(Banging out last week's TRs before leaving for this week.)
We spent the night at Big Rock campground with almost no company; kind of nice. Unfortunately it's quite close to the Kanc and bike week traffic was starting up so the earplugs got some use. Does the Forest Service get the extra $2 from not having exact change, or is it pocketed by ProSport?
It's a very quick car shuffle over to the Discovery trailhead (paved, pit toilets, site-specific kiosk, no picnic table, no fee) and the path down to the Hancock branch from the campground is quite obvious. After some scouting of the river we chose to cross right where the path comes in (smiley face rock) and mostly rock-hopped; I crab-walked on all fours and got a little water on my boots but didn't have to ford.
From here we took a map bearing on the 2000' contour of the ridge. I get the impression most people cross a little further downstream and indeed we didn't hit any herd paths, but the going was quite easy. We did see some trees marked up with orange spray paint; the 420 one made me think it was kids but then we found other three-digit numbers.
The herdpath really appears about where the ridge is defined at 2400' and is followable with some care until the ridge flattens about 3200'. After that it breaks apart and it's a matter of following easy going to the fairly obvious high point. We were pretty soaked by this point; it had rained the day before and nothing had dried out. At least the only truly thick stuff was near the very end.
The official 4k register was nearly full and starting to disintegrate (it was replaced the next day and the original sent to the 4K committee); we signed in as best we could and headed towards the west knob on a direct bearing. It was thick but occasionally herd-pathed until the col; staying on bearing and working around the worst seemed to do the job. After the col it was mostly very open except for one thick patch, then we came out on the very nice west plateau. The canister here is quite high and I walked straight under it.
On return we followed some herd paths quite a bit left (north) of the ridge; this made for easier going until right under the east knob, which was downright miserable. From here, being careful not to fall off the ridge to the left, we fell off to the right. The ridgeline really isn't in existence here until a few hundred feet down from the summit.
We looked a bit for herd paths or easier going on the way down, but it seems the best route was the ascent route, staying just on the left (northwest) side of the ridgecrest all the way down, even as the ridge curves right. We had to ford on the way out; either the water was a bit higher or we were tired. Easy ford, though.
This took a somewhat embarassing ten hours and it's hard to say how I feel. The truly thick stuff was pretty rare and it seems the blowdowns are starting to return to the dirt. It's still quite a bit of bushwhacking and the ground is covered with the blowdowns, making the footing a little tricky.
We spent the night at Big Rock campground with almost no company; kind of nice. Unfortunately it's quite close to the Kanc and bike week traffic was starting up so the earplugs got some use. Does the Forest Service get the extra $2 from not having exact change, or is it pocketed by ProSport?
It's a very quick car shuffle over to the Discovery trailhead (paved, pit toilets, site-specific kiosk, no picnic table, no fee) and the path down to the Hancock branch from the campground is quite obvious. After some scouting of the river we chose to cross right where the path comes in (smiley face rock) and mostly rock-hopped; I crab-walked on all fours and got a little water on my boots but didn't have to ford.
From here we took a map bearing on the 2000' contour of the ridge. I get the impression most people cross a little further downstream and indeed we didn't hit any herd paths, but the going was quite easy. We did see some trees marked up with orange spray paint; the 420 one made me think it was kids but then we found other three-digit numbers.
The herdpath really appears about where the ridge is defined at 2400' and is followable with some care until the ridge flattens about 3200'. After that it breaks apart and it's a matter of following easy going to the fairly obvious high point. We were pretty soaked by this point; it had rained the day before and nothing had dried out. At least the only truly thick stuff was near the very end.
The official 4k register was nearly full and starting to disintegrate (it was replaced the next day and the original sent to the 4K committee); we signed in as best we could and headed towards the west knob on a direct bearing. It was thick but occasionally herd-pathed until the col; staying on bearing and working around the worst seemed to do the job. After the col it was mostly very open except for one thick patch, then we came out on the very nice west plateau. The canister here is quite high and I walked straight under it.
On return we followed some herd paths quite a bit left (north) of the ridge; this made for easier going until right under the east knob, which was downright miserable. From here, being careful not to fall off the ridge to the left, we fell off to the right. The ridgeline really isn't in existence here until a few hundred feet down from the summit.
We looked a bit for herd paths or easier going on the way down, but it seems the best route was the ascent route, staying just on the left (northwest) side of the ridgecrest all the way down, even as the ridge curves right. We had to ford on the way out; either the water was a bit higher or we were tired. Easy ford, though.
This took a somewhat embarassing ten hours and it's hard to say how I feel. The truly thick stuff was pretty rare and it seems the blowdowns are starting to return to the dirt. It's still quite a bit of bushwhacking and the ground is covered with the blowdowns, making the footing a little tricky.
