DAKS All Folks...???

[mavs00]

My question is to whether anyone would venture a guess as to the conditions of Colden's SE slide over the next week. Any facts or opinions are welcome!!

sincerely,
Inge

Inge,

If it helps, I plan on doing Colden on Monday (17th), albeit conventionally I'm sad to say via Lake Arnold. If its nice enough, I'll take a gander down the SE slide and let you know what I see. Perhaps I'll even snap a picture or two as well.

I'll let you know as soon as I do.

 

[iceNsnow]

just curious.

Tim -
Why the face?
Is there some reason you can't do the SE slide?
Are you planning to climb other peaks in conjunction w/ Colden?
The reason I am asking is because I was hoping to do Colden on the 17th also!! It is not definite. I am not sure if I can go that day or whether I will climb the slide or use the Lk A approach.
It is shorter for me to drive to Upper Wks and I prefer the slide approach, so I am hoping to do that route.


Inge

 

[mavs00]

Errrrr, well it's actually only a semi, mostly "tongue in cheek" sad face. I'd actually love to try that route (always heard great things), but it's a family engagement and I'm not sure my 12 y/o daughter be up for slithering up a possibly icy slide quite yet.

Okay, she might be up for it, but her mean ole dad probably isn't quite ready for her to . Summer is one thing, but still a little early for my liking.

So, as much as it'd be fun to try, when it comes to trying "new" exciting routes or having the gang with me, I'll take the gang every time. Lord knows, the kids are growing fast and soon will find better things to do then go hiking.

We're leaving the LOJ at about 7:30ish and walking leisurely, hope to be up top between 11-noon. Perhaps we'll bump into you up top.

//-- End thread jack

 

[Zer0-G]

Hijack...no such thing. I am getting alot out of this. I'm sitting back and watching all of the useful information slide (pun) by.
I was very curious about the slide as well. I was going to ask the same question.

I am certainly not a novice. I have done quite a lot of buswhacking and I am a competent navigator. The slide sounds interesting. I think the conditions will be the primary factor in considering it as a possibility. Having said that, I'll probably look for the top of the slide, snap a few pics and mozy back on down the trail....we'll see. I am happy to see the doses of reality and cautions. Some of us do, understandably, understate some things every once in a while.

One man's "mile" is another man's "epic adventure".

I am going to be approaching Colden from the south. I'll be swinging around from Algonquin to Mt Marshall then on to Colden. It's a three day trip. 30 plus miles.

0-G

 

[Pete_Hickey]

From the bottom the slide looks something like this:

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmpadk/coldenslide.jpg

Notice that it was wet in this picture, and that can make it quite slippery, or, if you choose to go up the narrow dry bands, you can be forced into very steep sections.

Then, from the top looking down.

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmpadk/coldenslide2.jpg

 

[Rob S]

Very cool photos, Pete. I am getting pysched for our trip this summer. Looks like a lot of good sticky rock, at least when it's dry as shown in the pic looking down.

Zer0-G, be sure to post your trip when you have the dates set. Our trip dates have not been determined yet, but I should know by middle of next month at the latest.

Rob

 

[mavs00]

I looked through some old correspondences (I knew someone had forwarded me some really good beta on that slide). As TCD mentioned, there is a faint path from the trail to the slide base. I do remember making note of it one time walking past it. The woods are pretty open down in that spot if I'm remembering right so even if you can't find a herd path, heading ESE (~130 MN) from the coords I have for the base should put you on the trail in minutes.

As for down-climbing it to save time, you could. I'm told (TCD can confirm) there are a couple real steep sections towards the top. From what I have, the slide (over it's length) is a pretty reasonable 1200'/.74 miles (ave. 17.3 degree slope). You got to be REAL CAREFUL downclibing open slides. But if I was confortable with the slab traction (grippyness), I'd might be inclined to do it in the dead of summer in really dry conditions. Particularly looking at petes pictures from the top, there looks to be descent escape thickets along the sides to bail to in real dicey spots.

Provided you could do it, the distance and time you'd save could be significant, in that one situation, (and its probably one of the few times thats true in the Daks) B-whacks shortcuts pushing through spruce thickets just don't usually work. But again, you know your abilities and you gotta go with what you comfortable and capable with.

Again, just general thoughts on the matter (I'VE NOT DONE THIS SLIDE). Take it for what its worth (which is perhaps nothing).

 

[beverly]

Colden SE Slide

I've climbed it in the summer a couple of times and have climbed down it once. Downclimbing from the top is pretty easy, once you get past the real steep section on top. A climb up the Trap Dike and down the slide makes a great trip.
It's really easy to find the beginning of the slide at the bottom - it can been seen from the trail as it practically ends at the trail.

 

[TCD]

The 1990 Colden slide does have a couple fairly steep sections towards the top. The rock is excellent, so when it's dry, shoes stick well. I wear trail runners, and they stick very well.

The trick with the average slope on this slide is that the lower section is a very long, generally shallow run out. The vertical gain, and thus the steepness, is toward the top, as the map indicates.

On a dry day, going up is no problem for most parties. If you find steep rock uncomfortable, an old pair of rock shoes might make it easier. Another option is the older, less steep slides to the South, which parallel the upper section of the 1990 slide. I have only skied these; I haven't been on them in the Summer, but I would imagine they are mossy and grassy.

TCD

 

[Zer0-G]

Well, the pictures make it look less imposing than it probably is. The steep sections on the top looking from the top down certainly look doable. I have real sticky shoes. Great traction.

It will probably be in Late July or early August when I do this trip. As I said, if the weather is good, I might be inclined to do it.

I'll have plenty of time to do more research too.
I am going to do two three day weekends back to back where I plan on getting at least 14 or 15 46r peaks. Both trips being 30 plus miles.

I'l be up there a few times this summer in addition to those trips.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

It's really easy to find the beginning of the slide at the bottom - it can been seen from the trail as it practically ends at the trail.

It's more difficult than it used to be... IE, I missed it the lst time I was there. In the early 90's, it actually hit the trail, and there was slide rubble on the trail. The trail has been re-routed a bit.

 

[MarkL]

Redfield to Lake Tear

I bushwhacked from Redfield to Lake Tear late one summer. I didn't have a full pack, but did have adequate overnight gear for what turned out to be a frosty night. It was 3 hours actual hiking time, with most of that time coming after a refreshing 9 hours of sleep! Your time may vary . On the way down Redfield, it was so thick that it was easier going through a moderate blowdown field on the way. It was very thick in the Moss Pond area, and between MP and Lake Tear, there was a lot of blowdown. Very slow, hard going there. I recommend against it...unless your only alternative is work.