West Ridge of Stuart

[Jarred_Jackman]

For those interested I did this route yesterday. It took 13 hours. The snow isn't an issue, don't take an axe, you'll find a little snow on the descent but not enough to warrant the extra weight. If you summit around 9:30 or so you'll be in shade the entire climb which was a big bonus as far as not sweating and not needing much water on the ascent.

 

I missed the Long's Pass trail, instead heading for Beverly Turnpike, then changed course and hiked cross-country and down hills 'til I was quite close to the parking lot, only finding the original trail at the sign about 300 yards from the lot.

 

For Long's Pass, do you turn right at the bottom of Cascadian then left somewhere along the way? I went straight, never turning right, and obviously that was wrong!

take care

[layton]

It doesn't exist. A huge practical joke set up by a joint venture between Beckey, USGS, and Green Trails. What you see from Stuart is an Optical Illusion. If you try and take that trail from the car, there is a pit w/bodies, skeletons, etc..

[Jarred_Jackman]

BW--I would say, as for the finish, there's a ton of ways to do it, I've summitted via that route 3 times and finished a different way each time, each one a different difficulty too. The finish on the south side goes up a near vertical double cracks with flakes and was the most fun.

 

Russ, I think I crossed that log jam. From the sign at the bottom of the cascadian, the one that says beverly one way and ingalls the other, which way did you go, I went the beverly way and must have missed something. I could see the pass but didn't see a trail, at least nothing as good as most of the trails back in there.

 

thanks

[russ]

Jared - I'm not familar with the Beverly Creek trail, but looking at the TOPO cd that sure looks like a lot longer way to go. As you're coming down Cascadian coul. and hit Ingalls trail, you go right (west) as you're going to Ingalls Lake. After a short while you reach a fork - right leads to Ingalls Lk, left leads to the log crossing and Longs' Pass. Sounds like the log you crossed on came as you went left (east) on Ingalls trail.

 

[ 08-10-2002, 05:35 PM: Message edited by: russ ]

[Jarred_Jackman]

Shit, I did go a long way out of the way, I went about 2 miles or so on the Beverly Turnpike trail when that same 2 would have probably put me at the top of Long's Pass, oh well, I saw some beautiful meadows and had a decent tromp through the woods. I would have had my topo but I'm moving and it's packed, bummer.

 

thanks for the info

Jarred

[BigWave]

Were headed up that way on Wed. Any beta to share? Does Becky nail it with the description? Which way did you take near the top?

[russ]

In the bottom quarter of Cascadian stay right and you pickup a nice trail that takes you to the bottom. (Either way) go right when you hit the trail, then take the left fork to the creek. Cross the creek on a log in a well traveled area, then it's up and over Longs.

[jaee]

Great job Jarred.

We were the group of 3 leaving the parking lot behind you. It took us 18+ hrs, but we did belay the upper pitches. That was a sweet pack you had. What was it, < 10 pounds? Definitely looked more comfortable than our loads w/ rope and gear.

 

When you come off of Cascadian, turn right when you hit the trail. After a few hundred yards there's a sign for Long's Pass to the left and a good creek crossing. There are a couple of trails that end up at the pass from that point.

 

We did the variation that starts on the W. Ridge above Goat Pass. It climbs a 3rd class gully and traverses right to join w/ the standard gully. I'd recommend this route, as it really seems to shorten all of the scrambling down low on the route. We were below LJT by 8:00 am.

 

We ended up soloing some 5th class stuff under Long John's Tower. I assume the proper route goes up the "broken ledges" on the left of the gully?

 

We also found the tunnel mentioned in some earlier posts. This seems to be the optimal way to get the "rising traverse". From LJT there's a small gully w/ a cairn close by on the right. We went up that a bit and followed the obvious ramp right. It appeared to dead end, but a handy cairn pointed out a tunnel that dropped thru to the rising traverse. Again, there are many ways that go. If it's brutal, back up and try again. Overall, a fine route.

 

We did the same cracks to the top. At the top of the second is a 5.6-5.7 crack w/ a fixed nut. This can be avoided by easier climbing to the left. This is above the first lieback crack at the end of the traverse. Both cracks are nice. Easy scrambling above leads to the summit block.

 

We downclimbed the rocks to climbers right at the snow gully below the false summit and ended up rapping down to the rocks when we got sick of downclimbing. After that it was just a few hours of suffering to get down and up and out. Another character builder.

 

There were also 3 guys that left the parking lot at 2:00 am for the N. Ridge. They topped out with us about 2:30 pm. They reported easy access to the ridge with very moderate climbing in the gully to access the upper N. Ridge.

 

< This looks more like a squirrel/racoon hybrid than a snaffle, eh? >

[JasonG]

Thinking of heading up this weekend for an early fall bivy on the summit. Any easy-access snow near the summit?? Thanks.

[Jarred_Jackman]

I doubt you'll really find any water sources near the summit this time of year. I would just carry a bit from the lake, it's not that far and you probably won't be needing all that much anyhow. Have fun, I've wanted to have a planned bivy up there for awhile, what a great place for the sunset and rise.

[JasonG]

If anyone is curious there is indeed an old snow patch just below the true summit on Stuart that lasted into late season this year (maybe a little heavier snow year than most though). As Jared said though it isn't that bad to carry water from the lake (we did). Beautiful area to bivy, even if a bit stormy!!

[Noway]

I don't care how long it took chestbeater, just post the details.

[ILuvAliens]

Longs pass trail(primitive) leaves the trail farther west towards Ingalls Lake(no more than a mile from cascadian conjunction) You stay left, cross an obvious log bridge over Ingalls Creek. There are no Signs. First time on Stuart, we hiked in at night. We didn't see the trail so we had to ford the talus slopes. Looking back we couldn't have been more then 30 ft from the trail. On the way out we were sucked into the beverly creek trail thinking it was our quickest/easiest way out(thinking there was no real trail to longs pass). Sadly mistaken. Longs pass is an OBVIOUS trail that zigzags down from just west of the pass.

[Lambone]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ILuvAliens:

Longs pass trail(primitive) leaves the trail farther west towards Ingalls Lake(no more than a mile from cascadian conjunction) You stay left, cross an obvious log bridge over Ingalls Creek. There are no Signs. First time on Stuart, we hiked in at night. We didn't see the trail so we had to ford the talus slopes. Looking back we couldn't have been more then 30 ft from the trail. On the way out we were sucked into the beverly creek trail thinking it was our quickest/easiest way out(thinking there was no real trail to longs pass). Sadly mistaken. Longs pass is an OBVIOUS trail that zigzags down from just west of the pass.

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Just because I can't stand bad beta:

 

First, how can the trail be primitive and obvoius?

 

There are signs at either end of the Longs Pass trail. One at the fork on the Teanaway side, and one at the fork at the ingalls creek side.

 

The fork in the ingalls creek trail, where there is a big sign nailed to a tree that says "Longs Pass -->," is barley a 1/4 of a mile upstream from the exit trail out of the Cascadian Couloiur.

 

Take a left and walk through the campsite area, go over the big tree, walk thirty feet back down stream through another poorley placed campsite, and take a right on the path that is a bit better than a climbers trail. Follow it up. Don't be missled by sucker trails up in the flats below the pass.

 

It's not that difficult folks. Brains must be fried after the routefinding on the west ridge...

 

[ 10-02-2002, 12:59 AM: Message edited by: Lambone ]

[ILuvAliens]

Lambone you punk!

 

Don't kid yourself... ...just cause your an ass.

 

When I say primitive, I mean it is not maintained. As you said yourself, "Don't be missled by sucker trails up in the flats below the pass." However, on my second trip to Stuart, we found the trail. The last few hundred feet to the top of the Pass are obviously seen from the top of Stuart. Or the top of the pass. I really said "OBVIOUS" just because once I realised the mistake we made on our first trip I laughed at our stupidity to not notice a trail down from the pass. We were so close.

Yes longs pass has a sign on the Tumwater sign, but that's is irrelevant here. I however don't remember seeing one at the Ingalls Creek cutoff. I'll take your word for it.

Anyways, I was just trying to point people in the right direction. I think it was better then anything else there at the time. Forgot, a pro like you, someone who has climbed the North ridge three times in a year, we should have came to you first.

Whatever. Thanks for the amazing beta on the trail description.

 

Don't be a dick.(You know I had to take my shots though)

 

It's not that difficult folks. Brains must be fried after the routefinding on the west ridge...

[Retrosaurus]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lambone:

Just because I can't stand bad beta:

 

...There are signs at either end of the Longs Pass trail. One at the fork on the Tumwater side, and one at the fork at the ingalls creek side...

---

Tumwater side? That trail must be a lot longer than I thought.

 

Alienz says there's a sign on the Tumwater side too.

 

And to think I have been approaching from the Teanaway. I could have saved myself an hour of driving time.

 

BTW: There is a sign for Longs Pass on Ingalls Creek trail, just like The Bone said.

[ILuvAliens]

The third side is not so obvious.

[Lambone]

No worries alien...we ended up in the wrong "cascadian couloir" on our first time. 'twas a long wet rainy night, and got really interesting when we had to self arrest on the steep pine needles while trying to avoid the dark ominoius death cliffs bellow. Ended up sleeping under a log in my pack that night. No fun.

 

At least we didn't have to "ford" any talus!

[chucK]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Retrosaurus:

BTW: There is a sign for Longs Pass on Ingalls Creek trail, just like The Bone said.

---

Where? Not if you're walking upstream on the Ingalls Creek trail there isn't. There's a "no campfires above XXXX feet sign soon before it. Are you thinking of that?

[Cpt.Caveman]

Take a map it'll save the headache if you are not familiar with the area or signs are not there.

[Lambone]

Yes chuck, there is. It is after the no fires/horses sign. I specifically remember seeing it two weeks ago. I took note of it because I didn't remember it from last time. It's right at the fork in the trail.

[chucK]

Right you are Captain!!!!

 

and ALWAYS bring...

 

a compass

flashlight/headlamp,

extra food,

extra clothes,

sunglasses,

first-aid kit,

pocket knife,

waterproof matches,

and firestarter.

[Cpt.Caveman]

chuck I dont endorse bringing all them items on a trip.

 

The only totally essential item is green and inhalable

[chucK]

Can't you just cache that?

[Cpt.Caveman]

Yeah right in my lungs Or you can grow backcountry plants