[TR] Norton, Wilder, Dana, Barnes, Childs, Ludden,Scott - Elwah to Bailey to Dodger Point to Elwah 8/4/2007

[obsydian]

Trip: Norton, Wilder, Dana, Barnes, Childs, Ludden,Scott - Elwah to Bailey to Dodger Point to Elwah

 

Date: 8/4/2007

 

Trip Report:

Three of us took a 6 day trip to bag several remote peaks in the Olympics. Norton, Dana, Ludden & Scott are climbed about once every 3 or 4 years according to the registers. The views were fantastic from these seldom climbed peaks.

 

Day 1: Started at Whiskey Bend, 17 miles to Hayes ranger station.

Day 2: On up trail, dropped main packs and climbed Norton, then on up to Chicago Camp.

Day 3: Up trail past Happy Hollow, then left trail for cross country travel up ridge between Barnes and Wilder. Climbed Dana and Wilder, camped on ridge, long day.

Day 4: Climbed ridge to Barnes and then camped below Bear Pass.

Day 5: Hiked South on Bailey, climbed Childs, exited Bailey at Ferry on Ludden Ridge, climbed Ludden, then camped at Scott/Ludden saddle.

Day 6: Climbed Scott, then traverse to Dodger Point, hiked back to trailhead.

 

Found route descriptions and times in Olympic Climbing Guide lacking, here are some additional notes:

 

Norton: Leave trail just South of Leitha Creek, head up ridge to 5900', traverse North and then Northeast to gain ridge South of Norton, follow ridge to summit, about 6 hours RT.

 

Dana & Wilder: Leave trail West of first major creek after passing Happy Hollow camp, steep climbing through brush and trees to ridge between Barnes & Wilder at 4900', took 3 hours for 2500' with full packs. Dropped packs and ran ridge to Dana, then back to Wilder, took 9 hours RT, a lot longer then we thought.

 

Ridge to Barnes: class 3 moves near summit of Barnes, took 5 hours with full packs, needed to bypass part of ridge between peak 6024 and Barnes to South.

 

Scott: Avoid rock face of false summit by staying right, then gain false summit, left of final ridge until last few hundred feet, then stay on ridge to summit.

 

Posted several pictures and more details here:

Olympics Summit Fest 2007

 

Really nice to climb these remote peaks, the views were awesome.

[olyclimber]

Awesome!

[PhilU]

Very cool! How is the route to Dodger point? Straight-forward? Tricky?

[obsydian]

Very cool! How is the route to Dodger point? Straight-forward? Tricky?

 

The way to go is straightforward, but the descent from Ferry is somewhat hairy, very steep with no trail, some rocks jutting out to climb down through, very doable if OK with exposure.

[Animal]

Looks like a grat trip! Way to go on getting some remote peaks!