DIRECTIONS: Park at Post Creek Parking lot or along the roadway if full. Head towards Lindeman Lake from the parking lot until you see the Post Creek on your left... you will see a felled tree cluster (3 trunks). Cross that and follow the double wide graded trail to the left. Stay right at the fork and look for a trail that passes on the left of a giant boulder on your right hand side. create
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Porcupine Peak (goat Peak)
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Aug 4, 2019
Another unfinished peak complete!
The trail starts after you have crossed the creek, turned left and stayed right after the fork until you see a path to your right bypass a huge boulder on the left.
This is a steeply angled, sandy hardpack set of switchbbacks without a lot of protrusions for traction so it is tricky on ascent and a complete pain in the ass on the descent when you are tired and less focused. Bring poles to help!
The first 3km have an average grade of 33%. Woot!
Notes:
- The initial creek crossing is super easy now... someone graciously cut troughs into the main log and added wire mesh for traction
- Four separate 'rope' areas within the first 30 minutes of the trail - useful for descent... use at your own risk of course - some are less than ideal
- Pine beatles ravaged a couple areas on the steep early sections. Prepare to hurtle, dodge, duck and circumnavigate - I moved some of the manageable deadfall trees off trail but lots more to be handled
-Scrambling is various through out this ridge walk ... Class 2.5-3.5? ... its a pick your own adventure but you are thrown right onto the top of the ridge/edge over and over and some of that has some exposure... so expect to raise your heart rate
- I provided my gpx track but use at your own risk... I sometimes meander around for photos or investigate alternative routes, etc... you have been warned ;)
There are numerous viewpoints along the first 3rd, so you may see spurs on my gpx track and that would be me walking some side trails to get to them
- This is a knee knacker ... after all the ups and downs, the final switchbacky descent will make you contemplate dosing some Vitamin I
- Water is scarce and soon to be non-existent - the last few remaining snow fields are almost gone - no running water anywhere
- Route finding opportunities are plentiful - Even though its generally a game of 'regain the ridge' - The trail becomes less and less obvious over time and eventually peters out completely as people seem to peel off, perhaps not realizing the effort needed to get this one done
- If you are confronted with something that looks impassable, hunt around, there is probably an alternate vague path somewhere perhaps a little lower on the side of the slope... if you are ever 30m+ below the top of the ridge, you have probably hunted too far
Distance: 14km
Cumulative Gain: 1800m+
Average Grade: 24%
Time: 10hrs
Scrambling the peak itself was straightforward.. from a distance it looks like there are various natural ramps you could leverage, but what I found when I got right up to it was that it is not as steep as it looks. I aimed for the peak and put my head down and went as straight as I could until I came to a wall. I then either scrambled it or had to find an alternate route on either side... rinse and repeat and I was on the peak in no time... probably took about 15 minutes. There are ample route options up Goat, choose your own adventure.
Be safe, have fun and maybe I will see you out there.
Regards,
Rex