Re: Share Your Worst October Weather Experience
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:36 am
Getting back on topic my worst October trip wasn't in the Sierra and wasn't half bad, in fact it was downright enjoyable--I just couldn't do what I planned to do.
Almost 3 years ago I was up in Holden Village in the North Cascades. To get there you take a boat up Lake Chelan then ride a school bus up the old (but very well maintained) mining road to the Village which is located at the 3200 ft. level of the Railroad Creek Valley (some time in the past it was considered for about 15 minutes a possible route through the Cascades for a railroad). After sawing rounds for firewood for 5 days I had a day off before returning home. It had been raining intermittently during my stay and one day we even had a few snow flurries. My plan was to hike up to Holden Lake at about 5.400 ft and try and catch some rb and cuts and hybrids.
It was cool and overcast, actually great conditions for the hike up primarily s. slopes. About 1.5 miles from the lake I began to encounter fresh snow. By the time I got to the lake there were 3"or so of snow any place that had substantial shade during the day and the lake was mostly frozen. I noted some open water about 1/2 around the lake at a place where I had caught nice trout before and I started to work my way over. Then reality struck. My route required working my way over pole sized downed trees interlaced like jackstraws and covered with snow. I was alone. I decided no fish was worth the risk of negotiating that slippery maze and turned around and returned to the village for a hot shower and a celabratory feast for all the volunteers that helped convert the village from summer to winter operations.
Mike
Almost 3 years ago I was up in Holden Village in the North Cascades. To get there you take a boat up Lake Chelan then ride a school bus up the old (but very well maintained) mining road to the Village which is located at the 3200 ft. level of the Railroad Creek Valley (some time in the past it was considered for about 15 minutes a possible route through the Cascades for a railroad). After sawing rounds for firewood for 5 days I had a day off before returning home. It had been raining intermittently during my stay and one day we even had a few snow flurries. My plan was to hike up to Holden Lake at about 5.400 ft and try and catch some rb and cuts and hybrids.
It was cool and overcast, actually great conditions for the hike up primarily s. slopes. About 1.5 miles from the lake I began to encounter fresh snow. By the time I got to the lake there were 3"or so of snow any place that had substantial shade during the day and the lake was mostly frozen. I noted some open water about 1/2 around the lake at a place where I had caught nice trout before and I started to work my way over. Then reality struck. My route required working my way over pole sized downed trees interlaced like jackstraws and covered with snow. I was alone. I decided no fish was worth the risk of negotiating that slippery maze and turned around and returned to the village for a hot shower and a celabratory feast for all the volunteers that helped convert the village from summer to winter operations.
Mike