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Page Type:
|
Trip Report |
|---|---|
Date Climbed/Hiked:
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Jul 14, 2007 |
Activities:
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Hiking, Mountaineering |
Season:
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Summer |
Getting There
Take I-70 to exit 171 (US 24 south). After about 5 miles, turn right onto Tigiwon road. Follow this for about 8 miles to the Half Moon / Fall Creek parking area. This is an easy gravel road; high clearance is not really needed. However, take note that the road is not plowed in the winter, so you will not be able to drive up to the trailhead during winter months.Ascent
We headed out after work on Friday, planning to at least get started and camp somewhere along the Fall Creek trail. It was dark by the time we even got to the trailhead, so we didn't get that far (probably 1/2 mile in from the trail head).We woke up the next morning and began our hike up to Notch Mountain. The plan was to stash our heavy packs somewhere near treeline and then pick them up on the descent, breaking south off the trail to find a more remote area to camp. ... but more about that later. It was a beautiful day for our Notch Mountain hike... warm and clear, with only minor clouds developing in late morning.
After an hour or two, we came to the split for the Notch Mountain trail. This is a well-traveled trail and is clearly marked with a sign, so you really can't miss it.
On the way up, we enjoyed the beautiful wildflowers and magnificent views of the landscape back to the East.
Above treeline, the trail switchbacks heavily for the ascent up to the summit. This keeps the grade pretty manageable.
After a couple of hours, we reached the summit and found the awesome hut.
Descent
We headed back down to our gear stash at treeline. The plan was to head south off the trail after getting our gear and find a place to camp near the small unnamed lakes south of the trail. This turned out to be a brutal path. Once you break off the trail and head south, you run into very steep and rugged terrain. There are cliffs, steep scree areas, and patches of dense thick shrubbery. So if you plan to hike to these unnamed lakes, your best bet is to stick with the Fall Creek trail until you are roughly North/South parallel to them. Then break off to the west and start climbing, where the slope is more manageable and forested. But we eventually made it to a great spot near one of the lakes. It was a beautiful place to camp.
