09-Jun-2001 -- On the topos, this confluence looked reasonably approachable. Two different forest roads come within two miles of the confluence, one from above, the other from below. Since Michelle, my sister Shaina, and I were visiting my sister Amy and her family in Garden Valley, just north of the confluence, we thought this would be a good weekend to polish off this confluence. We recruited my brother-in-law Dino, who has lived in and travelled this area for years, as a guide, and set off on a beautiful summer afternoon.

We left the Banks-Lowman Road at Alder Creek Road, and eventually found the old logging road indicated on the topo. This proved to be an interesting ride, what with creek crossings, wash-outs, and encroaching forest. Fortunately we had Dino's 4WD pickup, which is so old he doesn't notice any more scratches. When we hit the 44th parallel, we parked the truck and calculated a hike of a couple of miles and about 1500 feet elevation gain. We headed up a draw. And up, and up, and up, and UP. Bushwhacking is challenge enough, but becomes very difficult up a steep mountainside. With about 500 feet elevation to go, the girls and my 5-year-old nephew found a comfortable rock, and sent Dino and me on to the point.

It soon became clear that we were not going to be able to reach the point, which appeared to be on the ridge we could see ahead, and still allow sufficient time to reach the truck in daylight. We turned back, picked up the rest of our crew, and now had to head DOWN. Several places some of the crew slid down on our backsides, figuring we'd end up there anyway.

The approach from the west off the Hawley Mtn. Lookout Road might be more doable. The topos show this climbing above the elevation of the point--and we know how reliable topo maps can be! =) Or perhaps we'll wait till the area suffers a forest fire, and then attempt the hike once everything cools down.