| Mount Constance Mountain/Rock |
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| Mount Constance   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Washington, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 47.77300°N / 123.126°W Elevation: 7743 ft / 2360 m | Page By: Alpendave Created/Edited: Apr 26, 2003 / Apr 29, 2008 Object ID: 151586 Hits: 8961 Loading... Page Score: 90.13% - 27 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
* Cited portions of this page will appear in brackets. The info provided is drawn from my own experience on the mountain (I've summitted once) and from books that I have found pertinent. Please feel free to add any info that you feel might improve this page.-- Dave
Mt. Constance is one of the most impressive peaks visible from Puget Sound. At 7,743', it is the highest peak on the eastern edge of the Olympics. The peak was named by George Davidson, surveyor, in honor of Constance Fauntleroy [100 Classic Hikes in Washington, pg. 218-219]. First ascent in 1922 by R. Schellin and A.E. Smith [Climber's Guide to the Olympic Mountains, pg. 102].
The peak is comprised of pillow basalt (lava that erupted under sea and cooled very rapidly) which tends to be quite juggy and somewhat difficult to protect. Slings often prove more practical than wedge type protection. Much of the rock is quite sound; however, you would never know it from the exasperating scree fields that must be negotiated when climbing this peak. There is a small glacier on the north side. Click HERE for some 1960 photos of it.
Mt. Constance could be argued to be the most challenging peak in the Olympics. This is evidenced by the fact that the "Dawg Route" is named "The Terrible Traverse" (named for a precipitous snow cirque that must crossed above a "Terrible" runout). Routes on the mountain are numerous, ranging from Class 3 to mid-Class 5, and ascend every side of the mountain. Difficulty ranges from Grade 2 to Grade 4 [Climber's Guide to the Olympic Mountains, pgs. 34, 105-109].
This peak is a great vantage point for views of Puget Sound, the Cascades (especially the volcanoes), and the Olympics (which lie to the North, West, and South).
Getting There FROM the DOSE:
* ROAD CLOSURE: The Dosewallips Road (#2610) is washed out 4 miles short of the park boundary. A trail has been built around the washout. There is no projection for a repair date of the road. Also call 360-565-3131 for road information.
From US 101 in Brinnon, turn on to Road 2610 (which follows the north bank of the Dosewallips River) and follow it just over 13 miles to Constance Creek. At the begining of this road watch for Roosevelt Elk grazing on private land! If you are only doing a day trip (very ambitious if you plan to summit), park here and locate the trail on the north side of the road and the west side of the cascading creek. If you plan to camp, take a quick glance at the meager parking spaces (nothing more than a few cramped turnouts) and continue to the road's end at Muscott Flats (14.7 miles; 1600 ft) to register with the park ranger. Then drive back to Constance Creek and pray that there is still room to park [Olympic Mountains Trail Guide, pg. 133].
Note: Parts of this road are literally blasted out of the cliff. On one particular corner, the road edge drops off abruptly to the river which is a couple hundred feet below. The corner is sudden and it is easy to find yourself staring at the abuss before you realize that you should have slowed down. Combine this with the narrowness of the road, loose gravel, and other idiots sharing the road with you, and you wind up with a great recipe for disaster!
FROM TUNNEL CREEK (North & East Side Routes)[Climber's Guide to the Olympic Mountains, pg. 99]:
From US 101 turn on to Penny Creek Road (1.4 mi. south of Quilcene, .4 mi. North of U.S. Fish Hatchery). At 1.4 mi. turn left on to Road# 2812 (Big Quilcene-Townsend Creek Road). Take #2812 3.2 mi. to Tunnel Creek Road (#2743).
For the North Fork Tunnel Creek approach, drive 6.5 mi. on #2743 and turn right on #2762. Continue 2 mi. to its end.
For the South Fork Tunnel Creek Trail, drive #2743 for 7 mi. (from #2812) to where the road crosses the S. Fork of Tunnel Creek. The trail begins here.
Red TapePermits are required for all overnight stays in Olympic National Park's backcountry. These can be acquired at the Dosewallips Ranger Station.
There is also a camping quota for Lake Constance. 50% of the backcountry permits for this area must be reserved (no more than 30 days in advance) from the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles. 50% are 1st-come-1st-served (can be picked up 24 hours in advance- during business hours).
CONTACT INFO for RESERVATIONS and GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Mailing Address: Olympic National Park, Wilderness Information Center, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362
Phone Number: (360) 565-3100 (Permits, Reservations and Information for Backcountry areas).
Email Address: olym_wic@nps.gov (backcountry questions)
Hours: April 1 through May 22, open 7 days a week from 8:00 to 4:30.
When To ClimbThe best time to climb would be from June (still some conrnices) to October (scree gets much worse as snow melts).
CampingCamping is usually done at Lake Constance (See Red Tape section for permit questions). This lake is an emerald jewel ringed by trees and surrounded by imposing cliffs. The trail skirts the east end of the lake -- where a talus field comes right down to the water -- to campsites located on the north end. The lake lies cupped in a rocky bowl at the mouth of Avalanche Canyon. Do not be surprised to wake up in the morning to find a mountain goat right outside your tent! Oh, by the way, the trail is only 2 miles long, but gains 3,350' of elevation. You might want to go light ;-)
Mountain ConditionsClick here for trail conditions.
Expect a considerable amount of snow on the upper mountain into June. Many of the routes involve chutes and traverses so avalanche assessment skills are vital when the mountain is covered with snow. To drive the point home, access to the main routes from Lake Constance takes you through Avalanche Canyon!
As the summer heat melts more and more snow, scree becomes a problem. It is not uncommon to have one's foot sink down a couple inches in this stuff. July usually sees increasing levels of frustration due to the abundance of scree taking the place of well consolidated snow.
WildlifeMountain goats are plentiful in this around here. Bears also roam the area so make sure you hang your food! Bear wires are available at the lake.
External Links
Youtube Summit Video Images
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