David Yount
10-22-2009, 08:54 AM
Static Point is a climbing area that has a longer season and much better climate than many western Washington areas and it?s closer than Index. With 800-feet of clean rock, most routes are 6-pitches tall.
[update: most or all of the initial hiking on the road is now open for vehicles, we can drive all the way or most all of the way to the spur road. we don't need to pack in our tools and supplies.]
The approach involves 2 1/2 miles of walking along gated roads and then a final 30 minute trail. The last 1/2 mile of road has been abandoned, it is no longer maintained, and it is in dire need of heavy pruning. Chainsaws, bow saws, brushcuttters, loppers and hand pruners are all useful. Remember, you'll be carrying your tools and supplies 2 miles from the car, hiking.
DNR and Snohomish PUD know about this issue and they were pretty amenable to our going up there and cutting Alder trees from the abandoned road so as to maintain a walkable path.
Saturday October 24, 2009 I will be headed out with a saw and extra gas. I?m not organizing a meeting time because my plans need flexibility, but I would suggest and dearly hope that individuals will coordinate a general meeting time for a group effort.
Presently the weather looks perfect for this type of volunteer work; cool but not wet.
Dave Yount.
Static Point climbing area on Static Peak - driving and hiking and approach trail descriptions
Driving:
US-2
Sultan Basin Road - 13 miles
Hiking
Nf-6129 around Spada Lake - 2 miles [update: 425.783.8605 this road is open for vehicles Fri, Sat, Sun]
Decommissioned spur road / trail - 1/2+ mile
Approach trail 30-45 minutes
East on US-2 to the town of Sultan. Either take a Left on Sultan Basin Road on the east end of town, or if the road is still closed 2 miles north like it was in September, then you can continue on US-2 just over 3 miles further to the east end of the town Startup and take a Left on Kellogg Lake Road which passes the road closure. About 13 miles after leaving US-2 you reach the registration station at Spada Resevoir.
You now need to park just past the registration station (Olney Pass gates). [update: you may drive well past this point Fri, Sat, Sun]
Avoid hiking Corona Mine Road. The two mile walk (on road Nf-6129 around the reservoir / lake) in to the decommissioned spur road to Static Peak is not bad. [update: you may drive this road Fri, Sat, Sun]
The spur road is just past the bridge and is marked (blocked) by a giant pile of trees and boulders (impossible to miss). It's on the right just a short distance up the road from the bridge.
[update: we may be able to park here, or fairly near here]
You hike just over 1/2 mile on the spur road/trail to reach the approach trail. The old decommissioned spur road is somewhat gone and now consists of large mounds that were built to shore up the drainages that cross the road. They actually did a great job restoring the road even though it's a pain to hike and not very feasible to mountain bike down the spur road. The remnant of the old road eventually ends at two large rocks, in the past you could drive all the way to here! The rest of the way on the spur road is pretty overgrown with alder.
The spur road/trail came and went for at least three culverts in the road until we came to a major drainage (large granite wash) and you get a clear view up the gully past some slabs to the top of Static Peak. Just 50' on the far side of it you'll find the correct culvert just sitting on the road, a rock cairn on the side of the road/trail, and some flagging tape that will get you started up the approach trail. Fortunately the old road runs into the main stream shortly after passing the "large granite wash." So if you are unsure at all just keep hiking until you hit the stream then backtrack a few yards to find the approach trail.
The lovely but steep trail up the hill has some blowdown issues in the beginning, only a few pieces of flagging tape, and seems to be slowly losing ground. But underneath the sturdy tree canopy things don't change nearly as fast as like the old road bed.
________
**** (http://www.****tube.com/)
[update: most or all of the initial hiking on the road is now open for vehicles, we can drive all the way or most all of the way to the spur road. we don't need to pack in our tools and supplies.]
The approach involves 2 1/2 miles of walking along gated roads and then a final 30 minute trail. The last 1/2 mile of road has been abandoned, it is no longer maintained, and it is in dire need of heavy pruning. Chainsaws, bow saws, brushcuttters, loppers and hand pruners are all useful. Remember, you'll be carrying your tools and supplies 2 miles from the car, hiking.
DNR and Snohomish PUD know about this issue and they were pretty amenable to our going up there and cutting Alder trees from the abandoned road so as to maintain a walkable path.
Saturday October 24, 2009 I will be headed out with a saw and extra gas. I?m not organizing a meeting time because my plans need flexibility, but I would suggest and dearly hope that individuals will coordinate a general meeting time for a group effort.
Presently the weather looks perfect for this type of volunteer work; cool but not wet.
Dave Yount.
Static Point climbing area on Static Peak - driving and hiking and approach trail descriptions
Driving:
US-2
Sultan Basin Road - 13 miles
Hiking
Nf-6129 around Spada Lake - 2 miles [update: 425.783.8605 this road is open for vehicles Fri, Sat, Sun]
Decommissioned spur road / trail - 1/2+ mile
Approach trail 30-45 minutes
East on US-2 to the town of Sultan. Either take a Left on Sultan Basin Road on the east end of town, or if the road is still closed 2 miles north like it was in September, then you can continue on US-2 just over 3 miles further to the east end of the town Startup and take a Left on Kellogg Lake Road which passes the road closure. About 13 miles after leaving US-2 you reach the registration station at Spada Resevoir.
You now need to park just past the registration station (Olney Pass gates). [update: you may drive well past this point Fri, Sat, Sun]
Avoid hiking Corona Mine Road. The two mile walk (on road Nf-6129 around the reservoir / lake) in to the decommissioned spur road to Static Peak is not bad. [update: you may drive this road Fri, Sat, Sun]
The spur road is just past the bridge and is marked (blocked) by a giant pile of trees and boulders (impossible to miss). It's on the right just a short distance up the road from the bridge.
[update: we may be able to park here, or fairly near here]
You hike just over 1/2 mile on the spur road/trail to reach the approach trail. The old decommissioned spur road is somewhat gone and now consists of large mounds that were built to shore up the drainages that cross the road. They actually did a great job restoring the road even though it's a pain to hike and not very feasible to mountain bike down the spur road. The remnant of the old road eventually ends at two large rocks, in the past you could drive all the way to here! The rest of the way on the spur road is pretty overgrown with alder.
The spur road/trail came and went for at least three culverts in the road until we came to a major drainage (large granite wash) and you get a clear view up the gully past some slabs to the top of Static Peak. Just 50' on the far side of it you'll find the correct culvert just sitting on the road, a rock cairn on the side of the road/trail, and some flagging tape that will get you started up the approach trail. Fortunately the old road runs into the main stream shortly after passing the "large granite wash." So if you are unsure at all just keep hiking until you hit the stream then backtrack a few yards to find the approach trail.
The lovely but steep trail up the hill has some blowdown issues in the beginning, only a few pieces of flagging tape, and seems to be slowly losing ground. But underneath the sturdy tree canopy things don't change nearly as fast as like the old road bed.
________
**** (http://www.****tube.com/)