[TR] Dakobed/Napeequa Loop - Clark Mountain 07/04/2018

[curtveld]

Trip: Dakobed/Napeequa Loop - Clark Mountain

Trip Date: 07/04/2018

Trip Report:

A few pics from a very scenic 5-day loop through the Dakobed Range in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. We picked it because it was one area neither Andy or I had been to and it had a pretty good forecast. From the White River trailhead, we camped at Boulder Pass, Butterfly Butte, Napeequa Basin and at the Thunder Creek/White River junction. You can connect the dots.

Very sleepy area – we followed animal tracks nearly the whole way but ran into only one group of humans over a holiday weekend. Mostly off-trail travel and even parts of the 'trail' were pretty schwacky. A great trip through classic North Cascades terrain.

On the trail to Boulder Pass, near the Sheepherder Trail takeoff

View from Boulder Pass into the reclusive Napeequa Valley

Walrus Glacier on Clark Mountain, in great early season condition. 

Clark summit with Dakobed

Clark from Butterfly meadow camp.  We descended the Richardson Glacier on the left

Looking up the Pilz basin, Luahna up there somewhere....

Butterfly Camp with Buck Mountain in the distance

Heading out of Butterfly camp to sidehill to Napeequa Basin

Napeequa basin, very austere

Freeze dried ice cream bar - Oh yeah!

Climbing to the pass at 7750'

Descending through the fog into Thunder Basin we spooked this nanny with her kid tucked behind. Pretty sure Andy was going to get gored for this photo! One piece of advice: Do not attempt this descent without the Routes and Rocks beta!!

Thunder Basin with Tenpeak up on the ridge (maybe net time). Waterfalls everywhere and much lusher than Napeequa basin.

Just in case you get the idea it was all lovely alpine rambling....it was not!

Some big trees in the White River valley, ferocious skeets too.

Gear Notes:
Usual backcountry and glacier gear, beta (topos, Fred, Routes and Rocks). White cotton dress shirts provide stylish protection from sun, brush and bugs. Bug hood came in handy too.

Approach Notes:
It's all approach really

Edited July 15, 2018 by curtveld
inserted phots

[JasonG]

Did you camp at that spot in Thunder Basin?  One of my favorites.  How is the brush tunnel out of there?  When we were there many years ago some hunters had done some hacking so it wasn't so bad....The White River trail was super brushy though.  Still is?

That is a great and lonesome corner of the range, nice work!

[curtveld]

We didn't camp there, just stopped for lunch - yeah super beautiful place.  The hike to the valley wasn't too bad, though no picnic. We did find bits of old trail and intermittent pink ribbons.

The White River trail is maintained reasonably well to the Boulder Pass turnoff.  After that, lots of brush tunnelling, though not terribly hard to keep on the tread.  I think the FS gave up maintaining it after they lost another bridge across Thunder Creek. Amazingly, there is a decent foot log that just happened to fall at the perfect spot. Despite the challenges, it's still on the map and gets a bit of foot traffic.