Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
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The Jewell trail is well consolidated. There are snow bombs dropping off the trees but the trail is otherwise well broken out. There are a couple of stepover blowdowns and one bypass.
Above the treeline the cairns are difficult to pick out especially on a day like today. The Gulfside trail was also well consolidated but with some drifting.
I realized from the weather report that I had little chance of bagging Jefferson today but I thought I would give it a try. If the winds were as strong as predicted the plan was to turn around at the treeline.
The winds were never as high as predicted at least as high as the Jewell--Gulfside intersection.
The visibility when we reached the tree line was about 30 yards. It was just enough to give it a try. There was no sign of a bushwhack trail direct to Jefferson so we continued on up to Gulfside and turned north. We had reached the second of the two signs for a spring (neither of which was on my map) when I realized the wind had changed, no longer in my face but on my back. The faint and tantalizing view of the sun had disappeared and the visibility dropped to about ten feet. We were out there by ourselves. With some regrets but no doubts about the decision--we bailed.
Just as we got back to the tree line it started snowing--a confirmation.
Back at the car we met two other parties that had left the same time we did and who also bailed because of the fog.
That's strike one, but we'll try again.
[email protected]
Above the treeline the cairns are difficult to pick out especially on a day like today. The Gulfside trail was also well consolidated but with some drifting.
I realized from the weather report that I had little chance of bagging Jefferson today but I thought I would give it a try. If the winds were as strong as predicted the plan was to turn around at the treeline.
The winds were never as high as predicted at least as high as the Jewell--Gulfside intersection.
The visibility when we reached the tree line was about 30 yards. It was just enough to give it a try. There was no sign of a bushwhack trail direct to Jefferson so we continued on up to Gulfside and turned north. We had reached the second of the two signs for a spring (neither of which was on my map) when I realized the wind had changed, no longer in my face but on my back. The faint and tantalizing view of the sun had disappeared and the visibility dropped to about ten feet. We were out there by ourselves. With some regrets but no doubts about the decision--we bailed.
Just as we got back to the tree line it started snowing--a confirmation. Back at the car we met two other parties that had left the same time we did and who also bailed because of the fog.
That's strike one, but we'll try again.
[email protected]
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