Sediments Creek (Yukon Territory, Canada) 16-Aug-2018

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VanMarmot
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Sediments Creek (Yukon Territory, Canada) 16-Aug-2018

Post by VanMarmot » August 30th, 2018, 1:20 pm

Earlier this month, we rafted the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers in Canada (Yukon Territory) and Alaska (Glacier Bay National Park). We’d planned this trip months in advance but were fortunate that it allowed us to escape the wildfire smoke that has been choking Southern Oregon (and inhibiting our hiking) for weeks.

Day 3 of the trip was a lay-over at Sediments Creek to provide a hike that climbs 950 m (3,100 ft) in 5.4 km (3.4 mi) to alpine habitat on Goat Ridge above the river. It started with a stroll up the creek cobble and then along a good use trail through a bit of forest, followed by a stiff climb to the "short hike destination" about 200 m above the river. From there, it was more forest along a ridge, then up a slope covered in short (but bear-hiding) vegetation to an open, rocky area. After a break there, we traversed an open screen slope, then finished with a steep climb (and a tiny bit of scrambling) up to Goat Ridge. Once up, we wandered across the short alpine vegetation to an overlook of Sediments Creek where it was hoped we'd see mountain goats (this being Goat Ridge and all). Claims that white dots moving on a far distant ridge were, in fact, mountain goats, were viewed with just a little skepticism. It took some mental gymnastics to come to grips with that fact that we were the only people for as far as the eye could see in any direction from the ridge - millions of hectares of raw wilderness surrounded us. A little overawed, we headed back. The weather fully cooperated (it wouldn't always be so obliging) to make this challenging hike one of the absolute highlights of the whole trip! It gave us a good work-out (no float & bloat here) along with amazing views north and south along the Tatshenshini River Valley, across to Carmine Mountain, and down into the upper Sediments Creek drainage. We saw one black bear for sure and, if white dots are goats, then mountain goats too.

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Up along the creek cobble

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Through the forest

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And up the slope

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View upriver from our first break

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Back into the forest along the ridge

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View north from the ridge

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Through fireweed toward the rocky, open slope; our goal is the notch (arrow)

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Taking a break on the open, rocky slope (arrow points to our camp)

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Traversing the upper scree slope

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Traversing the upper scree slope

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Up toward the notch in the ridge

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A little bit of scrambling on slippery rock

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Near the top of the notch

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Topping out on Goat Ridge

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The view north from Goat Ridge

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Looking into the braided upper drainage of Sediments Creek

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Returning across Goat Ridge

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Back down the notch (arrow points to our camp)

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And down the scree slope, with a view to the south...

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The afternoon view north from the rocky, open space

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Down the first steep slope

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The LovedOne flashes her brave hiker smile just short of camp
Last edited by VanMarmot on September 1st, 2018, 5:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

Aimless
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Re: Sediments Creek Hike (Yukon Territory, Canada)

Post by Aimless » August 30th, 2018, 1:49 pm

Great looking hike! Now for the most important question: how were the bugs?

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VanMarmot
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Re: Sediments Creek Hike (Yukon Territory, Canada)

Post by VanMarmot » August 30th, 2018, 1:55 pm

Aimless wrote:
August 30th, 2018, 1:49 pm
Great looking hike! Now for the most important question: how were the bugs?
Not nearly as bad as we'd expected. Very few mosquitos. Some little biting flies that you didn't notice until the itching started. But not too many of those either. We've had much, much worse in the Indian Heaven or Sky Lakes Wilderness areas.

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K.Wagner
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Re: Sediments Creek (Yukon Territory, Canada) 16-Aug-2018

Post by K.Wagner » September 13th, 2018, 12:13 pm

That trail looks way too good to just be a casual "user trail". Do you think it was an old miner's trail?
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VanMarmot
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Re: Sediments Creek (Yukon Territory, Canada) 16-Aug-2018

Post by VanMarmot » September 14th, 2018, 5:18 am

K.Wagner wrote:
September 13th, 2018, 12:13 pm
That trail looks way too good to just be a casual "user trail". Do you think it was an old miner's trail?
No, it was started - in the 1980s I think - by Sobek Expeditions, who ran the Tatshenshini back then. From what our guides said, almost every rafting trip now stops at Sediments Creek (easy landing & great campsites) to offer this hike to any rafters wanting to do it. So this trail just reflects 30+ years of users tromping along.

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