Twin Sisters Range Traverse Question

[Dru]

What's the total time required for this? Can you do it as a 2-day with a car at each end? I have only done N Twin. I would like to go N-S.

[layton]

dru you could probably do it in a day, two days ez. no, i haven't done it. the 1st two will take about 1/2 the day, the others should go by VERY quickly. (i've done the N and south traverse by myself one cold lonely day and had to bivy cuz of a whiteout). the ridge b/t the two is really shitty, but easy.

[Dru]

cool

 

what about in winter? not that it's winter right now, but is it good then too?

[layton]

that hasn't been done yet actually. I tried it a few years ago and got TOTALLY hosed on the approach. of course we went during a major dump. took us 9 hours from the car to about 1/2 mile from the mountain! then to add insult to injury my friend Tim comes skiing up behind us with his dog and said, "hey thanks for packing down the trail guys!" Then to add salt in that wound, Tim writes a monthly column in the bellingham herald called, "outward hound" and wrote, "conditions were great thanks to two hikers ahead of me" Then my partner lied to the American Alpine Inst and said we did it in those full conditions (thinking they'd get his joke) they didn't and now think i'm either a total liar or totally hard core.

[ashw_justin]

In winter, with enough snow I'd probably want to do it south to north, skiing or snowboard all of the north faces. The first time I tried something of the sort I retardedly packed way too much extra stuff and worse, actually used a lot of it (like a 60 meter rope... which was out of the pack for a total of 5 minutes and not even to rappel--don't ask, I was finding my anti-Twight and had too much time on my hands).

[Bill_Simpkins]

Dallas Kloke did all but the last two little peaks.

There is a bivy spot between Skookum and Hayden Peak.

The did one rap between the South Twin and Skookum. You can bypass that by going down the West Ridge of the S. Twin a bit then travering on the west to Skookum.

The south gate is closed.

I tried a car to car traverse on Memorial Day weekend by myself, but I got part way up and heard shotguns down by the parking lot and there was a couger on the trail. I was tweaking, so I headed back to BBQ's and cold soda. I noticed on the way out the gate was closed, but unlocked.

I've been planning on 2-3 days because I want to scope and climb other things on the way. The bushwacking can be pretty bad south of the West Ridge of the South Twin. There is plenty of water. The logging road slog to the south end of the range is endless. I'm going to try again this Sunday and Monday.