So-called "Epic White Cloud Backpacking Loop", August 24, 2020
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DSCF0225.JPG28 viewsBlackman Peak above the saddle between it and peak 9655 to the WSW, reached by climbing cross country, NW through the burned area from Fourth of July Trailhead. The trail always seems to appear at points of constriction, where the choices become fewer.
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DSCF0226.JPG29 viewsLooking east, southeast toward Fourth of July Lake, haze resulting from smoke blown in from fires in neighboring Oregon and California is very apparent. On the ridge to the North, Castle Peak is barely visible through the haze.
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DSCF0231.JPG22 viewsLooking back to the saddle in the first photo (225) and the ridge on the left (E), which continues up to Blackman Peak. Washington Peak in the distance
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DSCF0233.JPG14 viewsFrom the previous saddle, I thought I saw the dust from two people heading up toward Blackman, rising from the hillside to the east; probably the occupants of this camp. Nice place to camp if you don’t mind carrying water a long way! I didn’t see water until close to Warm Springs Creek.
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DSCF0234.JPG17 viewsLooking back to the saddle in the first photo (225) and the ridge on the left (E), which continues up to Blackman Peak. Washington Peak in the distance.
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DSCF0235.JPG16 viewsAs seen from the saddle south of Strawberry Basin, the Warm Springs Creek drainage plunges deeply behind the east wall of Strawberry Basin. Beyond, to the northeast, the White Cloud Peaks rise in the haze.
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DSCF0236.JPG10 viewsFrom the saddle south of Strawberry Basin, the route appears to descend steeply to Warm Springs Creek from the mouth of the basin to the northeast. On the far left of the photo, the entrance to Iron Basin can be seen above Warm Springs Creek.
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DSCF0241.JPG11 viewsDead tree on the saddle south of Strawberry Basin.
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DSCF0242.JPG9 viewsDescending into Strawberry Basin.
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DSCF0243.JPG10 viewsAfter an initial steep descent from the mouth of Strawberry Basin on the north, the terrain below levels out into some nice meadows before steeping again.
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DSCF0244.JPG14 viewsShortly before reaching Warm Springs Creek, a small creek surfaces. This is the first running water I have seen since leaving the trailhead.
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DSCF0245.JPG22 viewsAlong Warm Springs Creek, Watson Peak comes into view, marking the entrance to Iron Basin. Meadows make travel easy, but there are sections with fallen timber, making headway difficult.
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