May 20, 2011, Mt. Townsend, Olympics, North Side

In search of the ever elusive back door into the the higher Olympics, two of us took a shot at the northern approach to Mt. Townsend. This approach starts from Bon Jon Pass, ....only 1/2 hour from Sequim, which was appealing to me. We got started a little late at 8AM and skinned right out of the truck remarkably at Bon Jon at 3000 feet. That proved a little optimistic, but after about a mile up the forest road (2820 I think), we were on a foot or so of rapidly softening snow.

It is a very flat 4-5 miles of road skinning, mostly above 4000 feet, till you hit a creek coming right off the summit ridge. That is where the climb really starts. We easily forded the creek at about 4200 feet, where there was 3-5 feet of snow. We dealt with some tight trees for a couple hundred yards traversing, then headed straight up a very steep gully that looked to terminate to the left of a major spine off the summit ridge.

Gully was a major bear in deep slush; no good choice on the ascent, post hole-boot pack, or multiple tight lumbar-irritating switch backs. Above the gully at say 4600 feet, things opened up nicely, and we skinned up to about the 5500 foot level, running out of time and/or energy to gain the ridge. There was some very nice low angle gladed skiing up there, but descent was pure survival for me in feet of slush on my narrow corn skis.

Net, this looks like a good 10 + mile XC tour, better than obstruction as more gradual. As for the summit, need to hit this very early in the AM after a hard freeze, and as with most Olympics, a long approach.

note, 2nd photo was a pretty cool "22 degree ice halo" from the overrunning cirrus.