
Subject:
[cohp] Digest Number 5124
From:
cohp@yahoogroups.com
Date:
8/17/2015 1:53 AM
To:
cohp@yahoogroups.com

County High Pointing in all 50 states
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2 Messages
Digest #5124
1
A wonderful HP trip by "J W" a2b2c2_345
2
Washakie Needles (Hot Springs WY) TR--attempt by cuber86

Messages
1
A wonderful HP trip
Sun Aug 16, 2015 9:51 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"J W" a2b2c2_345
To my fellow highpointers,
Well, I just completed a wonderful trip of highpointing.  
I did manage to climb Kilimanjaro in the beginning of July (with a sidetrip to a hill in Istanbul) and then I had a week or so before my conus vacation/highpointing with the family.
I sent my family to NC via airplane and I took off driving with my climbing buddy Jim, to Utah.  We did Signal Peak and Mount Waas which completes Utah for me.  We then did Castle Rock and Broomfield in CO, after which I dropped him off at Stapleton airport.  I went on to NC completing a number of county highpoints along the way (1 in CO, 1 in OK, 2 in AR, 4 in TN and 2 in NC).  
After a two day rest (which included 4 COHPs in NC), I took my family driving across the USA for them to pick up some state highpoints and me to collect some new county highpoints.  We made it to Branson, MO in five days.  That part of the trip had 2 more COHPs in NC, 1 in SC 1 in GA, 3 in AL, 1 in MS, 2 in MO.  In addition the girls added 6 state highpoints to their collection.  
While in MO, I left the family in Branson and managed to snag 12 COHPs in MO and AR on a 550 mile day trip, starting at 4am. I am not sure if there is a record for most COHPs in one day??  I also had a quick morning trip to AR for two more.
We left Branson and made it to CA in two days (including driving through the second night).  On that leg we garnered 2 COHPs in OK and 1 in TX and 1 in NM.
So, along with a few other peaks, I did 63 climbs/highpoints, which added 45 new counties to my lists.  Granted, most of the counties were drive-ups or less than a mile one-way and/or had one or very few multiple areas.  The Android app is one of the best and I thank the following climbers for their excellent trip reports:  Dennis Poulin, Gerry Roach, John Mitchler, Dave Covill, Scott Surgent, Richard Oestreicher, Hans Haustein, Ben Lostracco (including Turkey), Tom Owen, Tom Layton and Shannon Dillmore.  I am sure I missing a fewbut againthank you.
I met a few landowners and all were wonderfully nice people.  From showing me where the HP was to inviting me in for lemonade.  
I added trip reports on Peakbagger when there were differences or a unique experience.
What a great hobby to have.

Best of life to you all,Jim Retemeyer
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2
Washakie Needles (Hot Springs WY) TR--attempt
Sun Aug 16, 2015 5:58 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
cuber86
I just got back from an attempt on Washakie Needles, the Hot Springs WY COHP, and a peak on the APEX list. My climbing partner ran out of energy and became ill 0.2 miles and 600' below the summit, so the only information of use I have is the route up to that point. However, some may find it helpful...

The drive in: from Thermopolis, WY-170 and then Owl Creek Rd are both good paved roads, the latter all the way to where it bends south to head to Anchor Reservoir. The last bit to the reservoir is good dirt, and (wind aside) there's a decent camping spot at the pullout at the end of the road.

The turnoff to BLM 1310 is signed. While I STRONGLY recommend any group heading into the wilderness to climb this peak have a very detailed set of road directions handy, truth be told, you essentially stay on the most obvious road for virtually the entire way. Don't turn onto anything signed a different road number, and you'll be in good shape. The one exception is a mile or two from the end of the road in the final canyon, where the more obvious road turns left to a small red lodge, and a fainter road continues straight. Some ranch employees were staying at the aforementioned lodge, and we passed them on the drive in; they chatted with us a bit and made sure we were supposed to be there.

My hiking partner acquired permission to cross the rancher's land beforehand. Please note that the gate code changes probably at least once a year. The gate was a lot further in than I expected, past the point you top out and first see Washakie Needles.

The road itself, while time-consuming, was not as rugged as I'd anticipated. In dry weather, you could ALMOST bash your way to the end of the road in a passenger car; however I'd strongly, strongly recommend high clearance 4WD--you're pretty middle of nowhere out here. It took us 2:30 in and 2:15 out between Anchor Res. and the end of the road, but we were carrying a motorcycle in the bed of the pickup as insurance should we get stuck. Without this, we could have gone faster, and my hiking partner stated afterward he would not have brought it, had he known the road was that decent. Major obstacles are a few steep spots, ruts, rocky sections, and loose creek crossings. Your average stock 4WD should have little trouble reaching the end of the road.

Wildlife: as it happens, we did not see any grizz. However, this seems to be the exception to the rule. Saw a bull moose down by the river on the last few miles of drive in, a few bighorn, and numerous elk. Herds of cattle in the valley aside, this is pretty unspoilt country.

The route: the trail shown on the map is more a loose collection of braided trails in many parts. It's generally easy enough to follow. You stay in the valley south of the creek, cross north, then cross to the south again and head steeply up the hillside to gain a ledge, right where the river enters a small steep canyon. The steep trail bit is obvious if you're keeping an eye out for it on the hillside. The trail continues uphill, then becomes a bit faint around the switchback shown on the map, but you'll have a good idea where to turn--the trees open up, you're on a higher fairly flat ledge, and there's the wooden remnants of a small shack nearby. Turn left and you'll pick a trail up again soon. The route enters into a drainage where several stream beds converge at around 10280'.

Here's where we differed from past reports. And for the record, I would absolutely recommend doing so, and will do so again should I have another opportunity at this peak someday. This will save you at least a half mile each way. Instead of following the trail shown on the map that heads SW up to a saddle on the ridge, we turned a hard right, staying north of the creek shown on the topo heading NW toward spot 11500'. 11500 has a bit of whitish exposed rock on its face; as you get higher, aim for the gentle saddle to its R. When you reach it, contour at that same elevation past 11500 and 11429, then descend slightly as you near the saddle between it and 12072. As you start to enter this saddle, the intimidating-looking Needles will come into view for the first time.

Gaining 12072 entails a few steep stretches along or just to the R of the ridge crest; you'll pass over some of that whitish rock, which looks to be craptacular conglomerate but is more solid than you'd think. Still, exercise caution. Nothing here exceeds class 2. The top is a good resting spot. Heading down to the saddle is easy on grass and scattered rocks. We ascended slightly and traversed across the grass to where it turned to steep, unstable talus, which is where we had to stop. It looked to get even steeper and more treacherous farther up, but I didn't bother to explore.

Timing: even with a somewhat late start around 7:45 AM, and with my hiking partner slowing down near the end, we made it to 12072 in 4 hours. Strong teams could easily do it in less, perhaps 2 1/2-3. From 12072, probably 2 1/2 hours would get you back to the road. I'd estimate 1 hour in each direction for both the loose rock section, and the technical climbing, thus giving a roundtrip of around 9-10 hours for a decently fit team. Very doable in a day. I'm told the grizz are far more active before dawn and after dusk, so a dawn start seems the best option, though if you're stuck with a less ideal afternoon forecast, a 4:30 AM start seems more reasonable. August seems to be the only reliable month for an attempt on this peak, as weather and roads are likely to be far less than ideal any other time.

Lastly, if anyone out there is an experienced lead climber, and would be interested in a climb of this peak 4 or 5 years down the road, please do keep me in mind (email herbst (DOT) krummholz (AT) gmail (DOT) com). Unfortunately, I will likely not have another opportunity at Washakie Needles before that time.

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