a sweltering spring Saturday spent seeking salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

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Chip Down
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a sweltering spring Saturday spent seeking salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by Chip Down » May 29th, 2021, 8:03 pm

Went looking for Saturday Rock. Or I should say I went looking for a feature which I've been told is Saturday Rock. Maps show it in a location that isn't consistent with the feature I was looking for. I'm confused. See map below. At lower right is what maps call Saturday Rock. But the feature I was looking for was found at lower center, marked "summit" and "spire". Take a look at my pics. Is the distinctive spire I visited named Saturday Rock?

I started at Sunset Campground (aka Sunset Falls Campground), followed rd 42 for 3 miles to rd 4211, ascended to rd 53, turned right/east to the mapped Saturday Rock. Nothing of interest. Fortunately, could see the spire I was seeking, way to the west. Looked at map, picked a route that I thought would get me close.

I was dreading the final steep bushwhack, but it went fast, largely because the route followed a low ridge that wasn't visible from a distance (swallowed up by trees). It was mostly rock and beargrass, a bit of brush.

If you have a high-clearance 4wd vehicle, and you pick a smart route, I bet this is a 30 minute hike, maybe an hour tops. I spent six hours, one way. I used my bike as much as possible, but walked a lot (snow, brush).

There was just enough snow to keep the shoot-n-pollute degenerates out, although one determined guy got his truck through, as I discovered when I saw fresh tracks on my return.

Road 42 is awful. I was glad I only had to drive three miles each way. When I returned to sunset camp, a woman was perched at the junction from pavement to gravel, obviously weighing her options. With my window down, I stopped next to her, intending to let her know it doesn't get better. But she just waved, and took the plunge. A clunk and a scrape made me wince; probably her too. I hope she turned around at the first opportunity.
Attachments
0.jpg
From the mapped Saturday Rock, I could see the spire I was looking for (lower left).
1.jpg
Great viewpoint along the way, only feature I couldn't see was Lookout Mountain, behind McKinley Ridge.
2.jpg
My first good look at my goal.
3.jpg
Along the bushwhack section.
4.jpg
Flat spot near summit.
5.jpg
Spire as seen from main summit.
6.jpg
At spire, looking back at main summit.
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Too bad I didn't have one named Mountain Anomaly.
8.JPG
Saturday_Rock_from_the_quarry_viewpoint,_Summit_Springs_Trail.jpg
Last edited by Chip Down on May 30th, 2021, 6:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: a sweltering spring Saturday spent searching for salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by Don Nelsen » May 29th, 2021, 8:33 pm

Your TR title alone should rate this as a classic. Nicely done!

You had much better luck with the weather than I did when I went looking for that spire in 2015. I found the higher summit but never saw the spire in the mist and have always meant to go back and check it out. Thanks for the TR!

Don
Last edited by Don Nelsen on May 30th, 2021, 6:53 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

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Chip Down
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Re: a sweltering spring Saturday spent searching for salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by Chip Down » May 29th, 2021, 9:15 pm

Don, pleased to see your post, but a couple questions:
- In your mind, is there a name for that peak?
- What route did you take? It's extremely easy, once you know where to look. I wonder if you struggled as I did.

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BurnsideBob
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Re: a sweltering spring Saturday spent searching for salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by BurnsideBob » May 30th, 2021, 5:33 am

An excellent report. The map really explains the whole journey.

KOT

BurnsideBob
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: a sweltering spring Saturday spent searching for salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by Don Nelsen » May 30th, 2021, 7:39 am

Chip Down wrote:
May 29th, 2021, 9:15 pm
Don, pleased to see your post, but a couple questions:
- In your mind, is there a name for that peak?
- What route did you take? It's extremely easy, once you know where to look. I wonder if you struggled as I did.
I don't know if it's "official" but ListsofJohn.com calls it Tatoosh Hills, West. LofJ doesn't address the likely map error of naming the rounded peak nearly a mile and half to the east as Saturday Rock.

Here's my GPS track for the day I was up there, July 11th, 2015. The only struggle I had was the misty, foggy weather and the bushwhacks I made in an effort to shorten the route. I didn't have a dry spot left once I got back to my car.
Tatoosh Hills, Gumboot 071115.jpg
Here's the view as I neared the top of "Tatoosh Hills, West" showing the weather:
P1030923.JPG
Here's a photo of the top of the faux Saturday Rock from an earlier trip: Definitely not a "Rock":
P1050422.JPG
Don
"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

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bobcat
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Re: a sweltering spring Saturday spent seeking salient Skamanian spire south of Siouxon

Post by bobcat » June 5th, 2021, 2:25 pm

I'll correct my photo caption in the Field Guide and call it Peak 3893 (somehow better than "Tatoosh Hills West") although it should be named some kind of rock.

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