Return from Hannegan TH to Ross Dam

[seano-]

I may want to get my exhausted self from Hannegan Pass TH back to my car at Ross Dam sometime in the next week. Would that be doable with a combination of hitching and public transit, or do I pretty much have to arrange a ride?

[JasonG]

With enough time, all may be possible. But I would give it a full day at least. A ride would be much better, but understand that it is hard to gauge when you may be coming out on a long Pickets? traverse.

[seano-]

I don't mind taking a day to make my way around, and hate taking a whole day of someone else's time (120 miles between trailheads, plus getting to and from them). I would be either reaching Hannegan within a 6-hour window, or retreating to Ross Dam. It looks like I can get from Peaceful Valley to Concrete by bus, but that still leaves quite a bit of ground to cover.

 

I would rather avoid the shuttle entirely, but the exits from Challenger to Ross Dam (e.g. Eiley-Wiley, Luna Col) look much longer than to Hannegan, and harder to do at night, even with a full moon.

[JasonG]

The upriver portions may not be bad to hitch if you've figured the rest out by bus (the i-5 corridor and lower valleys are the worst to hitch). It is summer and lots of cars, plus people up there are used to hitchhikers. I think you're chances are pretty good, esp. if you make a sign!

[seano-]

Alright, this is crazy enough that it just might work... Leave Ross Dam just after midnight Sunday, get to Hannegan pre-dawn Monday, hitch to Maple Falls by 11:00 to catch the bus, and I'll be back at the car for a late dinner.

[DPS]

I agree with Jason, hitching a ride from Hannegan TH to HWY 20 at either Burlington on I-5 or Sedro Wolley on HWY 9 would be pretty easy. Lots of Seattle based climbers heading back that way from climbing Mt. Ruth or something. I've picked up folks at that TH before, and had no problems hitching rides out of the mountains.

 

The crux will be heading down HWY 20. Not sure if public transportation would get you there. Maybe stake out the Haggen grocery store in Burlington looking for climbers/hikers stocking up on rations and get a ride that way?

[seano-]

Too late -- I decided I didn't want to mess with hitching, so I went in Access Creek, out Eiley-Wiley Ridge, and back to Ross Dam. It was a pretty brutal 28.5 hours, especially the part bushwhacking down to Beaver Pass by headlamp, but it got the job done.

[JasonG]

Ha! We came out of there a few weeks ago and it was no fun by daylight. I can imagine night being terrible! How was the smoke?

[seano-]

Pretty bad in the morning -- I could hardly see the MacMillan spires from the top-out of Access Creek. It got better in the afternoon, but was still probably not too healthy.