Mount Taylor?

[johndavidjr]

Does anybody have info on this mountain? I was also wondering about traverse from there to Quinalt E. Fork. I gather Taylor is crux of hike?

[Flying_Ned]

The traverse you're asking about is pretty difficult. I solo'd this 2 months ago and was pretty beat up upon reaching the E Fork Quinault at Pyrites Creek. Here's a quick TR.

First Day: PM start at NF Quinault, 7 hours of trail to nice camp on the gravel bar at Sixteen Mile.

Day Two: Continued on to Low Divide and Martin's Park; lounged around Martins Lakes. Early September freeze overnight.

Day Three: Up EARLY and hiked to Christie Col to scout and have breakfast. Steep sidehilling and heavy timber made the approach to Mt. Taylor very difficult and taxing. Gained the talus field on the WSW side of the mountain where 3 couliors lead to the W ridge. Took the Easternmost (approx 1200'), which is closest to the summit (other two appeared to lead to exposed ridge climbing with potential impasses). At the head of the chute a tree helped surmount class 3-4 open book to the ridge where you cross over to the snowfield on the North side. This leads very straightforwardly to the summit. Avoid the moat by traversing East. Continueing East, follow the steepening snowfield on the left (NE) until it falls away and you can cross over to the SW side and descend slabbly and loose rock (I had some trouble here going too low)as you traverse. Fairly easy travel to Bretherton's Pass and Lake Danton once you get off the ridge. This day took me 14 hours, camp to camp, traveling cautiously without a partner over difficult terrain.

Day 4: Rested. Took a daytrip to the Muncaster Basin area. Several Bears and Deer up high. Moved Camp in the evening to the head of Pyrites Creek.

Day 5: Slept in late and got a noon start decending Pyrites Creek. Took 5 hours on the descent nursing a tweeked knee. Met my ride on the Quinault at the appointed hour and we enjoyed several cold beers before I collapsed for the evening.

Day Six: Walked out from Pyrites Creek camp.

 

I would recommend that you get yourself in peak condition for this trip. The offtrail terrain is not easy and routefinding adds a little fatique to the endeavor. Beautiful country with spectacular views all along the way, especially in the Mount Christie area, Muncaster and upper Pyrites.