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Not Again!, Clark strives to maintain it’s reputation
Clark Mt. (8602', p1522')
Luahna (8450’, p720’)
August 26, 2011
Solo
Hot, real hot, sun, no clouds
The falling trees of Clark
Clark and Luahna have been on
my wish list for many years. Long before
even hearing of peak lists. My previous
reading was of the nasty White River trail, the trip being over glacier, and
taking three days. Then
BB, DC and Mike’s stories of several attempts and of trees falling around them
in a wind storm and a retreat.
Clark had built up a big reputation in my mind. And that was without the extra day I’d heard
some putting in for Luahna.
Since then I’d read several
reports, Matt’s and others gave a new light.
And the notion to do it in clear weather. Then TJ… now a dark cloud
and my thinking of the reputation again.
So finally, this year delaying over a month due to the heavy snowfall
and beautiful weather it was time. New
research and seeing old sheep herders trails on Routes and Rocks maps, hmmm. Maybe not as a biggy as I expected.
I had a three day
weekend. I blocked out two days for
Clark and Luahna and then to cross paths with Andy for Sherpa –another long
awaited trip and another story in itself.
Giants in the dark
This would be a long trip, so
wanted an early start. I car camped at
the White River trailhead. Oh, to get
there head east hwy 2, left on the Wenatchee river
road, veer left at the turn off to Fish lake.
Past the Ranger Station and Dirty Face TH road.
At the west end of the lake take the White River road (follow signs for “Tall
Timber”). Road diminishes after “Tall Timber” to rocky. End of road is the White River (FST #1507)trailhead.
An early wake up and hiking
in the dark at 4:45am. Walking up the well maintained White River trail
surrounded by magnificent giant trees.
Amazing the girth and size illuminated through the dark. The trail is
fairly flat with maybe 300’ up and down over Boulder creek at 3.8+m and in ten
minutes a right turn on Boulder Pass trail (FST #1562) (3.8m, c2360,
5:55a). It was light now and time for
the first mosquito of the day. Or is that, ‘let the fun
begin?’
Boulder Pass signage
Still in the cool of the day
I started the slow ascent up the Boulder Pass trail. In just over a mile the old camp at c4060’.
In another 10 minutes a multi branch creek crossing as the trees opened to the
open Boulder basin
Past the creek the basin opens. Boulder Pass is near the low point
–shade, a Chinook wind, smells of flowers and
views to Boulder Pass. What a great
beautiful morning. Just after 8:00 at
c5000’ the trail flattens and another camp with privy.
Luckily this is the east peak and lower than the main peak
Above where the Sheep Herders go
After a short breakfast break
I started up the trail. In a couple
minutes, a left on the old sheep herders trail (c5015’) across the meadow and
far side creek –filtered some water.
Cutoff to herder’s trail
The trail starts traversing SW
up the east side of the slope (west side of basin) becoming overgrown with
flowers.
Flowers and the herders trail
And now for some of the flowers
A switchback or so and the
first sun hit me of the day (8:36a).
Another twenty minutes the trail leveled at the next small basin with
patches of snow over the creek (9.5m, c5545’, 8:56a) –Hey, it’s supposed to be
near end of summer and still snow?
The first basin along the herders trail
Another ten
minutes and at another small basin (9.8m, c5730’). Not as nice as
the lower basin, hmmm, if I have to stay the night, the lower one would be a
great camp –I had a great option : )
The morning sun was now
intense. Amplifying
the feel of the Chinook wind and the rich flower smells.
And
more flowers (and bugs)
The trail led up through snow
and heather to a ridge (10.2m, c6170’, 9:30a).
The ridge had a wind lip of snow so I cut it uphill and tried going up
it. Not a good idea. Looking down I saw a trail lower on the east
side. Dropping to the trail for better
travel then onto the snow of the large basin on the east side of Clark’s
dividing south ridge.
The second basin up and the ridge to cross to the west
This was a real flower (and rock) trip
Looking NE to Boulder Pass
Over the ridge and up the Ledges
StefanF’s tr
made sense of heading to the flat on the ridge at c7200. Up the softening snow to the dirt and rock
ridge (11m, c7277, 10:55) for grand views to Clark in the NW. Looked just like all the numerous pictures
I’d seen.
Looking overt the ridge west to Clark –I took the lower ridge then up to the upper ridge
Rock formations are aiming the direction to go
Looking back to the gulley to descend next to (went climbers right of the snow
Exploring south a little I
found that the gulley I was looking down was the only viable option into the
western side of the ridge. I descended
the gulley on its left (south), mostly cl2 with a cl3 move lower down. Was easy to avoid the snow
and half way down it rolled left and down to its base (c7000’). I headed across dry rock and dirt dodging
some snowfields to the lower long upward sloping snow ledge direct toward the
main summit (donned crampons).
Looking east to the eastern summit
And NW up the traverse to Clark’s summit
Started following the goats
In an hour (c8360’) I
transferred up to the upper ledge, then up the steeper SE slope to dirt and
rock not far below the summit and in only 10 minutes from moving up to the
upper ledge was at the easily accessed windy Clark summit (via cl2 rock)
(12.2m, 8602, 12:45pm, 8hrs, 6845vert).
Clark summit ho!
Looking NE from the summit over the Clark Glacier
Benchmark on the side of the summit block
You can see the BM a little up and left of center
A rather involved summit reg tube
Buck Mt
Napeequa
Great sights and beautiful
day. I relaxed on the summit for 45
minutes, browsed the new summit reg art brought up last year. This peak gets many ascents compared to most
I’ve done lately. Took many panos, played name that peak. Not the risk in that game when nobody there
to correct or work on figuring some of them out. Now it’s been, which ones have I summited and
which ones to add to the list. It’d been
a good trip, some reading on my next destination and
off I went…
Around the bump and follow the 27 goats
I headed SW taking the second
gulley west from Clark’s summit. Cl3 with a touch of maybe 4 due to loose stuff.
From the west end of the Clark Gl looking east to Clark Mt. I descended the notch with the tower on the right
Looking up the gulley I
dropped down (on Clark)
Tedious rock scrambling down,
so thought a quickie to head over the ridge and onto the north side to shortcut
on the west side of the Clark Glacier.
Angles got steep so back I go over the south side of the west trending
rib for more ledgy and loose
rock fun. Past a flatter spot obviously
camped in recently (by SASH and group the week before). A
peak (7970) stands between Clark and Luahna on this ridge. Beta and a herd of 27 goats led me to follow
CW around about the height of the east saddle on typical alpine loose rock and
sparse heather. Below
to the south the wide basin of heather, snow fields and waterfalls –very
picturesque. Another
similar basin on the west side of peak 7970.
Heading up the SW side of Luahna
Looking down the route up the SW side of Luahna –came up left of the independent rock wall
Looking back to Clark Mt over the Richardson Glacier
Looking north up the Napeequa –Clark on the far right
Looking west to Ten Peaks and Glacier Peak (aka Yes! Peak)
Click and drag to interactive pan. Shift and Ctrl key to zoom in and out
From the south ridge I headed
NW direct to the SW flank of Luahna and up the SW side above the snow fields on
cl2-3 ledges. Though a ramp with a thin
fin wall on its outside (left) and to the comfy summit (~13.5m, 8440’, 3:20p).
The day was getting warmer
with a slight breeze helping to keep the temps comfortable. I lounged on the summit for 50+ minutes,
checking out the views, reading the reg and checking out staying another day to
go over and do Ten Peaks. Couldn’t
remember at the time if a rope was needed, so not too hot for it til I re-read
Fay’s recent tr.
A brief timeout for the rocks. All sorts of cool shiny rocks…
The rocks were as cool as the
flowers, or more so since these rocks you don’t see everywhere.
History repeats…
I was feeling good and he way
down should go fast. Hmmm, a ways back
to return the way I came. I read in
Eric Hoffman’s report he had located the old herders trail to Thunder Creek
trail. I had my Old Route and Rocks map
showing the trail and sounded nice to drop down it to the White River trail and
out. LOL, little did I know how the rest
of the day would follow. I figured I
play it smart and not get caught in the trap so many people have in the past of
going straight down and getting cliffed and slide
alder trapped. There was a good reason
the trail didn’t go straight down and why it hung over connecting to the
Thunder Creek trail. But, oh, so much
more I’d soon learn.
Heading down beautiful meadows (looking SE)
Looking up (north at 7970 and Clark)
Looking back up to Luahna (right side of image)
Dropped
down the basin below Luahna south finding a faint trail at c6060. Then a left on this trail heading east. The map showed the
trail below and on the west side of the ridge more east
under Clark. Around the first rib the
trail petered out into a broad meadow.
About 5:40, I found it again on the bottom of the flat lower end of the
basin west of Clark. Whew! I was in luck. I followed this solid trail
east to the next rib. Now
my choice. Follow it east, then up over the Clark south ridge to return to the basin I
thought would be a nice camp? Or being
early, plenty of time to get out by dark and maybe hit another set of peaks
tomorrow?
Looked like the trail…
I took a right on a cairned trail heading
down. Thinking this was the old herder’s
trail. The trail soon diminished to nothing and I was in a steep open flower
meadow. I rechecked the map. This is exactly where the trail should
be. I went down and again found a very well trod trail that headed down to the SW. It took me into a lower basin (c5600’) and
looked to traverse west. This was not
right (or so I thought at the time). The
trail on the map followed the ridge down and above 4500 to 4200’ cut west above
cliffs. Here I made the mistake. Believing a map, and not
the trail at my feet. The one on
the map was 500’ or so higher, so this couldn’t be it –ha, later found out it
was!
Hunters camp?
Back uphill I go into the
trees, a right on a bit of trail to a well dug in camp with large flat tent
sites dug into the hill and a giant fire
pit area –hunter camp? From here the
trail went down the ridge then petered out.
I zigged east then back west. It had to be here somewhere. I knew above 4200’ it’d cut west so with easy
forest descending I’d work west and intersect the trail. The going was getting less of what I
wanted. I was on a trail of sorts, and
with boot prints. Even found a water
bottle. I think this was the trail of
the lost. Ahead an open are proved to be
cliffs. Not right, I should have intersected the trail. To my right a continuously
waterfall healthy creek. I went
uphill 30’ and found a way across without having to wade. Then out of a thin 20’ stretch of alder to a
grand cliff overlook. I thought to
myself, “not so bad”. I descend to what
I thought was a trail –no dice. Now a
traverse without elevation loss as shown the trail would. A short extra nasty alder patch found me
hanging on feet dangling as I crossed a depression of a creek. Once out and again on some sort of faint game
trail I decided to head an angle upward.
I was low and now the trail would be above me. No use beating myself up on fighting the
alder since I knew no trail below and a substantial way still to get to the
White River trail. Also was the dangling
of large log walking uphill to avoid the alder. Well, the alder did have its fun with me and
I did go into “sailor mode”. Oh, my, those
words don’t belong on a hike…
A clear view to where I wished to go after the waterfall creek crossing
This last short bit down low
had eaten up way too much time. It was
now past 7:30p and would be getting dark in 40-60 minutes depending on trees,
angle… My hope was to hit the Thunder
Creek trail before dark. Poof, think of
something else and good things happen.
At c3900’ (17.5m) I was standing starring at a wide trail sloping down
to the southwest. This was it, YEAH! I’d
finally found the dang herder’s trail. I
wish I’d had the patience for more time and walked up to find where it opened
into the upper basins. Later, I’d learn
the map has the trail located on the long ridge. Looks like Eric Hoffman had found it on the
ridge to the west. And after later
reading the chapter in Routes and Rocks I would have hit the turn off if I’d
followed the trail though that lower basin (c5600’).
So…, home free… or was I
I made great progress down
this awesome trail. Man, if I’d taken it
from above I’d be most the way out, or at least I thought that as I walked
on. The terrain flattened and I could
hear a creek west –should be Thunder Creek.
Trail less for a couple hundred feet I worked through brush and easily
crossed Thunder Creek over a massive wide logjam. The devastation extended up the hill and I
luckily found the partially covered trail.
Logjam crossing at Thunder Creek
The upper Bachelor Creek
trail was good training. Now heading downhill on the west side and several hundred feet from
Thunder Creek on great tread. I
great weight lifted from me. I felt good
now on a trail, even with it occasionally being lost due to windfall. As the terrain flattened the trail
vanished. Easy walk to the White River
trail (18m, c2835, 30 minutes from crossing Thunder Creek) , but how would I
re-find this trail next year for Ten Peaks?
The Fabulous White River Trail – or – where the #$%& IS IT
The trail was flat, wide and
great. Cool, I was going to make great
time. It was 8:15 and not dark yet. Only
6.5-6.8 miles to the car, could be back late, but in 2 hours or less. Refreshed with filtered
water at a stream .4m from the turn off.
Then past a camp and over Thunder Creek in the dark on
a large log. Then the trees
opened. This is where the fun
began. What happened to the trail? Tall brush over head high.
Only way to find the trail was spread the brush and push a foot
ahead. Sounds easy, but this was slow
and tedious –and to rub it in, the brush was wet from dew. How long could this last? I’d hear a rushing sound and look down to the
parted brush to see a creek. Some work
not wading in it and even more figuring were the trail had gone. Wet, hard to find trail, oh, and
nettles… This went on and on. A large creek poised a crossing issue that
took time. I didn’t want to wade it in
the dark. If for some reason I was benighted, I wanted dry feet. Then a savior of trees. I saw many points in my notes stating brush
from hell over, as each time I found woods I felt I was home free. Only to find the trail fun repeated.
Getting late not a problem
When I was tired I could pull
out the stove, make dinner and the sleeping bag and catch shut eye. Was all worked up from the brush, so in no
mood to sleep. How could the trail be so
un-maintained when it was such a freeway up to Boulder Pass trail? Later, I read in Rocks and Routes, that even
in the 60’s the trail was not well maintained or used. Too bad, it leads to some nice areas to
explore. Would be nice
if some trail crew cleared it someday.
Less than a third of mile
from the Boulder Pass trail the meadow gives way to trees and the trail is a
nice walk. I’d been an hour and a half
to go the brush strewn mile and a half.
Holy smokes, am I ever slow! Enough of that, now I good tread I didn’t feel
like camping or waking to this trail.
Slower walking at night it took another 1h25m to walk to the trailhead
finally arriving at 11:20p.
Well, I’d made the trip in a
day, even with an overnight pack. But didn’t feel good, as it would have been sweet to bivy under the
stars as I’d thought in a high basin as I’d thought earlier in the morning. So many have had “issues”
on these peaks. I guess my story
is not an exception there.
Biggy here is as Bill would say, “there is not time for a
shortcut”. I’d read numerous reports of
people heading straight down. Even with
being armed with a map showing the old trail, I got some of their fun. At least I had it much easier than what I
hear many have had since I finally found the herder’s trail off the high basins
and Thunder Creek trail. Next time I’ll
take that trail herders trail east to camp in the beautiful basin and return
the easy Thunder Pass trail… or head over for an adventure into the Napequa…
A long day
and now feeling it. I decided tomorrow would be arrest day. And then on to more adventure. Well, the morning brought another story…
Happy Trails,
Franklin
Stats: 24.8 miles, 7683 ascent, 18 ½ hrs
Gear:
ice ax, crampons, brain
bucket…
Casual reading at the TH
Copyright 2011, FWB, all
rights reserved