I got stuck for hours trying to cross a washed-out creek near the North Cascades

Was on the Copper Ridge loop last week and a section of trail by Boundary Creek was totally gone from spring runoff. The map showed a simple crossing, but the actual spot was a 15-foot wide rush of fast, cold water over slick rocks. My group spent over two hours scouting up and down the bank, looking for any safe place to get across without getting soaked or worse. We finally found a shaky log jam about a quarter mile upstream, but balancing with full packs took another 30 minutes of very careful moves. That whole mess added nearly three hours to our day and we had to hike in the dark to reach camp. It really messed up our schedule and we were exhausted. Has anyone else hit that spot recently and found a better way?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscarcooper2d ago

Always check recent trip reports before you go.

ryanprice2d ago

Wish I'd listened to @oscarcooper before my last disaster trip.