tshimko

trying to keep this alive...leaving within 10 days I realize the cc.com may not be the best place to look, but I'm looking for a very adventurous sort of person, not a run-of-the-mill hiker I did much of this trip in Spring 2009. I left much of a two person food cache near Blacktail Canyon, planning on coming back with my partner this fall (I did the Spring trip solo). She won't be going, another friend decided to go, but he tells me his knee is in bad shape. I'd really like to do this again, except start and end at Muav Saddle, Swamp Pt, Powell Plateau trailhead. As mentioned I've done all but the part from Muav saddle to the Tapeats Creek/Thunder River confluence. Food cache has almost enough food for two people, plus a box of Black Box cabernet. This trip was the best hiking trip I have ever done in the GC. See trip report from 5/20/09, Shinumo...... http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8377&highlight=powell+plateau Description below, except starts and ends at Muav saddle. Mid to late October after the heat lessens. With rest days, 12-14 days. Following is description of Spring Trip. Fall allows access to Muav saddle directly: A trip along some of the best parts of the Grand Canyon, a circumambulation of the Powell Plateau, via Thunder River, Tapeats Creek, Colorado River, North Bass Trail. See George Steck's Hiking Grand Canyon Loops, pages 79-97. Steck starts and ends the trip at Swamp Point to Muav Saddle, but because I want to do this in the Spring, I'm thinking of going in via the Thunder River Trail. Still access to this trailhead in late March or early April might also have snow problems so might need to do some road walking to trailhead. Bill Hall Trail to Thunder River, down Tapeats Creek to Colorado, up-river past Stone, Galloway, Bedrock canyons (I've been to here in 2008, see trip report coming soon), 128, 127 and 122 mile creeks, Blacktail, Walthenberg, Hakatai canyons to North Bass Trail, up to Muav Saddle, down via Saddle/Stina canyons to upper Tapeats Creek, and back to Thunder River. Possible side trip to Deer Creek area on way out. Probably a two week trip. Might get a food cache dropped along River at midpoint (North Bass perhaps). This is the trip I would have done this past Spring if I had done better research beforehand. Instead some gazing at the map while in Deer Creek area near end of trip, followed by some proper research afterwards hatched this. Looking for 1 or 2 experienced GC backcountry traveler(s) only. Seem also my 2007 Trip report, "Hiking to Unkar and other Adventures"

I realize the cc.com may not be the best place to look, but I'm looking for a very adventurous sort of person, not a run-of-the-mill hiker I did much of this trip in Spring 2009. I left much of a two person food cache near Blacktail Canyon, planning on coming back with my partner this fall (I did the Spring trip solo). She won't be going, another friend decided to go, but he tells me his knee is in bad shape. I'd really like to do this again, except start and end at Muav Saddle, Swamp Pt, Powell Plateau trailhead. As mentioned I've done all but the part from Muav saddle to the Tapeats Creek/Thunder River confluence. Food cache has almost enough food for two people, plus a box of Black Box cabernet. This trip was the best hiking trip I have ever done in the GC. See trip report from 5/20/09, Shinumo...... http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8377&highlight=powell+plateau Description below, except starts and ends at Muav saddle. Mid to late October after the heat lessens. With rest days, 12-14 days. A trip along some of the best parts of the Grand Canyon, a circumambulation of the Powell Plateau, via Thunder River, Tapeats Creek, Colorado River, North Bass Trail. See George Steck's Hiking Grand Canyon Loops, pages 79-97. Steck starts and ends the trip at Swamp Point to Muav Saddle, but because I want to do this in the Spring, I'm thinking of going in via the Thunder River Trail. Still access to this trailhead in late March or early April might also have snow problems so might need to do some road walking to trailhead. Bill Hall Trail to Thunder River, down Tapeats Creek to Colorado, up-river past Stone, Galloway, Bedrock canyons (I've been to here in 2008, see trip report coming soon), 128, 127 and 122 mile creeks, Blacktail, Walthenberg, Hakatai canyons to North Bass Trail, up to Muav Saddle, down via Saddle/Stina canyons to upper Tapeats Creek, and back to Thunder River. Possible side trip to Deer Creek area on way out. Probably a two week trip. Might get a food cache dropped along River at midpoint (North Bass perhaps). This is the trip I would have done this past Spring if I had done better research beforehand. Instead some gazing at the map while in Deer Creek area near end of trip, followed by some proper research afterwards hatched this. Looking for 1 or 2 experienced GC backcountry traveler(s) only. Seem also my 2007 Trip report, "Hiking to Unkar and other Adventures"

date change for this outing... Looking for partner(s). Imagine the Ptarmigan Traverse without the glaciers, but 5 times as long and at an average elevation of around 10,000'+. Granite peaks at 12,000' to over 14000'. In 1982, Steve Roper wrote about his version of the ultimate Sierra alpine traverse, called the Sierra High Route, covering about 200 miles of prime Sierra travel, from Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon Sequoia NP to north of Tuolumne Meadows, some on trail, when the trails stay high, and the rest off trail, when the trails go below 10,000'. I headed down to CA this two years ago to do about 60% of it, ended up doing more trail than off trail as my partner was just not up to the more strenuous off trail travel, but the parts of the High Route that I did were incredibly beautiful country. An area that a guy I met along an off trail "short-cut" of the John Muir Trail from Palisades lakes to Dusy Basin, mentioned a place called "Bear Basin", so-called because all the lakes are "Bears"...Brown, Black, White, Teddy, Big...he said "you gotta go there!". And so as the trip progressed, I figured out where "Bear Basin" was and we went there. Spent a lot of time along and around lakes at 12,000'+, many with golden trout up to 18" (I actually saw one this size!). I'm not a fisherman, but these lakes would convert me. Absolutely incredible territory, saw no one there, eye-popping views everywhere. And the opportunity to scramble granite peaks by the boatload. I'd go back in a heartbeat. I'm looking for some like minded people to travel with. I'd choose non-technical climbing just to keep from having to carry the gear. I know the area well, having traveled the Crest Trail through most of this in relatively early season (mid-late may), and of course the outing two years ago. Would do the southern 60% of this, with 1-2 caches/food-drops. I know all the logistics. I tried to put this together for last year, but it did not work out. I'm going this year... Could start as early as late July, more likely early Aug. I need to be back by Aug 28. I'm a now 56 yo alpine climber who still does some technical climbing, but I'd do this one as primarily a scramble trip. This outing looks easy, but is not for "hikers" as it involves lots of off-trail travel, generally class 2 but sometimes class 3. It requires people with climbing skills, comfortable moving with a pack over sometimes difficult terrain. Looking for 1-3 like-minded alpine enthusiasts to do this with me. I'd look for people who find the Bailey/Ptarmigan/Isolation Traverses to be fun alpine travel, who'd like to combine that with scrambling of big granite peaks, and fishing for trout at the end of the day. People who enjoy spending time in the alpine. Roper did a second edition in 1997, published by the Mountaineers (first edition was a Sierra Club Totebook in 1982), if you want to read more. PM me if interested

date change for this outing... Imagine the Ptarmigan Traverse without the glaciers, but 5 times as long and at an average elevation of around 10,000'+. Granite peaks at 12,000' to over 14000'. In 1982, Steve Roper wrote about his version of the ultimate Sierra alpine traverse, called the Sierra High Route, covering about 200 miles of prime Sierra travel, from Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon Sequoia NP to north of Tuolumne Meadows, some on trail, when the trails stay high, and the rest off trail, when the trails go below 10,000'. I headed down to CA this two years ago to do about 60% of it, ended up doing more trail than off trail as my partner was just not up to the more strenuous off trail travel, but the parts of the High Route that I did were incredibly beautiful country. An area that a guy I met along an off trail "short-cut" of the John Muir Trail from Palisades lakes to Dusy Basin, mentioned a place called "Bear Basin", so-called because all the lakes are "Bears"...Brown, Black, White, Teddy, Big...he said "you gotta go there!". And so as the trip progressed, I figured out where "Bear Basin" was and we went there. Spent a lot of time along and around lakes at 12,000'+, many with golden trout up to 18" (I actually saw one this size!). I'm not a fisherman, but these lakes would convert me. Absolutely incredible territory, saw no one there, eye-popping views everywhere. And the opportunity to scramble granite peaks by the boatload. I'd go back in a heartbeat. I'm looking for some like minded people to travel with. I'd choose non-technical climbing just to keep from having to carry the gear. I know the area well, having traveled the Crest Trail through most of this in relatively early season (mid-late may), and of course the outing two years ago. Would do the southern 60% of this, with 1-2 caches/food-drops. I know all the logistics. I tried to put this together for last year, but it did not work out. I'm going this year... Could start as early as late July, more likely early Aug. I need to be back by Aug 28. I'm a now 56 yo alpine climber who still does some technical climbing, but I'd do this one as primarily a scramble trip. This outing looks easy, but is not for "hikers" as it involves lots of off-trail travel, generally class 2 but sometimes class 3. It requires people with climbing skills, comfortable moving with a pack over sometimes difficult terrain. Looking for 1-3 like-minded alpine enthusiasts to do this with me. I'd look for people who find the Bailey/Ptarmigan/Isolation Traverses to be fun alpine travel, who'd like to combine that with scrambling of big granite peaks, and fishing for trout at the end of the day. People who enjoy spending time in the alpine. Roper did a second edition in 1997, published by the Mountaineers (first edition was a Sierra Club Totebook in 1982), if you want to read more. PM me if interested

Imagine the Ptarmigan Traverse without the glaciers, but 5 times as long and at an average elevation of around 10,000'+. Granite peaks at 12,000' to over 14000'. In 1982, Steve Roper wrote about his version of the ultimate Sierra alpine traverse, called the Sierra High Route, covering about 200 miles of prime Sierra travel, from Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon Sequoia NP to north of Tuolumne Meadows, some on trail, when the trails stay high, and the rest off trail, when the trails go below 10,000'. I headed down to CA this two years ago to do about 60% of it, ended up doing more trail than off trail as my partner was just not up to the more strenuous off trail travel, but the parts of the High Route that I did were incredibly beautiful country. An area that a guy I met along an off trail "short-cut" of the John Muir Trail from Palisades lakes to Dusy Basin, mentioned a place called "Bear Basin", so-called because all the lakes are "Bears"...Brown, Black, White, Teddy, Big...he said "you gotta go there!". And so as the trip progressed, I figured out where "Bear Basin" was and we went there. Spent a lot of time along and around lakes at 12,000'+, many with golden trout up to 18" (I actually saw one this size!). I'm not a fisherman, but these lakes would convert me. Absolutely incredible territory, saw no one there, eye-popping views everywhere. And the opportunity to scramble granite peaks by the boatload. I'd go back in a heartbeat. I'm looking for some like minded people to travel with. I'd choose non-technical climbing just to keep from having to carry the gear. Ice-axes/crampons might be advisable, but possible not necessary. I know the area well, having traveled the Crest Trail through most of this in relatively early season (mid-late may), and of course the outing two years ago. Could be done in 4-5 legs, with 3-4 caches/food-drops. I know all the logistics. I tried to put this together for last year, but it did not work out. I'm going this year... Could start as early as July 1, as late as July 9. I need to be back by Aug 3 I'm a now 56 yo alpine climber who still does some technical climbing, but I'd do this one as primarily a scramble trip. This outing looks easy, but is not for "hikers" as it involves lots of off-trail travel, generally class 2 but sometimes class 3. It requires people with climbing skills, comfortable moving with a pack over sometimes difficult terrain. Looking for 1-3 like-minded alpine enthusiasts to do this with me. I'd look for people who find the Bailey/Ptarmigan/Isolation Traverses to be fun alpine travel, who'd like to combine that with scrambling of big granite peaks, and fishing for trout at the end of the day. People who enjoy spending time in the alpine. Roper did a second edition in 1997, published by the Mountaineers (first edition was a Sierra Club Totebook in 1982), if you want to read more. PM me if interested

Oh yeah, ditto Hanging Gardens, via canyon lake and Totem pass, Blue lakes....It's the "backdoor" to the Ptarmigan!!. Bath Lakes high route...

Isolation Traverse Start at Cascade River Rd, via Eldorado, Backbone ridge, Isolation Pk, Snowfield, out to Hwy 20 via Pyramid lake trail. Lots of stuff to scramble/climb, and no people once past Eldorado. Ditto Ptarmigan, Bailey

see also; http://www.alpenglow.org/climbing/ptarmigan-1953/index.html

see: Manning, Harvey, "Ptarmigans and Their Ptrips," The Mountaineer, 1958, p. 48.

Hosted by the Tacoma Mountaineers and University of Puget Sound Tuesday December 6 at 7:30 p.m. At the University of Puget Sound, Schneebeck Concert Hall Tickets: $5 UPS students/$8 general Tickets available at UPS Wheelock Student Center or call 253 879 3419

It'll be interesting to see the "huge revision" of the Bailey range....too much of what is in the guide on the Bailey is outdated and/or inaccurate. I'd never recommend the current guide (1st-3rd ed.) to anyone doing the Bailey.

I went in solo some years ago, around late Feb or early March. Hadn't intended to do Olympus, was interested in seeing what the route looked like from the end of the Bailey range over across the upper Queets basin to the Humes glacier. It was a stretch of cold clear weather, camped on the Hoh glacier the second night, went up to the saddle between the Hoh and the Humes the next day. What an incredible feeling to be in the middle of the Olympics on a clear winter day!! A profound sense of being out there. Went back and packed up camp, and on the way back, traversed past the East Pk, over the Middle Pk and to the base of the summit tower of the main Pk, which I did not climb. Descended to the Blue glacier, actually set up camp there, and then decided to move down to Glacier meadows shelter, as it seemed the weather was going to turn. Sure enough, got up in the night to pee, and there was about 8" of new snow. The glaciers were like sidewalks, hard and no cracks. Tom

Whilst out on the Isolation Traverse in the summer of 2004, saw one on what I think is the east ridge of Dorado Needle, as seen from the glacier just below and between Dorado Needle and Tepeh Towers, just southwest of the col between the two, on the Marble Creek side. Wouldn't have seen it, but camped at the base of the glacier, and needed to go back up to get my girlfriend's pack. Saw it as I climbed back up and looked northeast toward the col.

Years ago on my first attempt of the traverse of the N. and S. twin, one climber came up lame part way up the W ridge of the N Twin. We left him and just went up the ridge and came back. By the end of the day, I could see blood vessel (capillaries?) just below the surface of all finger tips. I really wanted to do the traverse (up the W Ridge of N twin, across to S. Twin, down W Ridge of S Twin, so recruited another partner and did it the next week. If I had not take gloves for that outing, I'm sure that I would have been bleeding on all ten fingertips. The rock of the range is exposed on the surface of the planet in only a few places, as it originates in the mantle layer. It is the most abrasive rock I have ever climbed. Take a look at it...tiny crystals embedded in a matrix, many hundreds per square inch, and very pointy. I have climbed this with water or light snow on it, good friction is never a problem. My first time there I discovered a place where I needed only to walk about two miles to get to the spur road leading up to the ridge. I also discovered that others had driven into the area. My second trip and third trips included driving into Dailey Prairie to that spur road. Gating issues later made getting in there a problem. I have friends that got locked in, had to wait until morning to get out. It's been a long time, but I'll bet that the little road end where I camped the first time, with a fire pit, is still accessible, and it's only 2 miles to the base of the spur road at base of W ridge from there. My notes from that time say "go past Acme, cross river, right on Mosquito Lake Rd. Go 9.4 miles to gravel pit, go through the pit and turn right immediately past the pit. Go 7.7 miles, then right at small turn-off. Camp spot after about 100 yds, dead end after another 200 ft. This puts you at the NE corner of Dailey Prairie. Walk from here about 2 miles to the spur road on up the the W ridge of the N Twin.

That's Dobie Gillis...