pole creek?

[PhilomathSloth]

hey all, been a lurker on here for a while, finally came up with a question...

plannin on headin to middle or north sister in a couple weeks, anyone have any ideas to how pole creek road is?

[gapertimmy]

PM jlag, I think he was up there a few weeks ago. We did get some new snow this weekend, but not enough to really change road conditions.

[Mike_G]

A friend of mine climbed North Sister a few days ago and said you could drive all the way to the Pole Creek trailhead as long as you have a bit of clearance on your vehicle (pretty crazy for Feb!). But last night we got nearly a foot of new snow (above about 6000', I would guess), so I'm not sure what effect that had on the access.

[PhilomathSloth]

foot of snow, that would be nice! Thanks for the info!

[jlag]

Even with the new snow a 4x4w/clearance shouldn't have a problem. I was camping up there over the weekend and got dumped on, probably 12-15" at around 8000 feet. Good turns to be had on Sat and amazing turns on Sunday. Then we had to slog our way out and find the trail. Split board skin track available for all part-way up Chambers Lakes and up towards the Hayden. Thank god for the burly truck that put the track in up the road. Otherwise my Suby Legy would of had a hard time getting down in the freshiez.

[Kit]

Thanks MikeG and jlag.

 

I easily drove my Subaru to the trailhead on Thursday the 17th. Then Sat. night (19th) it snowed about 5 inches or so up there. PhilomathSloth and I headed up early Sunday and were still able to drive the Subaru to the trailhead albeit with chains. There were about five cars at the trailhead - folks who had stayed overnight. We skinned up to timberline just south of Soap Creek and got spooked by the snow on the open slopes so we only got a few turns in. The new snow was heavy/slabby and whoompfing and our Rutchblock failed easily.

 

On the way out Sunday night there was another new truck at the trailhead and we encountered traffic on the road on the way down including a family who decided to camp ON the road.

 

All the traffic up there is keeping a good track in the road so access should be good until the Big Dump finally comes!

 

Cheers

[InPlainview]

There is quite a bit more snow as of 3/24 . I took the 4x4 flatbed with duals up to the 5 mile post and walked around in about 15 inches of fresh. If I put on a load of wood and chained the outside rear duals I think I could get to the trailhead but a Subaru would not have the clearance for the fresh stuff up there now.The old ruts kept going but were well covered at the first main fork. I think it's 1560 or something like that. It has warmed up and is melting fast down here and probably up there too as the creek looked high again.

[cicleclimb]

What's the word on the road? Probably open by now right?

[InPlainview]

I got some wood permits today and the old bird at the RS said poeple are making it past the trailhead on 15. I thought they were as I saw a load of large diameter lodgepole on a pickup a few days ago. Most of the biggies are up there as 3 creek has been picked over after the big beetle kill recently. I may cruise up there tomorrow and and will let you know what kind of rig you need. I was thinking about going up the middle for a conditioning hike although weather has been moving through here quickly the last few days. The east faces of middle and north are still visible from my house but the south just socked in. The gates on rd. 16(3 creek) are still closed. I will update tomorrow.

Robb

[InPlainview]

The road is clear all the way to the trailhead with snow patches starting a little way up the trail.

[cicleclimb]

Excellent, thanks for the update