Pickle, miners and Yankee this week?

[FINOCJ]

Thinking if combining a run up pickle and down the west side and then up Yankee hill via miners gulch and then exploring around the top of the hill. Any interest for a mid-week run this week? Would also consider other options...

[FINOCJ]

Tentatively looking like this might happen on thurs...hopefully meeting up with Louis.

[dieseldoc]

Hey James, your not getting through that route for a few more weeks. I will get the pics from Alma from the weekend.
The drifts at the top of minners where you turn to go to Yankee has a ten foot drift solid enough to stand on.
Few hundred feet down trail it's 4' deep for as far as the eye can see.
Back side of pickle is 4' deep in spots 100 plus yards, and fully across trail.
These upper trails are going to be 3 weeks at best of good hot weather.
Last weekend we ran up Argentine Pass....well to the split to go up to the main road any how, and not to much passed that. We did go up to McClellan pass but for about a half mile before we got stopped again.

The high stuff is going to be late this year!

[FINOCJ]

Trails off road report from June 8 says pickle is open all the way through to Apex? There are a few different routes once you get to the big 4-way intersection just north of silver creek mine. Wouldn't be surprised if Miners gulch is still snowed in as its on the north side. Might turn into a pickle gulch to Yankee hill trip with some exploring and possible turning around due to snow drifts.

[dieseldoc]

Ya we tried...the back side of pickle is snowed still. Up to Apex was not and issue. Minners we got up high near tree line and hit the deep stuff. We never got to Yankee hill

[FINOCJ]

Going to meet Louis at 8am at Pickle Gulch TH...we'll see where we end up...If possible, I would like to go out to the end of Michigan point and we may go explore around to the shaft house area.

[FINOCJ]

Thought I'd follow up here even though this is more of a run report. Louis and I went up Pickle Gulch on thurs, it was clear all the way through to Apex. We headed north over Dakota hill and ran into snow...I bet some of you with chains and a penchant for snow bashing etc could have made it around that side pretty well, but I'd give it another few days, maybe a week and all will be clear.

Here is the MVUM:
https://www.beamingpix.com/images/2019/06/14/Screenshot_20190614-091659.jpg
The main route up Pickle is 718.1, and then we took the left at the four-way junction to head over to the silver creek mine (707.1) and then past the tree jim cut out last year. We took the right on 713.1B up the steep talus climb until it merged with 714.1F (this is the continuation of the 'closed' road through private property that crosses the creek at the silver creek mine). Before heading up to the high point, we went left (south) out 713.1 (what I think is called Michigan hill) expecting to come to a dead end...but some version (illegal? not on MVUM) of narrow two-track continues on down and loops back over to the south and 707.1. So we completed the circuit climbing back up 713.1B, connecting in to 714.1F and then taking the right on 713.1 and up to the high point at the junction with 716.1. We went on over to the NW side on 716.1, and then right at 719.1 and up the switch backs and over the saddle just west of Dakota hill. We intended to explore around the north side of Dakota hill, possibly looping back around to the 4-way in Pickle gulch and then down, but we started running into snow. I was able to skirt the outside edge of a couple snow with my narrow track jeep, but Louis pushed into the snow a bit more, eventually getting it stuck pretty good, and recovery was needed. Unfortunately, as part of the recovery and throttle usage, something popped in the rear axle of the 4-runner. We got him out, limped it back over to APex where he left it until he could go back and pick-it up with his truck and trailer (which was in Monument). Last I heard yesterday evening, he was getting close to getting his trailer to it, and hopefully got it home late last night. Don't have many pics but here are a few...

We saw a moose just past the 4-way- hard to see him in the photo:
https://www.beamingpix.com/images/2019/06/14/P_20190613_090103.jpg

Louis coming down the steep route at the silver creek mine:
https://www.beamingpix.com/images/2019/06/14/P_20190613_090718.jpg

Louis coming back onto 707.1 after our little detour beyond the end of 713.1:
https://www.beamingpix.com/images/2019/06/14/P_20190613_101246.jpg

Stuck in the snow - My little jeep was just getting pulled backward when Louis would run the winch, so I had to anchor the front of the jeep to a tree - it wasn't a bit tree but it was just enough.
https://www.beamingpix.com/images/2019/06/14/P_20190613_115700.jpg