Silliman-Tableland TR 8/26 - 8/29

[Shawn]

Wow, great TR and photos. As others have said, very inspirational for a future trip. I've been up to Silliman a couple of times, but just did the standard up and back day hike. Your route has so much more.

[tim]

The route from Crescent to the saddle above Tableland was particularly nice, and a pleasant surprise that it went so nicely. Well worth a visit.

Do you have a track for your route? I was interested in doing that part in reverse as part of a loop from the Marvin Pass trailhead, up Deadman Canyon and across the Tablelands from either Big Bird or Lonely Lake, coming out via Beville Lake. I believe in another thread where you mentioned this trip a few years back Oldranger said there were some old switchbacks to ascend from Crowley Canyon to the Tablelands (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Any evidence of those still visible?

[TehipiteTom]

Thanks! Glad y'all enjoyed it.

Tim, I don't have a GPS so no track/coordinates. It's a pretty easy route to follow. From Tableland, head for the broad saddle NE of Point 11,462; from the saddle, there's a grassy bench heading west; follow that, and then just generally stay close to the Box Canyon rim. There's a short talus-y stretch, but for the most part it's fairly easy going close to the rim. (The slopes above, to your left, are a rocky slag-heap.) Eventually you'll want to veer slightly away from the rim, and head toward the saddle at the head of Horse Creek canyon; by that time, the going is easier all around.

If you head northwest from the saddle toward Point 11,080+, then turn SW/W just before the slope gets steeper, that should feed you into the high valley that leads west toward Crescent Lake.

I did not see any old switchbacks, but then I wasn't looking for them; with or without them, it's not too difficult a route.

[TehipiteTom]

One other note about this trip: I went a full 72 hours without seeing a single human (although I did spy a tent in the distance one day), from the parking lot at Lodgepole on Monday til a little below Table Meadow on Thursday morning.