Ascent of Mount Isabelle on 2012-09-15| Date: | Saturday, September 15, 2012 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Peak: | Mount Isabelle | | Location: | USA-Oregon | | Elevation: | 4494 ft / 1369 m |
Ascent Trip ReportThis was a full day of drive up peakbagging for me. I drove from tri-cities down to Williamson campground outside chemult friday night and camped. I woke up at 3am and couldnt get back to sleep so I packed up camp and got a predawn start.
First up was Swan Lake point. I misjudeged what time it becomes light out (much later than expected), and was on summit around 4:30 while it was still pitch black dark out. I figured I could wait and watch the sun come up, but after 10 minutes of watching shooting stars I decided to hit the road. Stumbling around the summit by headlamp on a drive up was a first for me.
Next I drove over to Yainax Butte using Dennis' directions from summitpost. The last couple miles up the actual lookout road are pretty rough. There are logging operations going on and much of that road is covered in 2-5" of silt. I bottomed out my suzuki sidekick more than once, this is definitely a high clearance only road in its present state. Attained summit here around 8:00.
My 3rd peak of the day was Stukel to the south. This was a fairly routine driveup. Once you gain the summit road at the rock quarry stay on the most obvious road at each and every Y you come to and it will take you right to the summit. Summit attained around 10:30am.
4th drive up was Hamaker across the valley from Stukel. Paved road all the way to the top of the mountain. The highest point outside the fence is obvious. Quasi-summited at noon.
Mount Ashland was just over the cascades so I continued my westward path and did that one next. For Ashland I drive within 500 vertical feet of the summit and walked up the road and climbed the boulders making the top around 2pm. This was a much needed get out and get the legs stretched and blood flowing stop for me. Just a strenuous day of driving haha!
Finally I drove up through Medford and picked off Isabelle. This was the toughest one of the day, and only because I was worn out from all the driving, lack of sleep, and it seemed awfully hot out. A short hike up the road with lizards scurrying to and fro and I summited around 4:45pm. I retreated back to medford for some Dairy Queen, then drove back over the cascades and set up camp at Lake of the Woods campground.
The next day I planned on hiking Brown Mountain, but gave up on that one after hiking about half a mile up the side of it. I was in no mood for navigating the boulder fields today without trekking poles. I'll be back to do it in the winter time with snowshoes like the summitpost page recommends. Instead I did a drive up of Pelican Butte and its awful lookout road. Parked and walked the last mile of the road just to get some exercise before the 7 hour drive home. |
| Summary Total Data | | Total Elevation Gain: | 900 ft / 274 m | | Quality: | 2 (on a subjective 1-10 scale) | | Route Conditions: | Road Hike | | Ascent Statistics | | Gain on way in: | 900 ft / 274 m | | Distance: | 1.1 mi / 1.8 km | | Start Trailhead: | 3594 ft / 1095 m | | Descent Statistics |
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