would try to cross. The alders are really thick and the few easy spots to access the river it was wide and depth unknown. I'd be interested in exploring the area east of where the trail is in the valley sometime and all the meadows you can see on the way down.
I hiked back up to my camp below the pass and called it a day. Sunday night was really windy and my tent ceiling was in my face a few times. But when I woke up Monday morning I was greeted to a few short smoke free views of the near area in the morning. The hike out was as good as it was on the way in, but the smoke got worse as I dropped and was back to bad by the time I hit the valley floor. Excited to try this one again without smoke, and how often do you get to see a wolverine, so good trip overall.
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jditty Member
Joined: 28 Aug 2017 Posts: 4 | TRs | Pics
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jditty
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Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:56 pm
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So very cool that you got to see a wolverine! What a special gift.
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Brushwork Food truck
Joined: 18 Aug 2018 Posts: 508 | TRs | Pics Location: Washington |
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Brushwork
Food truck
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Wed Aug 22, 2018 9:12 pm
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How exciting to see a wolverine!! That would make me stay another day for sure.
Wouldn't have thought the Napequa would be so high now. Good to know. Such a beautiful area, without smoke.
When I grow up I wanna play.
When I grow up I wanna play.
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FiresideChats Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2014 Posts: 363 | TRs | Pics Location: San Juan Islands |
Snailmail, you've been getting after it. And what a treat to see that rare beast.
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MojaveGeek Member
Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 49 | TRs | Pics
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Wolverine, wow. I've seen all the N. American mustelids except a few of the skunks and a wolverine. For some reason I've seen a lot of weasels this summer, but a wolverine, just wow, what a great sighting!
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Bootpathguy Member
Joined: 18 Jun 2015 Posts: 1788 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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kitya Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:26 am
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Leeny Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2018 Posts: 2 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Leeny
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Wed Aug 29, 2018 3:14 pm
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So cool you saw a wolverine in that area!! If you're open to it, I'm sure the folks at Conservation Northwest would be interested/excited to learn of your sighting.
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6717 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
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Wed Aug 29, 2018 3:33 pm
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Wow. I've never seen a wolverine in 60 years of hiking in the Cascades. I stumbled onto a den near Lyman Lakes but never saw one.
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contour5 Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 2963 | TRs | Pics
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contour5
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Wed Aug 29, 2018 5:54 pm
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CarriesNineFires Member
Joined: 03 Oct 2016 Posts: 134 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
SnailMail snapped a pic at Boulder Pass, Schroder found a den at Lyman Lakes. I saw tracks in the snow at the head of Entiat Meadows in 2012. That area is wolverine country.
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timberghost Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 1324 | TRs | Pics
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Along with a healthy cougar population up there ran into 2 over a 3 year span heading up to the pass
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Wolverine
My longtime partner Steve had a couple close encounters with Wolverines up the Chiwawa.
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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SnailMail Member
Joined: 22 May 2018 Posts: 10 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
I made it back up here without the smoke, and wow what a difference. I saw more fresh wolverine tracks on the snowfield by where I camped, and ran into another group on the way out who said they had heard of another sighting on Mt. David nearby recently. I also was out Goat Rocks last weekend and heard of a sighting there from a re-routed PCT hiker. Exmoor's double sighting over by Glacier Peak Meadows was amazing. Lots of wolverine activity this summer. A small smoky area could be seen off in the distance southeast of Little Giant Pass where a fire that is keeping the Chiwawa area closed was still burning. I really want to go to the High Pass area after getting a pretty good look over there. Here are some photos from my trip back which was an enjoyable one.
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hermes Member
Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 449 | TRs | Pics
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hermes
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Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:15 pm
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Wow! You went back - that's dedication! Compels me to to try it. Great photos!
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