Feb 6 - Constance

Sweetness! Any links to additional pics?

Very nice.  It's nice to see the neglected Olympics get some credit.  That hike up the Constance trail must have been a real bitch with skis on your back. 

A couple of questions regarding the route.  How long did it take you to reach the lake?  Where did you first encounter solid snow?  What's the condition of the Dose road beyond the gate?

Thanks for the TR and any info yo can provide.

Multi disciplinary trip reports, we'll make an adventure racer out of you yet!  Great work BTW.

Wow,
That's a big day, excellent effort and great photos.

exciting! tell us more!More pictures!

1. how is the dosewalips washout in this weather? did you carry your skis and bike in the same trip? was the water high?

2. you carried skis ?thousand feet? up the tree roots - the "trail" is challenging when the ground is dry, was there a frozen waterfall?

3. how close did you get to mount constance?

4. did you get a picture of Pete Puma?

Holy smokes, great use of the day! Such a nasty approach and a beautiful area, I'd love to see more pictures. Never been a fan of being followed by wildlife...

Nice work. Wow. Great spot , merely a dream for me. More on the feline tracking? Sightings?

Thanks...I posted a full tr over at splitboard with more info and pictures. There are two washouts on the river road. The first one is about 6.5 miles from the lake constance trailhead and is passible with high clearance 4wd. We parked at the major washout 4.5 miles from the trail and biked it with splits on our backs. There are about 20 blowdowns across the road and 50 on the trail. The trail is horrid and you can''t skin till you get to the lake. I did not know of the fire last summer till I got to the burn. Almost missed the trail...that area is unrecognizable now. I think you start at around 200 ft. In terms of the kitty...all I saw was two glowing eyes by headlamp when we got back to the truck and loud hissing and cat-like noises 300 ft away in the bush. I thought I heard noises behind us as we biked down the road in the dark but thought nothing of it at the time.

wow .. way to persevere .. great pix

Appreciate the info.  I'll have to check out the rest of those pics. 

Cool adventure!

Bro's, boats, bikes, boards, and bobcats!

Thanks for sharing.  I have talked to a couple of people that have skied there but I bet that it is far and few between these days. 

Quite a pair that road approach and the hike to the lake.  I was up there a few years ago in the spring and the path of destruction coming down Avi Canyon was amazing.  I believe that it was the largest scale debris path I have seen yet.  Hundreds of full sized trees laying down like toothpicks.

As for the cat; maybe a squirt gun would be prudent.  They hate that!

I have had two cougar sittings in 09 and a bear mother/ cubs run in, all while trail running. These occurred in the Enumclaw area.  Usually I will go years in between these types of sitings. My awareness has been raised lately with similar encounters from non- touring folks.  Speaking with a friend who is in law enforcement this week. Last  month two men hiking in the area, shot and killed a cougar that had been making a full run at both men. They thought it was an elk crashing through the woods. Emerging was a healthy, male, well feed cougar.  The cougar had made the full distance by the time he was shot. 

Thanks for the great report. Multi discipline trips are fun. You gotta do whatever it takes to get some turns.