Dome Peak approach warning

[wotan_of_ballard]

A buddy of mine recently came out from Dome area via Bachelor Creek. In the past it's taken him 6hrs or less from Itswoot Ridge to the car, this time it took over 11 hrs because of the extensive avalanche debris for a mile. Some of the fallen trees were almost 5 feet in diameter. Perhaps a route can be found higher up to avoid this mess. Report back if you do!.

[Stefan]

I will be up there next week. Can you give me your friends email address so I know exactly where this avalanche debris is at, so I can find another way around?

 

Thanks.

[Carl_Skoog]

Here is some beta. Don't completely rely on the accuracy of the lines drawn on the map. Since they weren't measured on a GPS, and we were trying to get out of there rather than study the situation, it is only an approximation.

 

Bachelor Creek Trail

 

Travelling in the downed timber for now is only slow. You can make it a little easier by travelling along the "flow" lines and reducing the number of times you have to cross downed logs, since it looks somewhat similar to the blast zone from the Mt. St. Helens eruption. Once the brush starts growing up to fill in the area, it only is going to get worse (lots of sky exposed now).

 

The creek is running pretty high, and is larger than you can easily jump across, like you would ordinarily do during summer. We made a log bridge near the last stand of trees before it opens up (remember, we were going down at that point so it made the most sense since we could follow snow to nearly that crossing point). Even at that, we wore crampons on the logs, and would have had balance problems without using our ski poles. With all of those aids, it was reasonably secure.

 

You don't want to fall into the creek right now.

[Big_Wave_Dave]

Carl, way to go on the info. Perfect example of helpful BBS ettiquitte. As opposed to what I usually post.

 

This is going to cause headaches during Ptarmigan/Dome Pk. prime time this year. Perhaps it will restore to it's original splendor the anxiety that used to exist for Bachelor Creek trail in year's past. It seemed quite straightforward a couple of years ago. I hate when that happens and I'm looking forward to a good bushwack.

[JERRY_SANCHEZ]

Better yet please post it on this site so we all know where the avalanche is...

 

Thanks-

[David_Parker]

I have friends on the Ptarmigan traverse right now. That might suck on day 5 when they are thinking about beer and teva's!