Road to Green Giant Buttress

[Crillz]

After this winter, is the road any shittier than it was last year?

Do I need to bring an ax for any low branches?

[jshamster]

pure speculation 'cause i haven't been that far up the road yet, but i would say it's about the same as last fall. there was no real snow that low. iirc, dreamer got climbed in february or so. axe, limbing saw, chainsaw are all good things to have in your rig anytime you go to the wilds of dtown.

i'll be out there all weekend & can provide updated conditions after.

 

cheers

jimbo

[hanman]

I was up there in early March-

 

Our autumn work was well preserved- should be all good- I always throw an axe and shovel in for good measure as Jimbo suggests-

 

MH

 

[Crillz]

:tup:

 

[curtveld]

Was up there yesterday and it is pretty much the same. Crux is passing the giant log.

 

There was considerable wetness on the buttress but it should be drying quickly.

[keenwesh]

is the giant log like 100 yards past the 3 o'clock rock turnout? I drove past it thinking it was a wrong trailhead cause I have the shitty smoot guide that says the trailhead is the "squire pass trail" it's eight mile. anyway, how bad is it to the green giant? would a 2wd volvo get it's shit rocked? should I get my friend to take his subie forester?

[genepires]

as of last summer, the forester would get a real beating. You can drive for a while, maybe a mile, before it got real rough. We managed to hitch a rid in a ways but that truck got real beat up. Even though it was rather extreme "fun", I am glad it wasn't my vehicle.

 

I would say take the forester but at first sign of it getting bad, park facing the drive home.

[keenwesh]

how long does the hike in take with the extra road hike? also, are there any turnouts up there? I just kinda bashed into some trees to turn around in my friends dads infinity. ha!

[Pilchuck71]

I THINK it took Curt and I a little over an hour to hike in from the spot we parked.

We only went as far past the Three o'clock trailhead as the first major pull out to the left side of the road on your way in. Maybe 1/4 mile but probably a little less.

I don't think the small amount of extra walking is worth beating up your vehicle to avoid.

Actually I really only minded the extra walk on the way out. That is when I felt like it was a long way.

 

[keenwesh]

an hour from where you parked to the base of dreamer? that's not bad at all!

[genepires]

there are spots for a 12 point turn around for long bed pickup trucks. Car can probably do it in a 3 point turn without bashing trees around.

 

from where we parked, (might have been the 8 oclock TH. We should have persevered a little longer but we like our vehicles too much) it was a mile or so of easy walking the where the road got real beat up. Then we got the ride but the going was real slow so we probably didn't save much time. I can't remember the exact times, but allowing 2 hours for all of the approach seems right and conservative.

Edited June 13, 2010 by genepires

[keenwesh]

yeah, I just google earthed the approach, looks like a little over 3 miles from 8 mile. gotta get a good weather window, don't want to fry on the slabs in the sun...

[Pilchuck71]

an hour from where you parked to the base of dreamer? that's not bad at all!

A little over an hour.(which considering I don't wear a watch could have been more like 1 1/2 hours or so )

We walked fast, no screwing around.

planning on 2 hours is a good idea.

Not fry on the slabs? You would be missing out! Just bring water and relish the heat.

My last two trips to D-town have been driving there in the rain, walking in the rain, climbing right after the rain and wishing it was hot!

[Pilchuck71]

. Then we got the ride but the going was real slow so we probably didn't save much time.

 

This was discussed on our walk in.

I think you are right.

It is easy walking as well so, there you go.