Pershing trail to summit Mt Pershing - from Jefferson Creek and FR 2401
Park here (47.5432981, -123.2238374)
Trail starts here (47.545078, -123.228973)
Definitely use this trail up as compared to the massive bushwhack from the Hamma Hamma side. Can take a regular car to within 1/2 mile of trailhead, which is an opening in the shrubs. Trucks can get to the actual trailhead. FR 2401 is open (as of Oct 2020) from N Jorsted Creek Road but can also take the longer way by using Hamma Hamma watershed. Google maps works great to get here from either direction.
Pershing trail is definitely a mountaineers route with route-finding capabilities required but the prettiness cannot be beat. House sized boulders covered in moss, tunnels, old growth trees, waterfalls on thousand-foot rock bands on the northern slope of Mt Washington and one really odd old growth douglas fir tree. The trail is very steep with root pulling in some locations. After the trail goes west, it goes mostly straight up.
Re-taped trail up (surveyors tape) to avalanche areas up to where trees ran out so the Pershing trail should be reasonably straight forward. Fourth class scramble to very exposed ridge that can be walked if you've got the nerve. Most new climbers may struggle here due to exposure on low-risk, high-consequence terrain. 20m rope would be more than sufficient. For average mountaineer, not a problem.
For route GPX file, see Peakbagger link below.
Comments
ONF Road Status page shows Rd 2401 as closed. Is that info incorrect? I tried the east route a few years ago but failed to summit. Went home and analyzed route in google earth and it seemed like it would go. Thanks for confirming and for retaking.
Posted by:
rkjenner on Oct 15, 2020 09:28 PM
Re-taping
Posted by:
rkjenner on Oct 15, 2020 09:33 PM
Road 2401 is definitely open. Maybe it was closed due to the fire a few years back but all the gates from N Jorsted Creek Rd and Hamma Hamma access point are open as of Oct 2020.
Posted by:
Chris on Oct 16, 2020 01:21 PM