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Bailey Traverse Aug 22-28 2009 1 - 192 of 192 Total.
enlarge 138KB, 376x640 1 Click on pic to enlarge The Olympic Mtns Bailey Range Traverse.. Sol Duc to North Fork Quinault, circumnavigating Mt Olympus north to south.. This is our GPS tracked route.. our distance covered was ~65 miles in 8 days..   Total elevation gain according to my GPS was 24,486 ft enlarge 120KB, 640x480 2 Sol Duc trailhead.. looking fresh & clean.. & no blisters.. it wouldn't last..  My buddy Dave (left) talked me into this..  pack wt just over 50 lbs enlarge 113KB, 640x480 3 The above 'Begin Bailey' is about 9 miles in from the Sol Duc trailhead.. but the Bailey really begins at the Catwalk, a fairly exposed ridge of rock and goat trail.. hundreds of feet down on each side.. it's 13 miles in.  I took this photo while on Childs glacier looking back from where we had come enlarge 102KB, 640x480 4 Looking towards the southern portion of the Bailey Range.. after crossing the Catwalk enlarge 124KB, 640x480 5 A cramped camp at Heart Lake.. The next morn Dave & I turn left when everyone else turned right.. enlarge 80KB, 640x480 6 enlarge 166KB, 640x480 7 Day 2 starts enlarge 85KB, 640x480 8 One last look at Heart Lake and Sol Duc Park... at one time planned to be a ski area.. I guess, a remote ski area enlarge 115KB, 640x480 9 Mt Olympus massif enlarge 67KB, 640x480 10 enlarge 70KB, 640x480 11 end of the trail.. time to climb straight up to find the way to the Catwalk enlarge 121KB, 480x640 12 Our first look at the Catwalk from high above.. after a 150 ft scramble straight up.. the first of many over the next 7 days.. enlarge 120KB, 480x640 13 down climbing to the Catwalk enlarge 151KB, 480x640 14 The two goats that led us across the Catwalk enlarge 154KB, 480x640 15 enlarge 83KB, 640x480 16 enlarge 116KB, 640x480 17 enlarge 57KB, 720x286 18 Mt Olympus from the Catwalk enlarge 152KB, 640x480 19 There was bit of exposure on the Catwalk.. it took us about an hour to cross enlarge 155KB, 640x480 20 Knife-edge that is the Catwalk enlarge 152KB, 480x640 21 enlarge 150KB, 640x480 22 Boston Charlies, at the end of the Catwalk.. where we lunched with the goats enlarge 117KB, 640x480 23 enlarge 148KB, 480x640 24 enlarge 113KB, 480x640 25 up we go.. looking back down at the farside of the Catwalk enlarge 79KB, 640x480 26 West down the Hoh River valley leaving the Catwalk behind enlarge 54KB, 720x209 27 Dave.. hike with a view enlarge 67KB, 640x480 28 South down the Bailey Range & up the Hoh River valley enlarge 88KB, 640x480 29 enlarge 128KB, 480x640 30 Gully crossings beneath Mt Carrie.. bottom line... they sucked.  There were about 6 bad ones.. enlarge 155KB, 480x640 31 enlarge 85KB, 640x480 32 enlarge 146KB, 480x640 33 At least this gully had solid rock to hang onto.. 'don't slip, don't slip'.. oh and the 45 lb pack made them even more enjoyable enlarge 104KB, 640x480 34 enlarge 158KB, 476x640 35 enlarge 117KB, 640x480 36 11 Bulls basin beneath Carrie enlarge 101KB, 640x480 37 enlarge 89KB, 640x480 38 The treeless notch high on the ridge which holds the high camp we wanted to reach and would lead us to Stephen Pk & Stephen basin the next day.. way above the 'main trail' an elusive goat tred finally got us up there enlarge 154KB, 480x640 39 Last bit up to the notch.. then a short scramble up to the ridge enlarge 71KB, 640x480 40 Nite 2 camp on the ridge.. as the clouds rolled up the valley and over us...  No sunset tonite enlarge 69KB, 720x309 41 Day 3 begins magnificently at High camp.. Mt Olympus dominates across the Hoh valley enlarge 78KB, 720x300 42 Dave in camp enlarge 80KB, 640x480 43 Looking west down the Hoh River valley enlarge 121KB, 720x337 44 snow to melt even in a low snow yr.. enlarge 111KB, 640x480 45 Passing thru the notch saddle to Stephen basin enlarge 99KB, 640x480 46 Stephen Pk & Crisler Lake enlarge 119KB, 480x640 47 enlarge 116KB, 480x640 48 The notch behind/above me on the ridge is the one we passed thru enlarge 98KB, 640x480 49 Our path up Stephen Pk to access the other side to attempt to gain the high south ridge in order to complete the Stephen Pk Cream Lake bypass enlarge 112KB, 480x640 50 enlarge 111KB, 640x480 51 Looking across Crisler Lake at Ruth Mtn enlarge 98KB, 640x480 52 Our scramble up to that notch enlarge 107KB, 720x314 53 From high on Stephen Pk enlarge 95KB, 640x480 54 Stephen Pk enlarge 124KB, 640x480 55 Heading up.. portions were 4 point scrambling up loose scree.. yeah enlarge 103KB, 640x480 56 Trying to find the way across to the ridge leading off Stephen Pk to the south.. too much exposed rock and not enough snow caused us to eventually abort our attempt and descend to Stephen basin for the night enlarge 121KB, 640x480 57 Those we had talked to who had successfully completed this portion had much more snow to traverse than us.. just too dry a spring.. resulting in too much vertical rock enlarge 104KB, 640x480 58 After aborting we had to get back down to Crisler Lake to camp.. Our way down after the first 4 gullys proved impassable.. that was a looong day enlarge 93KB, 720x299 59 Stephen Pk from our camp enlarge 93KB, 640x480 60 Finishing up chow after sundown.. enlarge 91KB, 720x260 61 Day 4 begins.. Stephen Basin camp.. Mt Fairchild looms as the clouds began to thin out enough for us to get going at around noon.. had to be able to see the notch we needed to pass back thru enlarge 77KB, 640x480 62 A gloomy Stephen Pk.. our path up the day before was near the left side up the vertical scree field enlarge 113KB, 640x480 63 Finally beginning to clear.. time to pack up and head back out of this basin enlarge 125KB, 640x480 64 Our route up and out enlarge 95KB, 480x640 65 Backtracking up & out Stephen basin..  to high ridge camp..  Crisler Lk below..  We weren't sure we had enough time to make Cream Lake after our noon start.. so we spent a recoup 1/2 day up high.. enlarge 104KB, 640x412 66 Another glorious morning up high.. Day 5 begins enlarge 67KB, 720x272 67 enlarge 87KB, 640x480 68 Mt Olympus summit 2010: Red circle is base camp on Blue Glacier...  yellow circle is the high ridge exactly where Dave & I camped on the Bailey.. and from where these camp pics were taken... enlarge 78KB, 720x384 69 Mt Olympus.. Mt Queets on left enlarge 63KB, 640x480 70 Dave burning the image into his brain.. enlarge 57KB, 640x480 71 Mt Olympus.. Middle Pk, upper Blue glacier, Snow Dome, Five Fingers ridge and West Pk summit block.. enlarge 91KB, 720x393 72 enlarge 156KB, 480x640 73 Packing up to headout.. One of us is all packed up enlarge 102KB, 640x480 74 The rock slide we descended from the ridge back to the main 'trail' enlarge 141KB, 480x640 75 The 'high Cream Lake' route.. enlarge 38KB, 720x257 76 After descending from High Ridge camp enlarge 63KB, 720x276 77 enlarge 89KB, 720x352 78 enlarge 207KB, 640x480 79 enlarge 115KB, 640x480 80 enlarge 132KB, 640x480 81 Lunch on the bench above Cream Lake enlarge 108KB, 640x480 82 From Cream Lake (bottom right) where we had a near close encounter with a big black bear, we began our ascent up into Ferry basin..  left (east) of the three gullys enlarge 60KB, 720x362 83 Mt Mathias hides Mt Olympus.. Hoh Glacier on left.. Cream Lake below enlarge 64KB, 720x206 84 Ferry Basin to Mt Olympus enlarge 141KB, 480x640 85 Descending to.... enlarge 158KB, 640x480 86 Cream Lake enlarge 144KB, 480x640 87 Up into Ferry Basin enlarge 118KB, 640x480 88 Mt Ferry left.. Mt Pulitzer back right enlarge 94KB, 720x323 89 Mt Ferry & Lake Billy Everett enlarge 107KB, 640x480 90 Spiritual Lake Billy Everett enlarge 127KB, 720x348 91 enlarge 106KB, 640x480 92 Higher we go enlarge 103KB, 640x480 93 Ferry Basin below us, we now ascend the rocks above tree line enlarge 109KB, 640x480 94 Mt Pulitzer.. aka Snagtooth enlarge 100KB, 640x480 95 Dawn on Day 6.. this would be my favorite day.. up on the ridge enlarge 141KB, 640x459 96 Camp beneath Pulitzer near the Ferry Pulitzer saddle.. a windy gusty nite ensued as a front passed enlarge 63KB, 720x263 97 Looking back at dawn.. Mt Carrie, Stephen Pk enlarge 104KB, 640x480 98 Wind break built during the nite in order to save my tent.. it gusted up to 50 mph I'd guess.. but the Milky Way was incredible Sidenote.. the guyouts on my GG Squall were on the verge of failing that nite.. pulling away from the tent.  After contacting GG they refunded my money for the tent..  Great customer service (I now have a BA Copper Spur UL1) enlarge 92KB, 480x640 99 Cruising past the Lake beneath Pulitzer (which until recently was a glacier) up to the ridge enlarge 113KB, 480x640 100 First look at the glacier behind Pulitzer.. over which our route takes us enlarge 102KB, 480x640 101 Mt Childs in distance enlarge 95KB, 640x480 102 Looks kinda vertical from here enlarge 85KB, 640x480 103 enlarge 96KB, 640x480 104 Looking up the Hoh Glacier on Mt Olympus enlarge 123KB, 480x640 105 enlarge 75KB, 640x480 106 Dave climbing up.. at the rock outcropping we traversed across, then scrambled the rock to gain the upper aspect of the glacier then traversed it.. enlarge 54KB, 640x480 107 enlarge 77KB, 480x640 108 On the upper aspect of the glacier behind Pulitzer.. Mt Scott in the background enlarge 127KB, 720x387 109 Mt Olympus:  Athena, Hoh glacier, East Middle West Pks; from the ridge just after climbing Pulitzer glacier enlarge 87KB, 720x408 110 This pano taken from atop Mt Olympus (2010) shows the Bailey.. and the location were the prev pic was taken enlarge 100KB, 640x480 111 enlarge 95KB, 640x480 112 Olympus Traverse in background enlarge 108KB, 640x480 113 Childs Glacier enlarge 125KB, 640x480 114 enlarge 137KB, 720x408 115 Pk 6078 on left & Mt Childs (6193') enlarge 101KB, 640x480 116 Kinda melted out and cravassed a bit enlarge 83KB, 640x480 117 enlarge 75KB, 640x480 118 enlarge 86KB, 640x480 119 enlarge 79KB, 640x480 120 Looking back at the northern portion of the Bailey from Childs glacier enlarge 166KB, 640x480 121 Scree that we became all to familiar with all along the upper traverse.. when we weren't on ice/snow enlarge 128KB, 480x640 122 Another snowfield to ascended enlarge 125KB, 480x640 123 Down 'sliding' to the snow enlarge 111KB, 640x480 124 enlarge 175KB, 720x446 125 Spires on Mt Childs backside enlarge 173KB, 640x482 126 checking our next move enlarge 104KB, 640x480 127 Mt Queets behind.. the snowfield leads us back up to the ridge enlarge 104KB, 480x640 128 up another snow field enlarge 114KB, 480x640 129 proof I am hydrating enlarge 83KB, 640x480 130 up the snow..  Childs spires on left enlarge 103KB, 640x480 131 Mt Olympus.. now from the southeast enlarge 141KB, 640x480 132 enlarge 69KB, 720x186 133 Bear Pass glacier where we will drop off the Bailey ridge and descend into Dodwell Rixon Pass enlarge 139KB, 640x480 134 Looking back..  Childs & Pulitzer peaking thru the saddle enlarge 65KB, 720x206 135 From the ridge looking east.. Mt Scott on left above Goldie River valley, Mt Dana, Mt Wilder, Mt Barnes enlarge 112KB, 640x480 136 enlarge 86KB, 640x480 137 Mt Olympus.. Humes Glacier on left Athena's Owl looks like Athena's Bear enlarge 115KB, 640x480 138 enlarge 84KB, 640x480 139 Crampons where on and off all day.. here they are on Bear Pass glacier enlarge 110KB, 480x640 140 thoroughly enjoying the day enlarge 93KB, 480x640 141 Happy Dave knowing we are going to reach Dod/Rix Pass.. our goal this morning.. enlarge 63KB, 640x480 142 enlarge 81KB, 640x480 143 Mt Olympus from Bear Pass Glacier enlarge 49KB, 720x151 144 Mt Barnes Mt Queets above upper Queets Basin enlarge 107KB, 640x480 145 Taking in Mt Queets & Queets basin enlarge 98KB, 640x480 146 Dropping down from Bear Pass.. saying good bye to the Bailey enlarge 106KB, 640x480 147 Our eventual passage is via that canyon.. which holds the Snofinger..  Mt Seattle in distant enlarge 57KB, 720x311 148 Mt Barnes Mt Christie Mt Seattle Mt Queets upper Queets Basin enlarge 79KB, 720x285 149 Queets Valley enlarge 152KB, 480x640 150 enlarge 108KB, 640x480 151 One last look at magnificent Olympus our constant companion for 5 days.. including the rare Jeffers Glacier (on left), named after the photographer  Joseph Jeffers who perished in one of its crevasses in 1924 enlarge 41KB, 640x480 152 end of day 6 enlarge 112KB, 640x480 153 Camp near Dod/Rix Pass morning of day 7 enlarge 147KB, 720x409 154 enlarge 193KB, 640x480 155 water, rocks.. garden enlarge 97KB, 640x480 156 Ehh.. nothin' to the Snowfinger, right? enlarge 105KB, 640x480 157 Having passed thru Dod/Rix pass we now descend the Elwa Snowfinger.. the result of thousands of yrs of avalanche accumulation down into this tight valley enlarge 110KB, 480x640 158 enlarge 134KB, 640x480 159 enlarge 120KB, 640x480 160 Earlier in the yr or with a higher snow fall yr one can just walk all the way down the Snowfinger.. not so this trip enlarge 112KB, 640x480 161 enlarge 110KB, 640x480 162 The Snow Dome.. actually a glacier.. up and over we go.. littered with avy debrit.. branches, logs & rock exposed from the late season snow conditions, which we experienced all thru this trip enlarge 117KB, 480x640 163 enlarge 139KB, 640x480 164 Dave crossing what is left of the snow bridge to the lower section.. it probably didn't last many more warm days enlarge 116KB, 640x480 165 my turn.. no lingering enlarge 129KB, 480x640 166 After climbing up yet another scramble a few hundred ft to bypass the Elwa gorge we begin to descend back down to the Elwa.. this cascading waterfall must have been 1000 ft high enlarge 98KB, 640x480 167 enlarge 100KB, 640x480 168 Noyes Basin.. between Mt Seattle & Mt Noyes.. getting ever closer to the real trail enlarge 138KB, 640x480 169 Happy Hollow camp shelter.. sleep on the shelves.. we are back on actual trail.. just 20 miles to go lol.. enlarge 148KB, 640x480 170 Funki fungi enlarge 137KB, 480x640 171 Foot care was an evening and morning ritual enlarge 138KB, 640x480 172 Low Divide camp.. one day left enlarge 142KB, 640x480 173 Day 8 underway.. Next stop North Fork Quinault trailhead.. 16 miles 8 hrs.. pounded my feet enlarge 126KB, 640x480 174 enlarge 128KB, 480x640 175 enlarge 126KB, 640x480 176 enlarge 134KB, 640x457 177 Bailey Traverse accomplished!!  Now for the Eel River Organic Amber! pack wt 33 lbs.. including about a liter of water and 3 rocks and a small piece of petrified wood I packed out for my boys.. yes I packed out some rocks enlarge 0KB, 720x450 178 Elevation profiles Day 1 Sol Duc Trailhead to Heart Lake enlarge 0KB, 720x366 179 Day 2 Catwalk, 11 Bulls basin gullies, High Ridge Camp enlarge 0KB, 720x364 180 Day 3 Stephen Pk day enlarge 0KB, 720x352 181 Day 4 Stephen Basin back to High Ridge camp.. 1/2 day enlarge 0KB, 720x316 182 Day 5 Cream Lk, Ferry Basin, Mt Pulitzer enlarge 0KB, 720x365 183 Day 6 Glacier Day.. Pulitzer, Childs & Bear Pass to Dodwell Rixon Pass enlarge 0KB, 720x298 184 Day 7 Elwa Snowfinger to Low Divide enlarge 21KB, 720x325 185 Day 8 North Fork Quinault Trail enlarge 79KB, 640x424 186 end of Day 1 to Heart Lake & Day 2 including Catwalk, 11 Bulls Basin & gullies beneath Mt Carrie and up to High Ridge Camp enlarge 113KB, 720x428 187 Days 3 (grn) & 4 (red) GPS routes High Ridge Camp, Stephen Pk & Stephen Basin camp Sidenote.. We attempted to do a high Stephen Pk traverse.. trying to gain the ridge above Ferry Basin.. but on such a low snow yr we could not navigate over the rock  barrier separating us from the snow field that leads to the high ridge ..  We encountered vertical rock and moats and with no pro decided to abort after hrs scrambling around on the flank of Stephen..  Oh well that let us enjoy a second nite up on the high camp across from Olympus and thankfully we got to trek thru Ferry Basin bottom to top.. enlarge 181KB, 640x563 188 Day 5 High Ridge camp thru Ferry Basin to camp beneath Mt Pulitzer enlarge 132KB, 417x640 189 Day 6.. Ridge & glacier Day enlarge 138KB, 477x640 190 Day 7 Elwa Snowfinger down to Chicago camp up to Low Divide Camp enlarge 209KB, 577x640 191 Day 8 North Fork Quinault trail..  16.3 miles in 8 hrs enlarge 104KB, 436x640 192 Herb Crisler with his 74 lb pack complete with homing pigeon cage.. at the start of his 30 day Bailey/Olympus survival trek in 1930