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Backpacking Building Blocks Student-Only Backpack

Field trip: Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) Course

Backpacking Building Blocks Student-Only Backpack - Scott Paul Trail & Park Butte

Enjoy a moderate (to strenuous) two day adventure including alpine meadows, stunning views, and camping near the Easton Glacier on the south flanks of Mt. Baker. We'll set up camp, then offer optional side trips to explore the area's highlights; the Railroad Grade (the glacier's lateral moraine), cross country to Meadow Point, and/or the Park Butte lookout. If the Rocky Creek suspension bridge has been installed, we'll depart via the Scott Paul trail, looping back to the trailhead. Sarah and Jessica's mentor group has priority signup starting June 2 at 8pm. If space is still available on the trip, other interested and qualified B3 students can email Jessica at jessicalaurinesmith@gmail.com starting June 9 at 8pm to ask for permission to sign up. This is Jessica's mentored trip for B3 leader status.

Contacts

Sarah Hess
Sarah Hess
Primary Leader
  • Moderate/Strenuous
  • Moderate
  • Mileage: 15.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 3,500 ft
  • High Point Elevation: 5,200 ft
  • Pace: 1.5-2 mph

On Saturday, July 13, at 9am have your pack ready and boots on at the Park Butte trailhead sign near the privy.  

This trip is designed for B3 students interested in a moderate to more difficult trip.  Mileage and elevation will vary based on how many side trips you want to do.  For the two days, the minimum distance you must carry your full pack is about 9 miles with about 2,000 feet of elevation gain.  Including all the optional side trips from camp with a day pack (weather and snow level dependent), the maximum distance is about 18 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain.  The two days are described below.

Day 1: All backpack about 3 miles and 1500' gain from the trailhead to our base camp.  Optional day hike up and down the Railroad Grade to the climber's Sandy Camp at 6,000' adds 3 miles and 3000' gain/loss.  A challenging cross country side trip to Meadow Point adds another 3 miles and 1,000'.

Day 2: An optional morning day hike to the historic Park Butte lookout (breakfast?) starts our day with 3 1/2 miles round trip and 700' gain/loss.  Then all will break camp and return to the trailhead via the Scott Paul trail, another 6 miles, 500'gain, 2300' loss.

If you opt out of the optional day hikes, you must agree to stay near camp.  There are no privies in the area, so human waste must be bagged and carried out of this busy and sensitive area; more on this in the Hello Hiker email sent to participants before the trip.

Route/Place

Scott Paul Trail & Park Butte

Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

The Ten Essentials, "wag bags" for carrying out human waste, plus overnight gear as specified by the trip leader.  Camping is limited in the park Butte area, so tent sharing will be mandatory.

Trip Reports