Crisler's Notch - Skyline to Queets Basin Shortcut

[blackhawk519]

Wondering if anyone has information about the route which Crisler used as a short cut between the Skyline and Queets Basin?

 

I did some exploring 2 years ago but ran out of time. I initially left Lake Beauty following the Sky Line trail toward Mt Noyes eventually leaving the trail at a good point I thought to gain the ridge to find a lake located at 47 43.683 N 123 36.667 W. I ended up leaving the Skyline trail too soon at 47 43.173 N 123 36.767 W and traversed north along the ridgeline bypassing peak 5363T and eventually going over the top of peak 5428T and descending directly down to the lake.

 

Upon reaching the lake I went north to the saddle and started to traverse along the northern side of peak 5482T dropping down following the wide contour lines. I finally stopped in the vincinity of at 47 44.088 N 123 36.519 W before having to turn back for camp. At this point there was a ravine filled with large boulders going steeply down and wooded area to my right.

 

I returned to the lake and then followed the ridge line down eventually joining the skyline in the vicinity of 47 43.443 N and 123 36.459 W.

 

Would appreciate if anyone has any information on this route and finding the notch then continuing on to Queets Basin. From what I remember reading....could be wrong on this but I think they could traverse using this route and make it to Queets basin in something like 5 hours. Thanks!

[Hoosierdaddy]

I, also would appreciate any info that exists on that route. I've scoped it out on Google Earth, but I'd love first hand information!

 

Several of us are in the early stages of planning for an 11-day trip into the Queets in the summer.

 

The thought of bushwhacking up the Queets valley for several days straight doesn't sound quite as appealing as only a 5 hour bushwhack.

[johndavidjr]

This is an interesting thread.

 

It seems obvious, however, that Hoosierdaddy's proposed project of "bushwacking up the Queets Vally," while an extremely laudable, but perhaps also an inadvisable idea, is entirely unrelated to Mr. Blackhawk's question.

[Hoosierdaddy]

This is an interesting thread.

 

It seems obvious, however, that Hoosierdaddy's proposed project of "bushwacking up the Queets Vally," while an extremely laudable, but perhaps also an inadvisable idea, is entirely unrelated to Mr. Blackhawk's question.

Not at all...I'm simply looking for additional information like Blackhawk is, on that shortcut between Skyline & Queets basin so that I don't have to bushwack. As for an "inadvisable idea", who are you to judge?

[OlympicMtnBoy]

You might try asking on NWhikers.net as well, there are some folks there who seem to have done some good Oly bushwhacking. I recall either reading something about this crossing either over there or in Robert Woods' book (excellent trail/route guide if you don't have it already). I've never been there myself though.

[blackhawk519]

I searched nwhikers.net as suggested but no related information came up for the notch that I could find. Have a friend who talked with someone from Port Angeles this summer.....but no contact info unfortunately who said they just recently did it. The last thought up until this lead was that the crossing at the notch was destroyed in an earthquake or slide but that doesn't appear to be true.

[johndavidjr]

Hoosier:

Possibly I misunderstood your post, or I'm completely mistaken, but I don't think a line from Skyline trail to Queets Basin would take you up the Queets Valley.

 

I've hiked the Queets trail for a number of miles past the ford, and actually, I'd find it an admirable achievement to hike the valley all the way to Queets Basin. So I guess I misspoke a little.

 

But meant to point out that Oly Mt. Guidebook says this route is of "limited value" as a Queets Basin approach. Robert Woods' book describes it in some detail, with similar comment as to its practicality.

[achykneesplease]

Last August, I did the Bailey and Skyline from North to South. I had the same plan as you and was given some beta from Mt Mouse (who had done the "shortcut" some years earlier).

 

Unfortunately, the visibility was terrible when I got to Queets basin so I went with plan B and dropped down the snowfinger. It was disappointing, but after having just spent the last two days wandering through the clouds, I couldn't bring myself to attempt the shortcut. On the Bailey, you can generally find a boot track to let you know your on route. I doubt if the "shortcut" is done more than once or twice a year.

 

In any case, Mt Mouse posted his beta on a thread I started back in October of 2006. Try doing a search with the terms "Bailey Skyline" and you will come up with the thread. I'm sorry, I don't know how to post a link directly.

 

I think I will give it another go in 2009, but will budget 2 days to go from Upper Queets basin to Beauty Lake. Five hours seems way too optimistice (at least for an old geezer like me).

[jmhalange]

From Skyline to Queets is a good route. I've done it twice and would do it again. Leave the trail before you go down the switchbacks and go past the tarn east of 4228' peak. Traverse down NE into Saghalie to 4400'and then back up NW to the pass east of peak 5770'. Good camping at 4400'. I then went down drainage to about 3000' and followed the Queets up to the basin. You can also go over the notch by peak 4529'. I haven't done that, but friends have. We went from Lake Beauty to Bear Pass in a day and the out by way of Dodger Pt to the car the next day. Also went from Queets Basin to Jeffers Glacier and out the Queets River. Also a very good trip.

 

Good Luck

[mtn_mouse]

Nice to hear you got a big hike in Achy. I agree, when the visability is bad, it is best to go out the snowfinger. Our hike had perfect weather, and it was easy to be drawn on and on. When we linked the Queets basin with the Skyline trail, we ascended way up Mt Queets, going over the west shoulder. It seemed then, and it seems now that we must have gone way higher than we needed to. A lot of gain and loss of elevation, and some more difficult terrain than was desired. We followed a really nasty chute on the south side while descending. Ted did a nice summersault with his pack on, and we were concerned he would do a screamer. But everything worked out;, he still is the clumsiest person I know. I wonder if we could have contoured to the west without having to gain and lose all that elevation? I'll bet Crisler had a lower traverse. We got into a nice basin south of Mt Queets, and went up to climb Mt Meany. Then we continued into Saghalie creek basin by following a really easy contour around to the west on elk trails and open meadow land, and up to the Skyline. This was several years ago, so I don't remember landmarks, but it was quite easy leaving the upper Saghalie basin up to the trail, and we were so relieved that the route came together nicely. We did not come out at Lake Beauty, but north of it a bit.

 

The weather was so good, we continued on to low divide, and resupplied (we worked for ONP at the time). Then continued into Martin lakes area, descended into Rustler creek, up to bretherton pass, and tried the ridge to Chimney peak. Somewhere along that ridge we came to our senses and descended into the upper Godkin creek. This was an interesting area, the creek was completely subterrainian, and did not surface for quite some time. We walked out Godkin creek to the Elwha trail and then back to Whiskey bend. What a great 10 day trip!

Here is my post from last year:

 

"I've done a traverse onto the skyline trail from the bailey range by dropping into the basins on the west of the ridge completely staying away from the elwha. From queets basin, go up the queets glacier for a while, and drop over a shoulder on the west side of mt. queets, don't need to do the summit. Then drop into the unnamed basin. We then scrambled up to climb mt. meany for a side trip and then returned to the basin. Continue contouring south, on the west side of the ridges at about 4900-5000 feet, into saghalie basin. Then ascend a gully, up to the skyline trail, just north of lake beauty a ways."

[mtn_mouse]

. I then went down drainage to about 3000' and followed the Queets up to the basin. You can also go over the notch by peak 4529'. I haven't done that, but friends have.

Good Luck

 

Sounds like you found a better route than going high over Mt Queets. I'd like to try your route.

[seaportguy]

A couple of years ago three of us went into Muncaster Basin and worked north hoping to exit out along Delebarre/Taylor, Martins and Skyline. Delebarre looked too sketchy for us and so we camped a couple of days high on the west shoulder of June 10 Peak and then tried to work around to the north along the west slopes of the peaks between June 10 and Chimney Peak to the headwaters of Pyriets Creek. That was a big mistake. I think the way into the Pyrites drainage is to go over a high pass just north of June 10 and then work a long east facing sidehill toward Chimney. Instead we went around the west side and found ourselves in a real tough trek. Very thick, lots of gullies and cliffs, we found ourselves climbing up 800 feet and stopped, then down 600 feet and criossing sketchy gullies then up then down. Took us at the end nearly five hours to go a quarter mile. It seemed there wasn't a way way up high and we were thinking if we dropped too low we'd drop into the Godkin drainage, so we fought the sidehills all day. Many places you couldn't see three feet, and steep too. Finally at dusk got out of this brash and camped on a lovely small basin just south of Chimney Peak overlookign Godkin and the east fact of Delebarre. It looked like you could drop easily down into Godkin from here. The next day we hiked over a small pass above the basin and worked down Pyrites to the Quinault, though that trek was an adventure too. I am wondering if the statement "Somewhere along that ridge we came to our senses" refers to the same delightful terrain we experienced so directly two years ago. I'm really inetrested to knowq what the correct route really is between Pyrites Creek drainage and the Ruslter drainage and Muncaster area....

 

Seaportguy