Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

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SES_17
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Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by SES_17 »

I'm looking for any info that anyone might have on this approach. It looks do-able on the map and this site shows a trailhead there but I can't find any reports on it. Also wondering what that road might be like. I drive an older stock Explorer which may or may not limit my access. Any thoughts are appreciated.
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GregMiller
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by GregMiller »

The memory that comes to mind is of 1000+ feet of unconsolidated scree, but I can't seem to find a picture to illustrate it with.
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wondering_hough
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by wondering_hough »

GregMiller wrote:The memory that comes to mind is of 1000+ feet of unconsolidated scree, but I can't seem to find a picture to illustrate it with.
+1
Completed the Kelso ridge in july...yes, its pure scree heaven from that approach.
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.
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wondering_hough
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by wondering_hough »

SES_17 wrote:I'm looking for any info that anyone might have on this approach. It looks do-able on the map and this site shows a trailhead there but I can't find any reports on it. Also wondering what that road might be like. I drive an older stock Explorer which may or may not limit my access. Any thoughts are appreciated.
with traversing its doable...the one pic I have shows a large scree field
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.
René Daumal
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SES_17
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by SES_17 »

GregMiller wrote:The memory that comes to mind is of 1000+ feet of unconsolidated scree, but I can't seem to find a picture to illustrate it with.
That would explain the lack of trail reports.

The contours do suggest some steepness to the slope just below the saddle. There appears to be some real issues with the Stevens Gulch road and I thought this might be a viable alternative.
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by tylermacguire »

IMHO Grizzly Gulch is a rougher road than Steven's Gulch.
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Carl
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by Carl »

Older Explorer could make it fine. There was a muddy spot that could cause problems, might be dried out by now, but you wouldn't need to get that far in anyway. That said, I think this approach to Kelso Ridge would be entirely unpleasant without snow. If I had to do it I would take one of the first gullys. They get steeper further back.
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by SES_17 »

Thanks for all of the info. Looks like this option may be more trouble than it's worth right now. I'm planning on heading up there next week and I'll make a point of checking that slope from the saddle.
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by flashgordon »

I've done this route, like others say, it requires some bushwaking and scree. If you stay on the northwest side of the basin, it is OK. However, the ridge just to the west of the basin that connects with the Kelso ridge is fun and can be done from Grizzly (same difficulty as Kelso). I wouldn't drive up Grizzly beyond the Stevens/Griz junction since it is not really worth it and you break off the road into the woods fairly quickly. It is a nice way to do Torreys and most of Kelso without any of the crowds.
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SES_17
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Re: Kelso Ridge from Grizzly Gulch

Post by SES_17 »

Thanks Flash. My thought was to head up the valley to the saddle where the Kelso Ridge trail starts. Looking on the map and Google this appeared to be a simple option to the standard approach. The ridge you mention sounds viable, just more than I'm looking to bite off right now. Thanks again for the suggestion though.
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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