blaze
Active member
Date of Hike: Saturday 7/19
Our full route: from route 2 - Castle Trail, Israel Ridge, Castle Ravine, Gulfside, Jeff. summit loop, Castle Trail
Trail Conditions: still quite wet from rain yesterday. Plenty o' mud, occasional standing water, wet underbrush, wet roots, wet rocks. Use extra caution, particularly on descent, and give yourself extra time. Stream crossings: water not very high, but rocks are slick.
Special Equipment Required: trekking poles very handy on the numerous stream crossings. Gore tex boots. Gaiters to keep the mud out. I briefly stowed the poles while scrambling up the Castle Ravine headwall, also tried using them collapsed to minimum length.
Comments: cool temps but sub-tropical humidity today... the lower stretches of Castle Ravine resemble a rainforest - lush and green. Thrushes and wrens were having a party. Above treeline in the fog is ethereal, dreamlike, tantalizingly brief views come and go before you can get your camera ready! =)
Thanks to Jonathan K and Matrix. Thanks also to all who have built cairns above treeline, or contributed to them - much appreciated in the fog. photos www.pbase.com/jonathantr.
blaze
jtrundell ~ AT ~ yahoo.com
Our full route: from route 2 - Castle Trail, Israel Ridge, Castle Ravine, Gulfside, Jeff. summit loop, Castle Trail
Trail Conditions: still quite wet from rain yesterday. Plenty o' mud, occasional standing water, wet underbrush, wet roots, wet rocks. Use extra caution, particularly on descent, and give yourself extra time. Stream crossings: water not very high, but rocks are slick.
Special Equipment Required: trekking poles very handy on the numerous stream crossings. Gore tex boots. Gaiters to keep the mud out. I briefly stowed the poles while scrambling up the Castle Ravine headwall, also tried using them collapsed to minimum length.
Comments: cool temps but sub-tropical humidity today... the lower stretches of Castle Ravine resemble a rainforest - lush and green. Thrushes and wrens were having a party. Above treeline in the fog is ethereal, dreamlike, tantalizingly brief views come and go before you can get your camera ready! =)
Thanks to Jonathan K and Matrix. Thanks also to all who have built cairns above treeline, or contributed to them - much appreciated in the fog. photos www.pbase.com/jonathantr.
blaze
jtrundell ~ AT ~ yahoo.com
