Tried to get into Eagle Cap Wilderness

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backcracker
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Joined: July 25th, 2013, 11:55 am
Location: Tri-Cities

Re: Tried to get into Eagle Cap Wilderness

Post by backcracker » July 18th, 2017, 6:30 pm

I day hiked in from Buck Creek trailhead over Berger pass, down to Berger meadows and up to Tombstone lake and out on Sunday, July 16th (20 miles RT and only saw 3 horse packers at Elk Creek below Tombstone ascent). It's doubtful one could get down the pass (snow) from W Eagle to Tombstone lake yet probably another week or so to descend from W Eagle to Tombstone. Lakes Basin is another story, it was a big snow year. I would plan on August (first to second week) this year for the high passes. I only spent 20 minutes at Tombstone and was swarmed by skeets, otherwise no problems. With all the water it's going to be a bad year from vamps around the lakes and grassy wet valleys till late August.

Runnerinblack
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Location: Hood River, OR
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Re: Tried to get into Eagle Cap Wilderness

Post by Runnerinblack » July 19th, 2017, 11:30 am

Thank you for the update on this area. I was planning to go next week, but had heard conflicting reports. Now there are two confirmations of snow melting fast and I have solidified my plans to Ice Lake and beyond!

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ghsmith76
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Re: Tried to get into Eagle Cap Wilderness

Post by ghsmith76 » July 19th, 2017, 1:22 pm

Tomorrow I'm off to finish the PCT Sisters segment E that I aborted due to heat 2 years ago. I have a friend shuttling me from Lava Lake Trailhead to start my 30 mile trip from Elk Lake Trailhead. https://adventurecontinues.org/2015/06/ ... s-learned/
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Herbie
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Re: Tried to get into Eagle Cap Wilderness

Post by Herbie » July 19th, 2017, 3:43 pm

My niece and I were up there about that same time also planning to hang out in the basin for a couple days. We both had heavy packs and two mini-aussies. We camped at 6 mile meadows and in the am determined that it wasn't worth the risk. We were afraid that if we were lucky enough to skip across the logs without losing a dog or being anchored to the bottom of the river by our packs, there may be more/worse water to cross, we wouldn't be able to finish our planned trip out through Hurricane Creek, and worse, we'd have to come back across that sketchy log jam. Your post makes me happier about our decision to turn back. There was a family there with a six year old, they were going to cross in the am, obviously the kid has better balance than I do! Thanks for the report!

The pictures from previous years looks like the log crossing is totally do-able later in the year. The river was pretty high and violent and those big logs don't reach all the way across right now so there are smaller logs that you have to jump between. I tried to convince that trail crew to drop a couple big trees side by side. I'm not sure they were convinced:)

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