PNW 2022/2023 Season - It's Triple Dip La Niña Time!

[Brasso]

My go-to postage stamp at Bagley lakes didn't make it to August. Pour one out...
To any TAY Crazies out there: What are your plans for August this year?

Hmm, there's still patches of skiable snow at Bagley Lake as 8/6. (Drove up to AP on Sunday). I skied one of them on 7/31 to get July turns in.

Give me a holler if you end up heading up 542 and don't mind a little company for a few August turns.

[Bronco]

HWY 20 back open (for now): https://twitter.com/wsdot_north/stat...322485249?s=20

[waveshello]

[ey_allen]

I finally ticked The Enchantments off my local bucket list, along with what (to me) felt like everyone else in the area. Thankfully my wife an I ran it and didn't have much trouble staying ahead of the crowds. Not exactly the best day for it given the heat, but at least the lakes were cold!

[phatty]

I finally ticked The Enchantments off my local bucket list, along with what (to me) felt like everyone else in the area. Thankfully my wife an I ran it and didn't have much trouble staying ahead of the crowds. Not exactly the best day for it given the heat, but at least the lakes were cold!

It's unfortunate how overrun The Enchantments can be, but it really is such an amazing area. I always try to do it late September when the larches are changing, always on a weekday to avoid the crowds. I've switched to doing as an out and back to avoid the Snow Lakes slog. Tack on Little Annapurna a Prusik Pass and it's an awesome day with 2 trips through the Core.

[ey_allen]

It's unfortunate how overrun The Enchantments can be, but it really is such an amazing area. I always try to do it late September when the larches are changing, always on a weekday to avoid the crowds. I've switched to doing as an out and back to avoid the Snow Lakes slog. Tack on Little Annapurna a Prusik Pass and it's an awesome day with 2 trips through the Core.

My wife and I were discussing this. We've been to Colchuck before, but after seeing the core the Snow Lakes exit was mainly just a long (and hot) slog. Those lakes just aren't worth the mileage with everything else we have around here. I wanted to check the box on doing the whole thing, but if I were to go back I'd head up Colchuck, explore a bit, and then backtrack out.

The crowds were probably not too bad given the heat and it being a Monday, but I tend to spend my time in the mountains in places where the likelihood of seeing anyone else is low. The amount of people queuing for shuttles at 5:00AM made the whole thing feel like an amusement park ride.

[phatty]

My wife and I were discussing this. We've been to Colchuck before, but after seeing the core the Snow Lakes exit was mainly just a long (and hot) slog. Those lakes just aren't worth the mileage with everything else we have around here. I wanted to check the box on doing the whole thing, but if I were to go back I'd head up Colchuck, explore a bit, and then backtrack out.

The crowds were probably not too bad given the heat and it being a Monday, but I tend to spend my time in the mountains in places where the likelihood of seeing anyone else is low. The amount of people queuing for shuttles at 5:00AM made the whole thing feel like an amusement park ride.

Seriously! 2 years ago I went on a Saturday (timing required it) and had to park 1.5mi from the trailhead at 5:30am. It was butts to nuts the whole way up Aasgard. Once up in the Core, it spread out.

Snow just isn't worth it. I loved having a second pass thru the Core. Getting down to Colchuck as the sun was setting also gave a great end to the day. It's more mileage and vert, but overall a better experience.

[ericrayl]

I've gone in a couple ways that were enjoyable and saw nobody until the Enchantments core: Right over the top of Cannon Mtn, then more-or-less straight to Prusik Pass, and Crystal Creek from Ingalls Ck. Both were day hikes. Toketie used to be good too, but I've heard it's a nightmare of downed logs and ticks since the fire.

[phatty]

I've gone in a couple ways that were enjoyable and saw nobody until the Enchantments core: Right over the top of Cannon Mtn, then more-or-less straight to Prusik Pass, and Crystal Creek from Ingalls Ck. Both were day hikes. Toketie used to be good too, but I've heard it's a nightmare of downed logs and ticks since the fire.

How was the Crystal Creek approach? I have scouted it from maps, but the approach in looked long enough it wouldn't save much. Looks like you can camp down at the tarn as it is just outside the permit zone. Will have to check the Cannon Mountain route.

[ericrayl]

How was the Crystal Creek approach? I have scouted it from maps, but the approach in looked long enough it wouldn't save much. Looks like you can camp down at the tarn as it is just outside the permit zone. Will have to check the Cannon Mountain route.

I wasn't looking for a shorter or faster route, just see new country. There is a faint but followable path a bit East of Crystal Creek. Very little if any brush to deal with. The scree basin at ~6000' is the slowest going, with some boulder hopping but still easy. If you're talking about the tarn at 7640' and 2000' East of Crystal Creek, I didn't go there and it does not look easy to get to from the Crystal Creek drainage.

[Norseman]

fires kicked up a notch today in the cascades





fair bit of smoke from these spots on the usa side

[Bronco]

I’m missing winter today. [emoji12]

[Dromond]

Norse, that is a bummer but not unexpected given the weather. Which mapping source are you using to see those images?

[Norseman]

caltopo pro

[Dromond]

Thanks. I thought that map looked familiar!

[Iowagriz]

Big thanks to everyone for the Olympic loop tips. We were somewhat limited with the dog (which we knew would happen, plus I strained a knee, so I was limited). It was a perfect test of the new #vanlife and we both agreed that a future trip without the dog will be in the works.

Seafair for the Blue Angels was very cool from on the water.

Copalis Beach

Lake Quinalt Lodge

On the way out to Neah Bay, we loved everywhere along the Strait

Salt Creek Campground and the bunkers

Lake Crescent, wish we could have hiked there, it wasn't too busy

Sunset over Hood Canal

Dead dog on a brewery patio in Leavonworth

[RudyGarmisch]

Please burn out upper Downey Creek, please please please.

[alpinevibes]

Big thanks to everyone for the Olympic loop tips. We were somewhat limited with the dog (which we knew would happen, plus I strained a knee, so I was limited). It was a perfect test of the new #vanlife and we both agreed that a future trip without the dog will be in the works.

Copalis Beach
[/IMG]

Nice work! I think I may have spotted your van sometime between Thursday and Sunday - I remember seeing a sprinter-style van with a Ti bike. Were you on the coast/Strait during those days? We were at La Push Thurs/Fri and then drove back to CO on Sunday

[Iowagriz]

Oly to Forks the 6th
To Salt Creek the 7th
Hood Canal the 8th
On the ferry to Leavenworth the 9th

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Backward_Banana]

Any details on the Blue Lakes / WA Pass fire? First I'm hearing it and it isn't on the NiFC / Inciweb.

[Brasso]

Any details on the Blue Lakes / WA Pass fire? First I'm hearing it and it isn't on the NiFC / Inciweb.

Not sure why it's not on NIFC since WatchDuty seems to pull from there right now: https://app.watchduty.org/i/10458

[John_B]

Any details on the Blue Lakes / WA Pass fire? First I'm hearing it and it isn't on the NiFC / Inciweb.

It started yesterday morning, maybe a holdover lightning strike since it was initially high on a ridge. It sounds like there were a decent number of tanker retardant drops yesterday and there is a Type 3 Incident Management Team on the way. I'd guess that once they are on it there will be an Inciweb page.

I heard a guess it was 100 acres this morning.

[Bronco]

Just got an email from WSDOT that they've extended the closure of HWY 20 to Silver Star Creek which is a big bummer.


Washington State Department of Transportation
Northwest Region – 1019 Andis Road – Burlington, WA 98233 – 360-757-5999

TRAVEL ADVISORY
Aug. 16, 2023

Contact: RB McKeon, communications 360-399-9328
Lauren Loebsack, communications 509-860-0000

SR 20 North Cascades Highway now closed between Newhalem and Silver Star Campground due to Sourdough and Blue Lake wildfires

NEWHALEM – The Washington State Department of Transportation in partnership with the Sourdough Fire Incident Northwest Management Team 10 and the U.S. Forest Service have extended the closure along State Route 20/North Cascades Highway from milepost 120 in Newhalem to milepost 171 at the Silver Creek gate, approximately 22 miles west of Winthrop due to the Sourdough Fire and Blue Lake Fire.

The National Park Service has closed camping, trailheads, overlooks, pullouts and other recreation east of Newhalem due to fire activity. There is no access to North Cascades national Park and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area from the Bridge Creek trailhead or via Blue Lake, Maple Pass or Twisp Pass. There are no reroutes for the Pacific Crest Trail at this time. Additional details about trail, area and camp closures are available on the North Cascades National Park Service complex website and the U.S. Forest Service alerts website.

During the closure of SR 20, people can use I-90, US 2 and 12 for east-west travel across the state.

WSDOT crews will continue to partner with Incident Managment Teams responding to both fires. Road closure information is posted in the WSDOT real-time travel center and @wsdot_north and @wsdot_east on X/Twitter and updates will be provided as available.

The Sourdough Fire started with a lightning strike on July 29 near Diablo in the steep and rugged terrain of Ross Lake National Recreation Area. The Blue Lake Fire began on Aug. 15, approximately 20 miles west of Winthrop on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. A cause has not determined at this time. Sections of SR 20 have been closed since Friday, Aug. 4.

Hyperlinks within the release:

Sourdough Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/warlp-sourdough-fire
Blue Lake Fire: www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF
North Cascades National Park Service Complex website: www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm
U.S. Forest Service alerts website: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices
Real-time travel center: wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/
@wsdot_north: twitter.com/wsdot_north

[MagnificentUnicorn]

The smoke was only an issue in the morning at Lake Wenatchee this week. It didn’t set in until after midnight and blew out by 1000 every day.

[Norseman]