Raod to Deception Pass TH (Mt Daniel)?

[pup_on_the_mountain]

Does anyone know whether the road (NF 4330) is drivable all the way to the Hyas Lake-Deception pass trail-head? Are there any washouts?

4WD/high clearance required?

 

TIA!

[Paul_K]

FWIW from the Wenatchee Forest web site -

 

"Fish Lake Road #4330 is open to passenger cars to Scatter Creek. There are eight washouts beyond Scatter Creek; high clearance 4X4’s have driven to the end of the road."

 

[ashw_justin]

I was up there on June 3rd. The only obstacle was a washout at Scatter Creek, ~3 miles(?) from the trailhead. We walked from there, but others with big trucks (and one Ford Explorer) were able to drive through the creek.

 

Here is a picture from the morning, at low flow.

 

Josh at cascadecrusades.org has a picture of the creek at the end of the same day, at much higher flow (daytime snowmelt).

[pup_on_the_mountain]

Thanks for the updates.

 

Phew. . Yet another climb that has a bunch of road to walk this year. Mmmmm... Cascades!!

[kurthicks]

take your bike Bala!

[Bug]

The road is now passable to most vehicles.

There is still a slightly deep water crossing at Scatter Creek.

I didn't try to cross it with my Toyota Paseo but a car similar to mine made it.

The extra three miles along the lake is a nice stoll anyway.

[Bug]

Went up to East Daniel over the weekend. Packed up Friday about noon and left the trailhead about 3. A Subaru gave me a ride from Scatter Creek as I was not sure my car would make it through.

I wandered slowly up to Peggy's pond and bivy'd about 9PM. The weather was overcast and I was right at snow level. The snow was still a few feet deep but melting quickly.

The next morning I woke to partly cloudy skies and rolled out of bed. There were two guys below me by the tracks. After they left, I packed up and headed up too. It warmed up quickly as the clouds parted. The snow was still soft under a one inch crust and the crust was melted by 10AM. I followed some old tracks up the bottom and cut into the newer tracks at the top of the circ at the base of East Daniel.

From there they cut up right and gained the ridge. They then cut back onto the face and continued up.

I cut straight up without going to the ridge to avoid the bergschrund they negotiated. We met on top and they turned back soon after. Was it my breath? I was on my way to Marmot lake so I dropped off the west side.

When I got down to where I could see the notch to Marmot it was clear that it was not an option. The snow was way too soft on steep slab. So I bivied and waited for the next day.

The next day dawned grey and overcast. There was a dusting of snow.

In spite of the colder weather, the crust was still only an inch and a half thick with 3 inches of slush below. Besides that it was often almost zero visibility. So I dropped off the east side in the circ north of Peggy's pond. There were some interesting route finding problems complete with waterfalls, a bear den, and the obvious wet cliff bands.

Eventually, I ended up at Hyas Lake where I built a fire and dried out. My legs are tired and all my gear is wet.

Success.

Edited June 25, 2007 by Bug

[pup_on_the_mountain]

I think we might've met you on the trail on Friday. We were

the group of two (Indian) guys coming down. You talked to

us about Lasik...

 

We had a fun day as well. We walked the road up and down. It

was the first climb in the Cascades for my friend - a good

intro climb, complete with the extra road walk .

 

 

[Bug]

Yes, that was me (Montanan). I still like my lasik.

Especially after Sun AM in blowing fog, snow, rain, sweat, and glissading spray.

I saw your tracks over to main Daniel. Nice job!