Almost all this run is on the PCT!
The PCT is not a difficult trail but it is not fast.v
Look
for these on the trail
Snoqualmie Pass Double Fat Ass information!
....last minute questions or directions? call Mike Mahanay 206.931.4713
http://grandcanyontreks.org/wac/2005/Pacific%20Crest%20Trail%20Fat%20Ass.html
Directions to the Washington Alpine Club
Guye Cabin on Alpental Road
Yahoo Maps will only get
you as far as Snoqualmie Pass:
From Seattle:
Go up I90 East
to Snoqualmie Pass. (About 52 miles from Seattle)
At mile 49.8 you will see
Denny Peak and the Tooth on the left.
Look for Guye Peak, and take the first
pass exit, Snoqualmie Summit West, exit 52.
Turn left at the stop sign on
Alpental Road, and go under the highway.
Pass the driveway (on the right)
into the PCT trailhead,
Immediately after turn right on Alpental Road.
(There will be a sign to Alpental Ski Area)
Cross a bridge and look for the
Sahalie Ski Lodge and Guye Peak on the right.
When you see Sahalie make the
first left into the small WAC parking area.
You’ll see beautiful Guye Cabin
through the trees. Please sure the lower entrance under the stairs.
Start
8am both days
We’ll meet at Guye Cabin both days. Arrive between 6 and 7. We’ll have coffee, bagels etc.
We’ll leave from
Guye Cabin to do the shuttle at 7 am both days.
(if you miss the shuttle drive to start)
(If folks think they will really need extra time we can arrange an early start, but we hope the majority of people will start at 8am)
Guye Cabin will be open from 3 pm Friday so you can arrive anytime. You can stay overnight Friday and/or Saturday for $15 each night per person. RV is okay, tent is good, or sleep in one fo the dorms. We’ll do spaghetti both nights. Bring a dish or drinks. Bring stuff for breakfast too. Special diet? You can cook whatever you want for dinner or breakfast. There is a full kitchen.
The
runs-
This is a remote,
wilderness event and should be approached with preparation, caution and care. We
expect you to be self-sufficient and
responsible. Carry 4 bottles of water, gels, and snacks. Wear a hat. Bring
something to purify water from the streams. Take cowboy baths to cool down.
Requirements! Have fun, be safe,
don’t litter, prepare for the weather, & sign in at the finish
Day 01 - Tacoma Pass to Guye Cabin - August 01
Driving directions to the start-
TACOMA PASS
From exit 62 go south (left if coming from Easton). Follow 3.1 miles to
intersection of FS 41.
Go left on FS 41 for 7.6 miles. Take a right at the well marked turn to Tacoma
Pass.
Day 1 description
Tacoma
Pass via Stampede Pass to Guye Cabin
Green Trails Map
Lester WA No 239 and Snoqualmie Pass WA No 207
|
Almost all this run is on the PCT!
The PCT is not a difficult trail but it is not fast.v
|
|
From Tacoma Pass
to Stampede Pass you’ll do some moderate climbs.
About 1.5 miles
from Stampede Pass you will start to pass under a series of power lines. There
are three
sets of power
lines and the last one is the widest. You'll know it because in the middle of
the clearing the
trail does a sharp
turn to the right and then back to the left. When you hit the trees after that
clearing
you've got 0.3
miles to Stampede Pass.
Jeff’s car will be there with water and some snacks.
You can do drop bags there.
From Stampede Pass
you've got approx 14 miles on the PCT to Olallie Meadows. The trail is moderate
with decent footing and some nice older growth sections. From Stampede you'll
hit a large blow
down about 3 miles out and at 5 miles out you cross a forest service road just
after
passing over
Stirrup Creek. The PCT signs / blazes are easy to follow, just keep an eye out
and don't
turn off on any
dirt roads. We’ll cross a forest service road crossing at Meadow Mountain.
Leaving Meadow Mt.
you make a gradual climb over a ridge and past a sign saying that you are
leaving
the national
forest and entering the Cedar River watershed. At this point the trail leaves
the trees and
you are in an old
clear cut. Downhill from this ridge to Yamika Pass the footing is a bit loose
and the trail
is a bit
overgrown. As you come down into the saddle of Yakima Pass you will cross a few
old logging
roads and you will pass a pond on
your right with a trail sign marking Yakima Pass.
From the Yakima
Pass sign the trail switchbacks up to Mirror Lake. There are some creek
crossings that
should be an easy
hop at the end of August. Just before reaching Mirror Lake you leave the clear
cut
and reenter the
trees. There will be almost certainly be people camping at the south end of
Mirror Lake.
They are there to
enjoy the weekend in the wilderness and do not expect to see a steady stream of
runners.
You've got 5 miles
to go. Savor the pretty run along Mirror Lake. It is one of many reasons why we
really like the Cascades. Expect some snow after Mirror Lake. It is about 1 mile
around the east side of the lake and shortly after leaving the lake you'll hit a
trail intersection. Stay straight (do not go right). You'll climb from the lake
up about 500 ft on gradual switchbacks. At the top of this climb pay attention
and stay to the left. A trail to Twin Lakes goes to the right and downhill and
the PCT goes to the left. The mileage sign is old and illegible so trust me,
just stay to the left. If you find yourself bombing downhill with no PCT
markers... we'll, don't say I didn't warn you while you are back tracking
uphill. The next 2.5 miles or so to the Olallie Meadows at Mile 24 are very
pretty. The trail is rolling and generally downhill. Enjoy the views!
Olallie Meadows we will have 5 gallons of water.
Leaving Olallie Meadows you will stay
on the PCT for the downhill through the Summit West Ski area, under I90 and a
short run on the Alpental Road back to Guye Cabin to the finish.
Sign in and record your time. There
will be snacks and drinks in the kitchen or set up outside. Go take a soak in
the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River.
Mileage Day 1-
Tacoma Pass 0
Snowshoe Butte 5
Stampede Pass 10
Meadow Mt
17
Olallie Meadows 24
Guye Cabin 28
Day 2 - Kachess Lake
Campground to Silver Creek via Thorp Mountain - August 02
Green
Trails Map 208
The Start driving directions-
KACHESS LAKE
Exit 62 off of I-90. Head north (not towards Stampede Pass). If coming from Hyak
heading East
on I-90 you will exit and take a left to cross over the freeway. Take the road
straight for 5.1 miles
to a “T” intersection. Take a left. Go 0.4 miles uphill on a dirt road to the
next intersection.
There is a large information sign directly ahead of you here. We will park just outside the Campground.
Turn right at the sign and head 0.2
The Finish driving directions-
FINISH at Easton Fire Station
Exit 71 from I-90. Head south 3
blocks over the railroad tracks. The fire station is on the left.
Day 2 description Kachess
Lake Campground to Silver Creek via Thorp Mountain
(unless we find
some volunteers to haul some water and snacks this day will be entirely self
sufficient)
The start goes
down a bushwack trail that cuts down to the start of the trail by the lake,
often referred to as the ‘trail from hell”, which takes you to a right hand turn
to Mineral Creek. The total section from Kachess Lake to Mineral Creek is 5
miles long and looks quite benign on the elevation chart.
It is rocky, rootstrewn and rolling with
dozens up short, steep gullies. Take your time and be careful. Even the front
runners tend to
take over 90 minutes to cover this section and it will take most runners about
two hours. There are some tricky sections of trail in here that require prudent,
cautious navigation.
Finally you will
take a right hand turn at a signed trail junction onto trail 1331 to Mineral
Creek. A mile
downhill you will
cross the creek . Expect to get your feet wet here. Some years there
is a log crossing
but right now there is not.
You will leave
Mineral Creek on a gradual uphill dirt road. The road climb goes for 7 miles and
gains
almost 3,000 ft.
After some tight road switchbacks you’ll bend around the corner to the left and
arrive at the No Name Ridge.
The next section
is the prettiest and toughest on the course. There are some great views along
the way of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and the Stuart Range. Don’t forget to
pick your head up and enjoy the scenery.
The cardiac
needles are a series of short but steep climbs between No Name Ridge and just
after French
Cabin. There are
basically 4 climbs + the climb up to the Thorp Mt lookout. The first one is the
worst of
the bunch (you’ll
know it when you get there).
After No Name
Ridge you’ll reach the out and back climb up to the lookout cabin. With the
great views this is a great place to take a break, eat a sandwich and relax for
some time before you start the final downhill to the finish.
It is 4 mostly
downhill miles from Thorp to French Cabin. The last climb on the course (really)
is
just after leaving
the French Cabin aid station. Once you crest onto the pretty saddle it is time
to shake
out your quads and
get ready for downhill. From the saddle to the Silver Creek finish there are
basically three sections: steep
downhill, moderate downhill, steep downhill.
Finish at Silver Creek.
Mileage Day 2
Kachess Lake 0
Mineral Creek 5
No Name Rd 9
No Name Ridge 12
Thorp
Mt 16
French Cabin 20
Silver Creek 27
Fire Station 32
Weekend Schedule
Friday July 31 3 PM Guye Cabin will open
Saturday, Aug 01 SPFA
6:00 - 7:00A –
Guye Cabin Check-in
7:00A Shuttle to
start at Tacoma Pass
8:00A Start
Finish and recovery at Guye Cabin
Sunday, Aug 02 TMFA
6:00 - 7:00A –
Guye Cabin Check-in
7:00A Shuttle to
finish at Silver Creek and then to the start
8:00A Start
Finish and recovery at Guye Cabin