McNeil Point Overnight

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
scott_willson
Posts: 41
Joined: July 20th, 2008, 7:50 pm

McNeil Point Overnight

Post by scott_willson » October 24th, 2013, 7:21 am

Took advantage of the stable weather for an overnight on McNeil Point above the shelter. Weather was warm and calm, but there's snow most of the way up to McNeil. It starts on Timberline about at the Mazama Trail, and I needed snowshoes to go higher. Snow conditions varied from post-hole slush to icy snow requiring a kick on each step. I can imagine the summer route being impassable with the wrong snow, though the ridges or drainages might work as alternates.

Ran into two guys who traversed over to the Sandy Glacier cave and then up the ridge. They said the water coming out of the glacier was warm!

Image
Top of McNeil Point Campsite

Image
Crow friend

Image

All the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67100771@N ... 6884356104

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by retired jerry » October 24th, 2013, 7:38 am

So you camped at "top of McNeil campsite"? I've always wanted to do that.

Water was warm out of glacier? I wonder if that just means warmer than ice water. Doesn't seem like you'de get geothermal warming there. The glacier would melt even faster.

User avatar
jamesthehiker
Posts: 209
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by jamesthehiker » October 24th, 2013, 8:12 am

I always thought that spot would be cool to camp at too. It would be awesome to wake up to that view of the mountain so close up. Must get windy but that spot probably provides a bit of a breaker.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by retired jerry » October 24th, 2013, 8:26 am

yeah, have to do it on a relatively calm night

User avatar
Guy
Posts: 3333
Joined: May 10th, 2009, 4:42 pm
Location: The Foothills of Mt Hood
Contact:

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by Guy » October 24th, 2013, 8:39 am

Great Photos, looks like it's melted out quite a bit since the 5th when we were there.

Camping at that spot is on my very long todo list too! I friend camped there earlier this year & said that they were woken up several times during the night by of all things a Coyote!
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by retired jerry » October 24th, 2013, 8:50 am

I see what I think is Coyote poop all over. Deer and bear are pretty easy to identify. Coyote and dog poop look pretty similar I assume, so that may confuse things.

I saw a Coyote walking up to Dollar Lake once. It saw me and disappeared.

I see Coyotes walking across roads or in the city and they don't seem so bashful, but ones in the wild I think really avoid us.

User avatar
Rabid Swan
Posts: 77
Joined: June 22nd, 2012, 9:27 am

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by Rabid Swan » October 24th, 2013, 11:23 am

Hey I'm one of the guys you met up there. You must have had a fantastic night! I'll post a TR of the Sandy Glacier Ice Cave later when I get some time and just say for now it was one of the most terrifying things I've done. When I said the stream in the ice cave was warm I mean a little colder than room temperature warm. It was steamy inside there. Just to throw out to others like me who tend to see warnings as invitations it's absolutely NOT WORTH EXPLORING.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14398
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by retired jerry » October 24th, 2013, 11:55 am

How could it be room temperature warm, weird...

But what I want to know is did you solve the mystery of the "47". It's close by. Maybe I'll have to go find out myself...

scott_willson
Posts: 41
Joined: July 20th, 2008, 7:50 pm

Re: McNeil Point Overnight

Post by scott_willson » October 24th, 2013, 12:27 pm

Thanks for the comments, all.

Jerry: Yes, I camped where my pack is in the first photo. I slept out in a winter sleeping bag, and had a great view of Hood by moonlight. It maybe got down to 40 degrees with little wind. I had similar warm, calm nights last time I was up there (days before the Dollar Lake fire). I credit a very stable forecast and luck. Looking at the trees, I am sure it gets brutal up there. And I wouldn't want to descend in bad weather.

Guy: Thanks for the photos. Wow, you had a lot more snow--I brought a shovel for digging out the campsite. I'd have preferred the deeper snow for the traverses rather than the hardpack. Huh, no coyotes but the raven hung out for about an hour and then checked back in after breakfast. In August, it was noisy with constant rockfall. Not so much this time.

Rabid Swan: Nice to see you. Was surprised to see anyone come from that direction

Post Reply