Knapsack Col: which direction?

[Jeff Moore]

Headed to the Winds next week (16th-21st) for 5 days. Still debating between 2 routes: Green River Lakes to Elkhart Park via Knapsack into Titcomb from Peak Lake or a variation of the Sky Pilot loop going up Knapsack from Titcomb. Any thoughts/advice on preferred approach for Knapsack? West to east or east to west? I was a little surprised on a post below to see the amount of snow at Knapsack. I’m also prepared to scratch Knapsack off of our route if conditions are not favorable. I’m taking 3 other guys for their first trip to the Winds. Any thoughts on these two routes for someone seeing the Winds for the first time? I’ve spent time on trails out of Elkhart, Big Sandy, and Scab Creek, but never been out of Green Lakes myself and have never been up and over Knapsack on any previous trips.

 

 

[Lester Moore]

What level of experience do you and your friends have with off trail boulder hopping and scrambling? If none or very little, then you’ll see equally grand scenery by skipping Knapsack Col, and you can leave your microspikes behind too and save weight. Another benefit of avoiding Knapsack Col is that you get to hike past upper and lower Jean Lakes (one of my favorite areas in the Winds) on your way between Peak Lake and Island Lake.

You can easily do side trips up to lower Titcomb Basin (the outlet are of lower Titcomb Lake) and up into Indian Basin on a day hike camped in the Island Lake area. Or camp a mile or less up above Island Lake is you want to spend the night in Titcomb Basin (there are moderately sheltered spots before you get close to lower Titcomb Lake).

[Christopher *]

I just got back from the Winds. I did the AdventureAlan High Route starting at Green River Lakes.

Knapsack was still holding a bit of a snowfield on the Titcomb side a week ago.

Coming from GRTH/Peak Lake side you can centerpunch on the ascending side with no snow and on the far side loose talus/scree will get you below the steep head wall (about 250 feet) to let you finish with a short glissade. Coming from the other direction you’ll need to ascend through some snow.

[Jeff Moore]

Thanks, Christopher and Lester, for your responses and both are helpful in helping me decide on our final route. Christopher, sounds like Knapsack was fine without microspikes?

[Christopher *]

Correct. I required no traction coming up from Peak Lake. Do bear in mind however that was last week and you are getting into that time of year where one week can see things change significantly. Best luck.

[BlackHatGuy]

When we went over Knapsack Col a couple of weeks ago, from the Peak Lake side, pretty much everyone in our little group (3 people) felt that we’d much rather do it the way we did and not climb from the Titcomb Basin side, FWIW.

[Brad Rogers]

I just got back from the WRHR yesterday and crossed Knapsack on 9/10 from West to east.  There is a lot of snow on the Titcomb side but it’s doable without spikes.  We didn’t put them on even though we were carrying them.

Its a bit sketchy for a couple hundred feet coming down the Titcomb side as the use trail (which wasn’t there in ‘12) is steep and loose.  It was probably our sketchiest Pass of the Route.

Note if you go to Knifepoint Glacier, I would say spikes are required as of now as there is a large section of blue ice that’s on enough of an angle where I don’t think it’s safe to cross without them.

BTW – all the snow on the Titcomb side this year makes for much easier walking than the moraine was in 2012.

[Ben C]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Similar here.  I remember the Titcomb Basin side of the pass being very loose and steep.  I remember walking down when a large rock fell loose and I slid down probably 20 feet with the large rock and other loose scree.  I rode the mini-avalanche on my back side.</p>

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