Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

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johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by johnspeth » December 4th, 2017, 8:05 pm

I did a rainy Table Mt summit attempt on Dec 3. For the second time in a few years I was turned back by snow over the large rockfall that climbs up between the brushy maples (??) on both sides. I wasn't sure where the trail continued at the top of the rockfall. I ran out of time trying to figure it out.

What really surprised me was the parking situation. The Bonneville Hot Springs hotel is closed so you'd need to cut through private property to get to the trail if you parked on the road. The parking area under the power lines near the end of the road is declared "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" in many places. I snuck by and parked there anyway convincing myself I had legal access rights by virtue of the BPA access easement.

There's no legal way to get to Table Mtn/Aldrich Butte from that area now. Does anybody know if that situation will improve?

Webfoot
Posts: 1759
Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by Webfoot » December 4th, 2017, 9:08 pm

There has been an ongoing discussion about this spread over multiple threads. The most recent one: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=25052

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

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by Chip Down » December 5th, 2017, 6:08 am

johnspeth wrote:I did a rainy Table Mt summit attempt on Dec 3. For the second time in a few years I was turned back by snow over the large rockfall that climbs up between the brushy maples (??) on both sides. I wasn't sure where the trail continued at the top of the rockfall. I ran out of time trying to figure it out.
Yeah, days are getting a bit short aren't they? The winter routes on Don's map above are a good possibility, as are a couple other variations, but with no visibility, and if you've never been to the top, it's really best to turn back. I was up there that day too, attempting an off-trail route on the east side. I also failed.
johnspeth wrote: I snuck by and parked there anyway convincing myself I had legal access rights by virtue of the BPA access easement.
Jetta? I wanted to leave a note on the windshield, maybe "Chip says hi" or "Chip Down was here", or maybe even take a chance with "Hi Webfoot". Had no pen and paper though.

johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by johnspeth » December 5th, 2017, 6:51 am

Chip Down wrote:Jetta? I wanted to leave a note on the windshield, maybe "Chip says hi" or "Chip Down was here", or maybe even take a chance with "Hi Webfoot". Had no pen and paper though.
Yep. That was my Jetta. Just as I was starting up I met a couple who was also confused by all the signs. They parked at the turnout before the first sign.

I got an 11:30 am start so I knew the slightest thing would end my hike. I was following a single person who was wearing huge boots. That person abandoned his hike a hundred feet before I did. Were those your bigfoot prints?

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

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by Chip Down » December 5th, 2017, 5:57 pm

No, I was way east of your route. Wearing regular boots. Although I do own a pair of size 14 (!) mountaineering boots that look/feel crazy huge, but I love them, can fill them up with socks and insoles and they feel all soft and comfy, or I can strip them down and lace them tighter for warmer weather. And I like to imagine I'm less likely to break through crust with my weight distributed, but maybe I'm fooling myself there. Wow, I'm really rambling. Anyway, I likely would have kept going up that route (not saying that through arrogance, it's just that I know that side of the hill fairly well, and I'm willing to trudge through snow deeper than what most will suffer through).

Too bad we couldn't have met on the summit. Funny, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen anybody up there in my 4 visits, even with considerable time lingering. Might have something to do with the fact that I always go up when the weather is horrible.

Webfoot
Posts: 1759
Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: Table Mt via Aldrich Butte

Post by Webfoot » December 5th, 2017, 10:50 pm

Chip Down wrote: I'm willing to trudge through snow deeper than what most will suffer through
Pardon the digression: I think I discovered a rather specific threshold with regard to post-holing. If I sink in deeper than my knees I can't lift my foot out of the hole to place it for the next step, forcing me to literally plow forward instead which causes a dramatic increase in difficulty, not unlike trying to run in thigh-deep water.

Are there any tricks to get through a short section of super-deep snow without snowshoes, other than go around it?

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