Hi, I am planning to do the Bailey traverse solo this summer in late July/early August and have been pouring over topo maps, multiple trip reports, and the description in the Olympic Mountain climbing guide. I will not be carrying a GPS and would love to meet with someone, or at least chat over phone/email, who has done the route (or will have by the time I go). There a couple of spots where route descriptions are not clear (e.g. descending the snow finger - which actually may be absent this summer according to one report)....and in the Mt. Carrie to Cream Lake area. I do acupuncture in Seattle and would be happy to offer a free treatment in exchange for your time and knowledge. Jordan 206.860.5009.

Oly,

Since no one has yet jumped in on your inqury, I'll give it a shot. It's been five or six years since I did the traverse. Here's a few thoughts FWIW:

olympicwanderer wrote: I will not be carrying a GPS

Unless you are dead-set against it, I would encourage you to bring a GPS. While there is much open country that lends itself to dead-reckoning, if you get a weather system that comes in or cloud cover, the dead-reckoning goes a bit out the door. I think there a some off-trail sections were it would be useful to have a GPS as a double check. Especially: the section SW of Mt. Carrie to Cream Lake > to getting back out of timberline moving towards Mt. Ferry. Ditto for possible cloud/fog sock-in on the glacier travel areas: Humes Glacer/Hoh Glacier/Blue Glacier. As a side note, we had really great weather when I did it (about the same time you are planning), so didn't really run into navigation problems due to weather (we did bring GPS).

olympicwanderer wrote: descending the snow finger

We didn't actually descend the Elwah snow finger on our route, though I understand that snow finger route is an entry/exit for the traverse. We moved from the north>south down towards Bear Pass and camped in the basin just west of Mount Barnes and north of Dodwell-Rixon Pass (that basin was loaded with snow and really scenic).

olympicwanderer wrote: and in the Mt. Carrie to Cream Lake area.

If I recall correctly, this section was the toughest part of the trip. By this, the game trail(s)? seemed to dissipate as you descended from the sparser timberline below Mt. Carrie on the quest to get to Cream Lake (that might explain the lack of a trail description come to think of it). There was some bushwhacking and a bit of cursing. We moved from Boston Charlie camp to Cream Lake in one day. It was a bit of a bitch. I remember thinking if everyday is going to be like this one, we are in for a Hell Hike. Rest assured, the XC travel gets better. Also, a GPS unit might help you find the lake easier on this day.

Other thoughts:

I would bring two trekking poles for this trip.
Not sure if you are into peak bagging/what your climbing skills/desires are, but climbing Mt. Carrie and Mt. Ferry are worth it if only for the views (class 2 from what I remember, nothing freaky). Mt. Barnes looked pretty tasty tambien (we didn't have the time). If you have the skills and inclination, I'd recommend a Mt. Olympus attempt (or some bold satellite peaks, Athena, Hermes, etc). Since you are gonna spend the time and effort to get back there, you might as well do some kinda bagging.

If you get a chance, I would highly recommend camping at Camp Pan. It's really a fantastic place to camp; scenery, quiet mediation and alpine reflection. Just superb.

Also, if haven't read it already and are into reading/history/geography, I'd recommend this book:
Across the Olympic Mountains: The Press Expedition, 1889-90
http://www.amazon.com/Across-Olympic-Mo ... 0898862191
It's really well written and gives you a sense of what it took to move through this area back in the day (images to contemplate as you walk the Hoh Trail Miles west to civilization and all those kippers and kimchi awaiting you).

Anyways, my two cents. Hopefully, someone with more recent experience can jump in here.

Good luck! It's really a great trip and good for the soul.

Jesus,

Thanks for responding. I will consider your advice about the GPS. Any advice on obtaining an inexpensive model that's still useful. I've spent some time in the back country, though not for many years. My sense is that in early August, any weather would likely be short lived and I could just wait it out if I am high on a ridge somewhere, though of course, there are always exceptions and inherent risks. The most exposed section (Mt Ferry to D-R Pass is less than a day hike and if it looks like some weather is moving in, I'd consider heading over to Dodger Point and then down. I will look into bagging Ferry or Barnes, but probably not Carrie as that is early in the route, and I'll want to make forward progress before I start taking side trips.

Thanks again,

I found my answer regarding Cream Lake - which seems to match what is in the Olympic Mountain guidebook:
http://ronhayward.net/mtntreks/bailey07 ... Sendek.jpg (follow the yellow line to Oz)

Hello, did the Baileys a few weeks ago. writing a full trip report but don't have it posted yet. Just wanted to suggest bypassing the cream lake section. It baffles me that people actually drop down to that bug infested swamp... when A: its not that difficult to traverse around Stephen Peak and drop into Lower Ferry basin, and B: Stephen Lake Basin is absolutely SPECTACTULAR. I came from Ferry and traversed around the east shoulder of Stephen which is mostly rock these days and a little annoying but definitely worth it for camping at Stephen lake. To avoid the super steep scree up high I stayed low near all the little melt tarns and dropped down through the tree bands where it looks like it cliffs out but isn't actually too gnarly. Just cut as far west as you can. Coming from Stephen Lake and heading toward Ferry basin would probably make route finding easier in this section. AS far as the other side, getting from the slopes of Mt. Carrie and Ruth Peak over to Stephen, you leave the foot path approximately 1 mile beyond Eleven Bull basin before you drop into the hell hole of cream lake (shudder) There is a really obvious treeless gap in the ridgeline. Shouldn't be any problem going up because I didn't have any problem going down it. Just above the gap is a pass that overlooks Stephen Lake. I read about folks using the pass itself, but I found the rocks and heather to the right (or left if coming from the lake) a bit more comfy.

Anyway, just food for thought. It would be a shame to do the Baileys and not see Stephen Lake. I'm heading out tomorrow up the Elwha to the snowfinger (curious how that's going to go) and then plan to hang out a couple days in the South Baileys and then head for Olympus and out the Hoh. When I did the Baileys a few weeks ago, I went in via Ludden Peak, so missed out on the whole South portion. I'll report back on the Snowfinger when I return. Happy Trails!

Thanks for your post olympicmarmot. Regarding Cream Lake...hiking up to a pass from Eleven Bull basin and around the north side of Stephen Peak is definitely an option, though in the end, the elevation gain makes it more work/time consuming in my opinion, IF time is an important factor. There is no shortage of beauty in all directions in those parts and so one needs to pick and choose based on the time available.

And in case anyone is wondering, The Olympic Mountain climbing guide makes it quite clear that traversing the south face beyond Stephen Peak (instead of descending to Cream Lake) isn't as easy as it looks. There is a cairn in the trail that is pretty obvious which should prevent alert hikers from dropping down too early and getting lost in the notorious Cream Lake triangle. By hiking up and continuing the traverse another 30-45 minutes before dropping down, there's a clear path to Cream Lake Basin. I actually found the creek above Cream Lake and didn't bother going to the lake.

I am hoping to hike back in to the Baileys via Long Creek, Ludden Peak, Mount Ferry - if my left knee allows. I am curious whether you still found water at the Ludden-Scott saddle - there wasn't much left. And very curious about what the condition of the Snow Finger area is. Hope you are enjoying your hike.

Hello, just reporting back on the snowfinger. It is gone entirely, save for a tiny patch at the very top. The snowhump below is still prsent, but rapidly melting. It was not safe to climb onto, but easy to gain the shelf above and to the right (heading up) and bypass it. The rest of the route was just cruising up easy rock crossing from one side of the river to the other. I found Queets basin entirely melted out as well. Humes glacier was traversable, but probably not much longer. The turnaround point came above camp Pan with the first look at the Hoh Glacier and Glacier Pass. Glacier Pass was rock at the top, ice in the middle, and rock at the bottom.The slope down to Pan was icy, and I didnt figure the descent was worth it if not continuing to the Hoh.Had a nice camp above Blizzard Pass instead. Going back down the melted out Blizzard Pass was interesting, though. Backtracked to the South Baileys and went out Ludden/Scott saddle. Very good trip!

Olympic Marmot - When were you at the Ludden-Scott saddle and what is the water situation there? Is there still water to be found in springs emerging from small pockets in the meadow. This dry weather has me wondering what it will look like as I plan to return there in a few weeks. What about the springs found alongside the Dodger Point trail on Long Ridge near the top? Thanks.

Olympicwanderer- I was at Ludden/Scott saddle on July 17 and the only water was the little mucky pothole, which I did use to boil dinner. For drinking, I loaded up on as much water as I could carry from the uppermost tarn in Ferry Basin(which is getting very low) to get me beyond the ludden saddle to the Dodger way trail where a good creek is still flowing in one of the meadows a mile or so down. I was on the Long ridge trail in June and the little springs toward the top were still flowing, but I dont know if they still are. The one on the way trail side of the ridge is probably a safe bet, and the Elwha ford to Reamans cabin at the bottom is very low and easy...so you might want to approach from the ford and the way trail instead of long ridge. Of course, it all depends on how much later your trip is, I suppose. Conditions were drier than Ive ever seen.

Olympic Marmot - Thanks for the tip to check out the ford just upriver from the confluence of the Lost River and the Elwha. I will like into that. The water situation at the Ludden-Scott Saddle concerns me. It's a long way (and all uphill) to carry water all the way from the Elwha to upper Ferry Basin/Lone Tree Pass (where I could at least melt snow with black plastic if the tarn is gone). Supposedly it rained 1.4 inches (as measured in the Queets drainage near the fire). So that should recharge some of the springs for a little while, but it looks like we are about to enter another hot dry spell - at least here in Seattle. Would really like to hear directly from anyone hiking in that area over the next week. My tentative departure date is August 7. You can also email me directly at jordanvvvv@gmail.com

OlympicMarmot - One other question. Can you give a bit more detail about "we backtracked to the South Baileys"? Specifically, did you follow the Bailey Ridge north from the Queets headwaters across the top of Bear Pass and past Mount Childs/Ragamuffin, and then down the snow slope just south of Lone Tree Pass? I am specifically interested in what your experience was on the snow slope just south of Lone Tree Pass? Is it reasonable to attempt (ascending from north to south), with just an ice axe and careful foot work, or are some sort of microspikes/crampons absolutely essential?

Here's a picture of the slope I am talking about - taken at dawn from the Ferry - Pulitzer Saddle looking south: http://www.communichi.org/wp-content/up ... .31.13.jpg
(can't figure out for the life of me how to insert images into Summit Post)...

thanks

Yes, we bactracked from the Queets headwaters over Bear pass along the ridge above the Bear Pass glacier. From there its a pretty straight forward ridge trek past Mt. Childs, the Ragamuffin, and Urchin. Very interesting landscape through there..strange little gullies and rocky piles. You then reach another small glacier that was the last place I used crampons. Just made the going much faster..imagine it will be soft enough for step kicking if you had to, however. Then its time for a climb back up to the ridgetop and the stretch that takes you to the the snowslopes above lonetree...dont expect to see snow. I wondered about this section too. I imagine during normal snow years, its easy to head down the slope. Given that the snow is gone, we just stayed way over to the left (west) and found a small rocky ledge to drop down that cuts back east and plops you out into a gully that leads right to lone tree. The footing on the ledge was sketchy but not horrible...not as bad as dropping off the ferry shoulder heading toward ludden. But if you are heading from north and going up it, it should be easier. Im sure there are multiple ways through in varying levels of difficulty. We didnt spend time looking, just took the ledge route.