east to west olympic traverse

[Blakej]

I recently was looking at a full topo of the olympics and saw a possible route for a east to west olympic high country traverse but I haven't seen any beta of this ever being done or attempted. Does anyone have info. I've been told some of the areas I am looking at crossing just aren't worth brush crashing through.

[Blake]

might be helpful to describe what areas you are asking about, before you ask about them.

[mtn_mouse]

Its been done.

[Norman_Clyde]

Several trails cross the range, as you probably know. If you use the trail system, the length of the crossing varies from about 45 to about 55 miles. In other words, doable in a day if you were sufficiently motivated (and had a ride back to your car). There is no continuous high alpine traverse like the Bailey Range going east-west, since you would have to cross at least one river (Elwha, Dosewallips) on the way.

[mtn_mouse]

We ran from Dosewallips over anderson pass, to graves creek, and on to north fork in one day.

 

You can also go over hayden pass, up to dodger, through the baileys, out high divide, etc.

 

O'Neil expedition did it first in 1890

[faster_than_you]

Aside from the mentioned, I know these have been done:

Start at Staircase, and run to Graves Creek, either via 6

Ridge/Sundown Lake (shorter) or over First Divide, Oneil Pass and down to Enchanted Valley and out.

Start at the Dose, over Anderson Pass, out Graves Creek. If you're really burly, run from Graves Ck. to the North Fork of the Quinault, up to Low Divide, down the Elwha and out Whiskey Bend.

Begin Deer Park, down to Three Forks, up over Gray Wolfe Pass, out Dose. If you're burly, contine on over Anderson Pass and back to Graves CK. You could also cut south at Honey Moon Meadows and head out the Duck or out Staircase, again, burly.

[mtn_mouse]

Start at the Dose, over Anderson Pass, out Graves Creek. If you're really burly, run from Graves Ck. to the North Fork of the Quinault, up to Low Divide, down the Elwha and out Whiskey Bend.

 

Hey Faster_ Do you have any info on someone completing that run in a day? I tried it once, and got about 65 of the 85 miles until I crapped out. Not burly enough. Between myself and three others we tried that run four times, but never actually made it in one day. Each failure became a great story. It would be interesting to hear if someone did succeed.

[Blakej]

The route I was thinking of was starting at Mt Elk Lick and following that ridge white mountain and chimney then over to seattle noyes and finishing up in the bailey range traverse. basically an east to west s across the park.

[Lazyboy]

That sounds like a great trip. When do you plan on going? How many days do you figure it will take?

 

I have not heard of anyone doing the whole route as one trip but I have read reports about parts of it.

 

Does your intended route go over or around Mt. Anderson?

 

Here is a picture of Mt. Anderson taken from Fisher's Notch.

[Flying_Ned]

Sounds like he's avoiding Anderson and climbing out of the Enchanted Valley to Martin's Park and Low Divide via Christie. Also sounds like the plan is to avoid glacier travel. You may want a rope on that section between LaCrosse-White Mtn-Fisher's Notch. I believe it's not an easy traverse, but I'm just piecing that together from old memories of the area. I've not actually done it.

[Blakej]

Actually I will be hitting Anderson The complete tentive peak list is below. As for when I'm not sure. I am going to start scouting some of the ridges early april to get an idea of what exactly I'm getting into and I still need to gain some Glacier experience As thats one of my big weak points. I definately want to hit all the mayjor peaks along the route but I'm still in the research phase. Probobly won't happen at least till early next year though.

 

peak list

elk lick, lacross, white mountain, anderson, chimney, christie, seattle, noyes, meany, queets, barnes, childs, pulitzer, ferry, stephen and carrie.

[gabiot]

Hello Blackej,

 

Nice project you have here!

I would not be able to give you advice for the east part of your trip, but if you plan to summit your peak list, it will be something.

For the west part, if you like glacier travel, I would suggest a route I've taken with a good friend (and exellent mountain man) two years ago (only we did it the other way round: w to E):

roughly:

from the bailey range (queets basin), do the well known olympus traverse, when arrived at west peak, find a route down to Hubert glacier, then up the ridge connecting the Valhallas, then from the Valhallas drop down to the south fork hoh river. That with the Bailey range is one of the longuest above the tree traverse of the olympics, (with a nice forest traverse too!) but for very experienced personn only (you may be so?). Avoid it if you don't feel totally confident with route finding and physical hardship.

 

that traverse (with the bailey range added) is the best I ever had there.

 

Best regards,

 

Laurent.