Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

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

Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by johnspeth » July 9th, 2019, 6:03 am

I climbed Craggy Peak in the Dark Divide on July 8, 2019. I chose to approach using the Snagtooth trail (trail #4) which required a bike ride along the blocked Rd 9341. Rd 9341 is now closed nearly the entire distance from Rd 93 to its' end due to a recently fallen large tree across the road near its' start. Rd 9341 was closed about 1.8 miles from Rd 93 last summer. Total distance from Rd 93 to the Snagtooth trail is now 4.6 miles, mostly uphill with about 1000 ft elevation gain. Motorbikers are the only ones keeping that road usable. Using a bike has been a great way to access the Dark Divide for day use access.
Blocked9341.JPG
Rd 9341 blockage
My trip objective was to get to the top of Craggy Peak and I was successful. My route to the top was the ridgeline from the intersection of the Boundary #1 and the Craggy Peak #3 trails. I stayed true to the ridge apex on what appeared to be a goat trail. There was a group of 4-5 mountain goats looking down at me from the top. They made a hasty retreat by the time I got there.
CraggyPeakGoat.JPG
Craggy Peak goat
CraggyPeak.gpx
GPS track for the day
(523.25 KiB) Downloaded 159 times

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bobcat
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Re: Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by bobcat » July 11th, 2019, 3:11 pm

Thanks for the update on the road and the specs on reaching Craggy Peak!

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K.Wagner
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Re: Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by K.Wagner » July 16th, 2019, 6:15 pm

Did you make it to the "real" top of Craggy Peak (the second block)?
Seen here from the first block, with Chase in the chute. (photo courtesy of Peder Bisberg)
Craggy_Peak-Chase-PB.jpg
Kelly
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johnspeth
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Re: Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by johnspeth » July 17th, 2019, 4:48 am

K.Wagner wrote:
July 16th, 2019, 6:15 pm
Did you make it to the "real" top of Craggy Peak (the second block)?
I didn't make it nor did I try. The goats were all over the real top and eventually ran off when I got comfortable on the easy top.

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K.Wagner
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Re: Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by K.Wagner » July 20th, 2019, 4:27 pm

Interesting that you saw all the goats. We have seen them in the area, but had not seen them on Craggy itself. Also, had only seen single animals. Other parts of the Dark Divide, we have seen big families.
Kelly
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johnspeth
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Re: Craggy Peak via Rd 9341, 2019-07-08

Post by johnspeth » July 21st, 2019, 5:59 am

K.Wagner wrote:
July 20th, 2019, 4:27 pm
Interesting that you saw all the goats. We have seen them in the area, but had not seen them on Craggy itself. Also, had only seen single animals. Other parts of the Dark Divide, we have seen big families.
I was surprised to find goats at the top too. What could draw them to such a small feature when food is so abundant just about everywhere? I usually find them on steep hillsides grazing or resting.

It's significant to me you mentioned "family". This group certainly was a family (several smallish goats without shedding wool, and one or two big ones with shedding wool). Later in the summer, they all start to look the same, I suppose. The steep southwestern ridgeline trail had numerous wool tufts stuck to the bushes. I collected what I found and by the time I got to the bottom, I had a nice woolly wad. Goats have the ideal outdoor clothing.

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