Table Mountain, 042318

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Don Nelsen » April 23rd, 2018, 8:57 pm

Today was a wonderful day for a hike so I decided to hike Table Mt. The east wind was starting to really blow as I entered the gorge about 10 and the temperature was already up to the low sixties. With the ominous "No Trespassing' signs recently posted at the Greenleaf Slough THs I could only start my hike at the Bonneville TH just across the Hwy from the new powerhouse at Bonneville Dam.

Table really looked great as I looked out at it from Hwy 84 as I drove east:

Image

The Bonneville TH is the shortest "legal" way to do Table now and it really adds some serious distance and considerable elevation gain to the round trip. The good news is that one need not worry about possible repercussions concerning trespassing - the bad news is that it takes an 8.8 mile RT hike up to nearly 16 miles RT. Oh well, I haven't done this route in over eight years so I guess it was time to do it.

Bad news: A huge amount of re-climb due to the many ups and down on this route. Good news: Very interesting terrain due to the fact you are hiking along the top of the great Bonneville landslide. Also, very interesting lakes along this route, one in particular, Gillette Lake, has a very unusual color:

Image

After going up and down and up and down for nearly two hours I finally reached the east ridge and started the serious climbing. The east wind was really blowing and I had to keep particularly mindful of branches and even trees that might fall:

Sorry about the un-edited video - I don't know how to do such things. Turn the sound down - the wind was really noisy!

https://youtu.be/oXgUD_mfipo

Anyway, nothing fell on me so I continued up and after braving the Heartbreak Ridge steepness broke out at the saddle to enjoy the views of the main cliffs:

Image

Following the trail, now to the west, brought me to the infamous talus climb:

Image

Even somewhat sheltered from the wind this thing is a total pain. Lots of somewhat loose and potentially dangerous rocks to climb and not wanting to do a Aaron Ralston type of fail I was Very careful!

Anyway, I made the summit in a little over three and a half hours and then headed over to the east side viewpoints.

A few pics from along the route:

Image

Image

I took another video as I was leaving the east side cliffs:

https://youtu.be/tNqyInJBz_U

After that, I crossed the summit plateau and took a look at the other side. The big mountains were out in all their glory:

Image

Image

Looks like Silver Star is still cloaked in winter:

Image

Image

I decided to head down the Westway Trail rather than navigating the egregious talus slope. Not sure which is worse!

Image

That thing isn't getting better as the years go by and I'm not getting any better either!!

Here's a video of some of it. With no hiking poles, lots of wind and trying to hold the camera this didn't go as well as I hoped. Oh well, bruises eventually heal.

https://youtu.be/1uKfOXvfHNA

A very hard day on the trail but, hey, got to get rid of some of that winter fat!

Image

(The GPS gliched out once and wandered. The total was acually 16.2 miles RT but the EG total is accurate.

DN
Last edited by Don Nelsen on April 24th, 2018, 7:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

pcg
Posts: 372
Joined: May 31st, 2011, 7:46 pm
Location: Chehalem Mountain

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by pcg » April 24th, 2018, 6:36 am

Thanks for the Silver Star update Don. Now here's something odd. Of your three video links, the first two link to MY personal Youtube videos! The third one links to your hike.

What's going on? Is my browser messed up? Anyone else have a similar result?

User avatar
Arturo
Posts: 180
Joined: April 20th, 2015, 6:44 am
Location: Portland

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Arturo » April 24th, 2018, 6:49 am

I've been debating doing this myself.
I can't get past the 16 miles for a Table Mountain hike though.
Just doesn't seem "right".

That western descent is definitely a slick one, moreso on a dry trail I think.
But yes Mr. Nelson ... it definitely was graceful.
:P

User avatar
Arturo
Posts: 180
Joined: April 20th, 2015, 6:44 am
Location: Portland

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Arturo » April 24th, 2018, 6:53 am

pcg wrote:
April 24th, 2018, 6:36 am
Thanks for the Silver Star update Don. Now here's something odd. Of your three video links, the first two link to MY personal Youtube videos! The third one links to your hike.

What's going on? Is my browser messed up? Anyone else have a similar result?
The first link goes to the sign-in page. If you're signed in it will go to your own page.
If not, it asks you to sign in.
The url Don posted is a little funky.

User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Don Nelsen » April 24th, 2018, 7:32 am

pcg wrote:
April 24th, 2018, 6:36 am
Thanks for the Silver Star update Don. Now here's something odd. Of your three video links, the first two link to MY personal Youtube videos! The third one links to your hike.

What's going on? Is my browser messed up? Anyone else have a similar result?

My bad! The links are fixed now.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

User avatar
Jack
Posts: 325
Joined: November 22nd, 2011, 3:36 pm

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Jack » April 24th, 2018, 8:43 am

Thanks for trip report DN! You photos sure do a good job of describing the pluses and minuses of that hike. I need to get up there soon!

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Chip Down » April 24th, 2018, 9:40 am

Oh, so that's what the top looks like without snow! :)

Speaking of, it looks like it might be time for my Birkenfeld trip. Wonder if I could drive to the cg2020 5-way junction.

I've only had to deal with that HB talus field once, coming down. What a pain. I'd rather do westway.

Don't recall the Gillette color. When did they add that feature?

Had to google your Ralston reference. Was thinking it might have been the hiker who fell/died on Table a few years back.

User avatar
Born2BBrad
Posts: 1086
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:26 pm
Location: The Dalles

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Born2BBrad » April 24th, 2018, 9:43 am

So people can't park at Greenleaf Slough anymore? That sucks. Now Table Mountain is Loony hike every time now.
Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.
- Jean Luc Picard

Link to GPX tracks
Link to Trip Reports

User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Don Nelsen » April 24th, 2018, 2:16 pm

Born2BBrad wrote:
April 24th, 2018, 9:43 am
So people can't park at Greenleaf Slough anymore? That sucks. Now Table Mountain is Loony hike every time now.
I suppose you could park there but there is new signage that cites a trespassing ordinance and new barriers to entrance. One could chance it but it could be risky.

BTW, the property owner Pirfil "Pete" Cam has the property listed for sale, 165 acres for $5.5M. I guess he's trying to unload it to a developer for housing but I sure wouldn't want to live so close to all those power lines.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Table Mountain, 042318

Post by Chip Down » April 24th, 2018, 6:04 pm

This discussion of parking reminds me of Don's previous signature line. I don't recall exactly, something along the lines of "nothing is impossible, there are only varying degrees of difficulty".

Don, I forgot to ask earlier, did you pass by the Table Mt table? How's it looking? Last visit there I had to dig in the snow to find pieces. I imagine it's pretty much obliterated now.

Post Reply