This peak is closer to Portland than Seattle. Go for it. Actually, I'm interested to know/get more info on the route from the west. Thanks for stopping by, Jian Brenkins.
This is another excellent Klenke page but I just thought I'd point out some of the road problems I found when doing Purcell. Here's the map I made for Dean's Purcell page: Washouts
I found out later that the road shown coming in from the NE towards Purcell does go and that is definitely the way to do Purcell at present. So I guess you either approach from that direction and follow it up into your route. Or you park at the road washout at ~3000' which is not that far from Whalehead as the crow flies and head up some terrain that may be steep and/or brushy for 2000 feet to merge up with that SE ridge route. Or you probe those roads to the west of Whalehead which I did not try so they may or may not have washed out as well. Or, something else.
This peak has "beat me" twice. Did a 12 hour "day" hike last year from a spur road off FR 47, straight up to Grassy, then East to the "saddle", down to the basin (headwaters) of East Fork of Silverbrook, and then up to the 2nd step on an East approach to Whalehead. At this point I decided to turn back, as I didn't have the proper equipment (no ropes) and was doing this solo. My daughter and I are attempting this again from the West in December.
Brian Jenkins - Oct 30, 2006 8:16 pm - Voted 10/10
CoolMile high whale. Nice. Never heard of this one, looks great.
Klenke - Oct 30, 2006 9:10 pm - Hasn't voted
As cool as Moby was wet.This peak is closer to Portland than Seattle. Go for it. Actually, I'm interested to know/get more info on the route from the west. Thanks for stopping by, Jian Brenkins.
Schrub - Nov 1, 2006 12:11 am - Hasn't voted
Nice Page!Looks like a dirty little peak. I'll have to keep in my back pocket next time I'm near Randle - might be a fun solo.
ericnoel - Oct 17, 2007 11:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Road ConditionsThis is another excellent Klenke page but I just thought I'd point out some of the road problems I found when doing Purcell. Here's the map I made for Dean's Purcell page: Washouts
I found out later that the road shown coming in from the NE towards Purcell does go and that is definitely the way to do Purcell at present. So I guess you either approach from that direction and follow it up into your route. Or you park at the road washout at ~3000' which is not that far from Whalehead as the crow flies and head up some terrain that may be steep and/or brushy for 2000 feet to merge up with that SE ridge route. Or you probe those roads to the west of Whalehead which I did not try so they may or may not have washed out as well. Or, something else.
zentzoo - Nov 26, 2011 1:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Whalehead challengeThis peak has "beat me" twice. Did a 12 hour "day" hike last year from a spur road off FR 47, straight up to Grassy, then East to the "saddle", down to the basin (headwaters) of East Fork of Silverbrook, and then up to the 2nd step on an East approach to Whalehead. At this point I decided to turn back, as I didn't have the proper equipment (no ropes) and was doing this solo. My daughter and I are attempting this again from the West in December.