98087 Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 (edited) Trip: Sloan Peak - Corkscrew via Bedal Basin/Lower Ledge variation Date: 8/23/2010 Trip Report: Hi folks. I've lurked for a while here. Lots of good info, so I thought I'd share finally. I did the corkscrew route on Sloan via Bedal Basin on Monday. Really nice route, not bugs, no people given the Monday date, lots of great views with the recent rains having calmed the prevailing haze, and nothing too sketchy for a solo venture. Highly recommended. Trail to Bedal Basin is very nice, and the climb above is easy going heather. No real bushwacking. I did it in 9 hours car to car. Photos taken, but I haven't figured out that feature here. Instead, here's a link to the flickr page: Sloan via Bedal Basin set -Matt Edited August 24, 2010 by 98087 Quote
Jason L. Posted August 25, 2010 Posted August 25, 2010 I wanted to ask you about how you reached the corkscrew at the top of the lower ledge scramble. We tried coming in from that way in 2007 and was met with rain and snow when we reached the top of the snowfield. We decided to turn around. Fast forward to last Saturday where we came up from the east side (cougar creek). Really nothing to add to your approach except all of the rivers have log crossings so no wet feet. Trail is a little brushy in parts but good camping around 5200'. Pictures from my trip below. I noticed we have a nearly identical shot of the bedal basin from above. Sloan Peak Quote
98087 Posted August 25, 2010 Author Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) There's not much snow left up at the top of the ledge, and most of the rock was dry. I had to do one low-angle belly-slide chimney stem on a short section to get off the ledges (& up toward the notch and goat trails), and also to get back down. Below the move was the broad ledge itself and one big snow patch as a backstop. It was a tricky move, but not too committing. That notch I came up ends almost exactly at the undercut rock visible on the lower left of your first picture of your team on the goat trails. The lower ledge's base is also free of snow for the most part, and that made for easy scrambling up once I found an appropriate way off the snowfield onto the rock. Some moating of the snowfields at their tops is occurring. Coming down was significantly slower, as the rock is somewhat polished granite and is downfacing. A lightweight rap cord could come in handy there. I wished I'd had one, didn't think I'd need it. Rapping there would just save a lot of time. Yeah your photo of Bedal looks really familiar. Looks like you had a great outing. Good photos! Matt Edited August 25, 2010 by 98087 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.