East Twin Rock? near West Crater - GPNF 10/16/21

Discussions and Trip Reports for off-trail adventures and rediscovering lost trails
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ChrisA
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Joined: June 11th, 2021, 12:14 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

East Twin Rock? near West Crater - GPNF 10/16/21

Post by ChrisA » October 17th, 2021, 1:36 pm

Earlier this year we walked along a meadow and saw a ridge that was interesting.
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From earlier this year, the open slope and ridge from the meadow.
This was west of West Crater off FR 34, west of Trapper Creek Wilderness. We didn't have time that day, but I came back a few weeks ago. I found a lightly used path on the west side of the ridge of interest right of FR 34. But as luck would have it, there were clouds all around, but I did get a fleeting glimpse of Mt. Hood.
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From a couple weeks ago, clouds all around but an opening to the SE and Mount Hood.
We came back a week ago, with a somewhat favorable forecast, but we ended up in thick fog/low clouds and a light mist.
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Last week, our objective was in the mist.
Not sure if this was two strikes, but it was now becoming one of those challenges that I had to beat. With another favorable forecast this Saturday we tried again. A beautiful fall drive to the beginning of the trail, then a short but steep scramble to the top. Success! There was some travel through huckleberry bushes and some scraggly tree limbs. At the top, we had an outstanding view from Mount Rainier to Jefferson, including the Goat Rocks, Indian Heaven etc.
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Mount St. Helens
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Mount Adams
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Working our way back down.
Now to go back and try to connect this ridge with the West Crater Trail and the meadow below.

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Chip Down
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Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: East Twin Rock? near West Crater - GPNF 10/16/21

Post by Chip Down » October 17th, 2021, 4:15 pm

I wish I understood where this was, but after researching it for a while, I lost interest/hope, and moved on.

jvangeld
Posts: 156
Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: East Twin Rock? near West Crater - GPNF 10/16/21

Post by jvangeld » October 18th, 2021, 2:35 pm

Chip, it's at 45.872781887244685, -122.09222921904643
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

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Don Nelsen
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: East Twin Rock? near West Crater - GPNF 10/16/21

Post by Don Nelsen » October 18th, 2021, 6:54 pm

This is a neat area to explore and I've made four trips there from 2015 through 2018. I think the map is a little off where it says "Twin Rocks". The high point to the west (P 4398) isn't really a "rock", just a rounded, forested hill so I think the label should be shifted to the east and placed between the obvious rocks. The two high points, both extrapolated to 4260' elev. (see map) are prominent rocks flanking an oblong crater meadow.

This map shows the GPS tracks for my trips. All the tracks are trails, open meadow or easy bushwhacks except the white line where it drops SW off West Crater's rim and also going into and back out of West Crater's crater.

enjoy

DN
Twin Rocks 101821.jpg
"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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