J
Jay Meyer
Guest
A lovely but challenging return trip to this seldom-visited summit north of Rt. 302 in Orange. Note that at least some local knowledge is strongly recommended for any winter trip to this destination, as it is loaded with confusing old logging roads and some of the backcountry terrain (particularly the last few hundred feet on various slopes below the summit) can be difficult.
Snow conditions on Sunday, 2/15 were very good: generally a couple of feet of consolidated base with a 1.5-2" of powder on top, just right for good skinning and edging. The old logging road that I used for access (see route details below) is easily passable. I noted a set of old (a couple of weeks?) snowshoe tracks up onto a side road above the second logyard, and very interestingly some fresh ski tracks coming down and then going back up an old skidder trail from the vicinity of Knox's east peak; don't know where that skier came from, as there was no sign of his/her descent to an access point. Down low the woods are fairly clear and easily passable even while bushwhacking, but there are some serious spruce thickets on the SE ridge that I used to gain the summit (in fact, the summit is ringed with such thickets, and also rocky steeps on several sides). Also quite a few moose yards and plenty of sign on that ridge, though I didn't see any moose as I have several times on past trips to this area. Weather was heavenly, with sun, moderate temps and nearly calm wind the whole way although it did cool down as I descended into the shady valley in the afternoon.
Equipment for such a winter trip: skis with skins AND snowshoes (unless you're a backcountry deity), or just snowshoes (though you'd miss out on some very enjoyable skiing). I was able to ski the entire way up and most of the way down, but switched to snowshoes for about a mile in order to descend through thickets and some steeps SE of the summit. Keep in mind that this is a fairly remote area so some basic survival gear and skills are also advisable if you are soloing as I was.
Route: I parked on Clement Road just SW of the powerline crossing, and followed a snowmobile trail to the powerline and primary logging road (very obvious and in good condition down low) which ascends the valley between Clement Road and Knox's main summit. At the second logyard (obvious on satellite photos; the end of the road on USGS topos), I crossed the stream and headed up a relatively clear old logging road that leads generally west/uphill from that logyard. That old road eventually peters out and branches; when my chosen branch faded into oblivion I bushwhacked up to the saddle (approx. 2,500') on the SE ridge. Then along the height of that ridge, through occasional thickets and following herd paths where I could, all the way to the relatively open summit from which there are excellent views to the south, north and east. I was able to descend on skis until I hit the thickets again at approx. 2,800' on the SE ridge; I then switched to snowshoes, descended a bit further on the ridge and then cut down directly into the valley to the east as soon as the vegetation thinned out a bit. Crossing the stream was a bit of a challenge, but after gaining the upper remnants of the primary logging road on the other side of that stream I descended the remainder of the way very quickly on skis (dodging moose-print "potholes" for much of the way!).
Snow conditions on Sunday, 2/15 were very good: generally a couple of feet of consolidated base with a 1.5-2" of powder on top, just right for good skinning and edging. The old logging road that I used for access (see route details below) is easily passable. I noted a set of old (a couple of weeks?) snowshoe tracks up onto a side road above the second logyard, and very interestingly some fresh ski tracks coming down and then going back up an old skidder trail from the vicinity of Knox's east peak; don't know where that skier came from, as there was no sign of his/her descent to an access point. Down low the woods are fairly clear and easily passable even while bushwhacking, but there are some serious spruce thickets on the SE ridge that I used to gain the summit (in fact, the summit is ringed with such thickets, and also rocky steeps on several sides). Also quite a few moose yards and plenty of sign on that ridge, though I didn't see any moose as I have several times on past trips to this area. Weather was heavenly, with sun, moderate temps and nearly calm wind the whole way although it did cool down as I descended into the shady valley in the afternoon.
Equipment for such a winter trip: skis with skins AND snowshoes (unless you're a backcountry deity), or just snowshoes (though you'd miss out on some very enjoyable skiing). I was able to ski the entire way up and most of the way down, but switched to snowshoes for about a mile in order to descend through thickets and some steeps SE of the summit. Keep in mind that this is a fairly remote area so some basic survival gear and skills are also advisable if you are soloing as I was.
Route: I parked on Clement Road just SW of the powerline crossing, and followed a snowmobile trail to the powerline and primary logging road (very obvious and in good condition down low) which ascends the valley between Clement Road and Knox's main summit. At the second logyard (obvious on satellite photos; the end of the road on USGS topos), I crossed the stream and headed up a relatively clear old logging road that leads generally west/uphill from that logyard. That old road eventually peters out and branches; when my chosen branch faded into oblivion I bushwhacked up to the saddle (approx. 2,500') on the SE ridge. Then along the height of that ridge, through occasional thickets and following herd paths where I could, all the way to the relatively open summit from which there are excellent views to the south, north and east. I was able to descend on skis until I hit the thickets again at approx. 2,800' on the SE ridge; I then switched to snowshoes, descended a bit further on the ridge and then cut down directly into the valley to the east as soon as the vegetation thinned out a bit. Crossing the stream was a bit of a challenge, but after gaining the upper remnants of the primary logging road on the other side of that stream I descended the remainder of the way very quickly on skis (dodging moose-print "potholes" for much of the way!).
