Marmot Pass
Oct 24, 2009
by
Euphemism
—
last modified
Oct 26, 2009 11:46 AM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Marmot Pass - Upper Big Quilcene
- Region: Olympics -- East
- Agency: Olympic National Forest / Quilcene Ranger District
- Trails: Upper Big Quilcene River (#833.1), Marmot Pass (#)
- Avg Rating: 4.24
Trail condition is excellent all the way to the pass, and beyond. No snow accumulation on the trail. The ground is beginning to freeze starting around 5300', and some new snow accumulation was visible in the crevices on the north-facing cliffs above the last mile of trail before the pass. Buckhorn Mtn is still snow-free to the summit, so far as I could see from the pass.
Measured temp at the pass was 37F @ 12:15 pm under a mostly clear sky. It was beautiful, with a nice vista to the west, but the view didn't last long.
I climbed the ridge south of the pass to approx. 6200', and would have gone farther along the ridge except that the clear weather abruptly began to deteriorate.
In about half an hour, visibility went from miles to intermittently less than a hundred yards, and light, freezing sleet started blowing over the windward face of the ridge. The very fast approach of a towering Wall of White up-valley from the NE (along the route of the Tubal Cain trail) was quite dramatic to watch. I decided that was probably a good time to reduce my exposure by getting off the ridge, and reluctantly turned around at about 1pm.
On the way down the weather continued to roll in very fast, quickly enough that by the time I reached the meadow below the pass the nearby cliffs were completely obscured and the temp was falling rapidly. By that time, the cloud cover was solid. This is a beautiful hike, and a great time of year to do it, but if you go you better be ready for sudden, radical changes of weather.
Measured temp at the pass was 37F @ 12:15 pm under a mostly clear sky. It was beautiful, with a nice vista to the west, but the view didn't last long.
I climbed the ridge south of the pass to approx. 6200', and would have gone farther along the ridge except that the clear weather abruptly began to deteriorate.
In about half an hour, visibility went from miles to intermittently less than a hundred yards, and light, freezing sleet started blowing over the windward face of the ridge. The very fast approach of a towering Wall of White up-valley from the NE (along the route of the Tubal Cain trail) was quite dramatic to watch. I decided that was probably a good time to reduce my exposure by getting off the ridge, and reluctantly turned around at about 1pm.
On the way down the weather continued to roll in very fast, quickly enough that by the time I reached the meadow below the pass the nearby cliffs were completely obscured and the temp was falling rapidly. By that time, the cloud cover was solid. This is a beautiful hike, and a great time of year to do it, but if you go you better be ready for sudden, radical changes of weather.
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