Millcreek Ridge Planning

scatman

Member
.
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Messages
3,629
On Saturday July the 2nd, I'm planning on giving the Millcreek Ridge another go. The route is approximately 16.5 miles in length and begins at the Big Water Trailhead in upper Millcreek Canyon. I'll be hiking east for a couple of miles before I pick up the social trail that leads to the summit of Murdock Peak. From Murdock, it is essentially a straight shot west along the ridgeline all the way to Grandeur Peak, then down to the West Slope of Grandeur Peak Trailhead. I've recorded a few waypoints of the major peaks along the ridge, and the unnamed ones too. Some of the waypoints are of social/game trails that I need to pick up and stay on to avoid any lengthy time bushwhacking. When I attempted this seven years ago, losing the trails was a major reason I wasn't able to finish - 0.6 miles from the summit of Grandeur; along with my hiking partner running out of gas at the end. :(

I plan on heading up tomorrow morning to stash a gallon of water, and maybe some Gatorade, around the 10 mile mark so that I can refill my water bottles. I'm hoping for a little cooler weather this time out, as the last time it was 103 in the valley - not sure of the temps along the ridge, but it was a warm one for sure. I plan starting at roughly 4:30 am and getting some miles in before it starts warming up. The last time on the unsuccessful attempt, I began at 5:00 am and finished up around midnight at the Church Fork Trailhead. I'm hoping obviously not to spend so much time bushwhacking this time around, and cut down on my breaks, lunch and dinner times.

Get the helicopter ready @Rockskipper! :D

Route map - Waypoints are in yellow
Millcreek_Ridge_07_02_22.jpg

And a KMZ of my waypoints is attached.
 

Attachments

  • Millcreek_Ridge_GPS_Points.kmz
    5.6 KB · Views: 1
wow, good luck!!

is there any way to make that part on the millcreek canyon bottom shorter? like, an e-bike??? :)

REI has some new ebikes on their members only webpage that look pretty cool.

You guys are killing my groove with this e-bike chatter. :)

Due to the Scatman Decree :scatman:, they don't allow e-bikes in Millcreek Canyon. :D


@regehr - Are you still contemplating joining me for the Beat Out on the 14th?
 
@regehr - Are you still contemplating joining me for the Beat Out on the 14th?
ack-- I'l be out of town that week, home on the 17th.
you are definitely maxing out the pain this summer -- throw in Grandview and another rim-walk of Red Butte Canyon and we'll all have to chip in and buy you a sixpack and a costco-sized bottle of ibuprofin!
 
No Grandview for me this year @regehr . :)

Well, have a fun trip wherever you are going. I'll be thinking of you if I decide to head west off of the Pfeifferhorn.
 
@scatman …. Are you doing this solo or did you bribe Katie into going along with you? :)

Please take care of yourself on this adventure. I look forward to the many photos that you’ll post.

No, Katie is not going on this one, so I'll be solo. My friend Danny, who you might meet on the Grizzly Lake Trip, will drop me off in upper Millcreek. He said that he might hike with me up until we reach the social trail to Murdock Peak if he feels up to it.
 
Are you taking a backup kilt in case you wear the first one out on your "little" hike.

Is a back up kilt just the under kilt? Kinda like shark teeth, one falls out (off) the next one is there to take its place?

No backup kilt on this one. If the kilt I'm wearing gets shredded, then my next layer is a pair of maroon Duluth Buck Naked Underwear. I'm not sure anybody wants to see that. :D I do like the shark teeth analogy though. :thumbsup:
 
Well, I hope you have a great time and can look down from Grandeur with satisfaction, hopefully with a nice sunset.
If not, I am sure you could hole up in that yurt up on churchfork. If we were in Sweden that would be totally legal.
If you run into trouble you can wave the pink kilt on a stick and that might scare away help or bring help, 70/30 chance.
 
Well, I hope you have a great time and can look down from Grandeur with satisfaction, hopefully with a nice sunset.
If not, I am sure you could hole up in that yurt up on churchfork. If we were in Sweden that would be totally legal.
If you run into trouble you can wave the pink kilt on a stick and that might scare away help or bring help, 70/30 chance.

Thanks! Waving the pink kilt might also raise the ire of a moose, or perhaps multiple, so I'd say 70/20/10. :) I'm also guessing that Life Flight would have no issue finding me.

I'm thinking that I'll take one peanut butter sandwich - 1/2 for lunch, the other 1/2 for dinner; a couple snack bags of Zesty Jalapeno Triscuits; one medium sized gala apple; some carrot sticks and broccoli crowns; a snack bag full of almonds; some pepper jack cheese and a variety of energy bars and such (fig newtons). I can't decide on whether I should freeze one Nalgene bottle full water or two. :thinking:

It looks like the forecast is now calling for 97 degrees down in the valley for Saturday, which is better than the 99 they had predicted earlier in the week - so maybe mid-80's along the ridge? That's certainly better than it was seven years ago at 103.

It will be nice to see Murdock Peak again. I haven't been up there since the last time I attempted this hike. And I think with my day hikes this spring and last summer along some of the more difficult sections, I believe I have a better understanding of what I need to do in order to finish. :thumbsup: I guess we will see soon enough.
 
Mid 80s on the ridge? 97 in the valley? I would be melting if I tried to climb anything in that heat! (But it’s a dry heat, right?).

I really feel that you’re gonna succeed on this adventure. Can’t wait for the trip report and pictures! (Will the Life Flight folks let you take pictures out the windows?)
 
Mid 80s on the ridge? 97 in the valley? I would be melting if I tried to climb anything in that heat! (But it’s a dry heat, right?).

I really feel that you’re gonna succeed on this adventure. Can’t wait for the trip report and pictures! (Will the Life Flight folks let you take pictures out the windows?)

Yes, dry heat. The humidity level today is 15%, so I'm guessing it will be roughly the same on Saturday.

Who needs windows? I'll be dangling from the bottom of the chopper. :D Depending on what hospital they take me to, I could get a nice aerial shot of my house. :thumbsup:
 
If you're dangling from a chopper, a lot of folks are going to find out what a Scotsman really wears under that quilt. :)

Duluth Buck Naked Underwear of course. :roflmao: I think you need to contact Duluth and ask them nicely to put some mules on their buck nakeds. :thumbsup: Remember, ask nicely. :)
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
scatman West Millcreek Ridge - July 10, 2022 Hiking & Camping 22
scatman East Millcreek Ridge - July 2, 2022 Hiking & Camping 21
scatman Millcreek Ridge - July 3, 2015 Hiking & Camping 25
regehr Wilson Fork, Millcreek, Wasatch Hiking & Camping 1
Tye Dye Twins Backcountry Skiing Butler Fork to Millcreek 12-28 Winter Sports 8
seaview53 Chinese Wall - ridge walk thoughts and suggestions Trip Planning 2
scatman Parley's Ridge - May 20, 2023 Hiking & Camping 21
scatman Black Mountain Ridge - May 13, 2023 Hiking & Camping 49
scatman Van Cott Ridge - April 29, 2023 Hiking & Camping 7
scatman North Ridge of City Creek Canyon - February 4, 2023 Hiking & Camping 17
scatman South Ridge of City Creek Canyon - January 28, 2023 Hiking & Camping 4
SteveR Amazing Akamina Ridge Hiking & Camping 4
Yvonne Climbing Mount Saint Helens via Monitor Ridge Route, July 2021 Hiking & Camping 16
scatman Foothill Follies Part 2 - Black Mountain Ridge and City Creek Canyon Loop - November 11, 2021 Hiking & Camping 6
TheMountainRabbit Horse Ridge to Mount Febbas (Fitzpatrick Wilderness) - July 2021 Backpacking 24
travel2walk Lamar River, Pelican Valley, & Speciman Ridge loop - Yellowstone, Jun 29 to Jul 3, 2021 Backpacking 15
Gwen T Fortymile Ridge Road Trip Planning 5
Perry Dahlgreen Ridge - A Navigationally Challenged Day Hiking & Camping 8
scatman Neff's Ridge Loop - June 13, 2020 Hiking & Camping 10
scatman Parley's Ridge or Subaru to Jeep - April 25, 2020 Hiking & Camping 20
Perry Day Hike Exploring the Wasatch Ridge Line Hiking & Camping 5
Hiker Seth Franconia Ridge today Hiking & Camping 7
NorthwestWanderer Uncle visits Washington (Ptarmigan Ridge, Slate Peak & Wing Lake) Backpacking 4
Perry Middle Fork Blacks Fork Ridge Way Trail - Does It Exist? Hiking & Camping 5
SteveR Pocaterra Ridge, Alberta Hiking & Camping 7
NorthwestWanderer Poet Ridge - Glacier Peak Wilderness Hiking & Camping 3
scatman Van Cott Ridge - April 20, 2019 Hiking & Camping 5
balzaccom Comb Ridge and Wash Trip Planning 8
Ugly Snowy Dawn Traverse on Deer Ridge Hiking & Camping 6
NorthwestWanderer Ptarmigan Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness WA Backpacking 8
NorthwestWanderer Delancy Ridge via Driveway Butte, Okanogan NF, WA (5/20) Hiking & Camping 3
AbinadiWitness Part 1: Telluride Via Ferrata and Mount Sneffels SW Ridge from Blue Lakes- Colorado Trip # 1 - 2017 Backpacking 0
JDWalters Pioneer Ridge Trail, Hiking & Camping 6
Wanderlust073 Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness / Rattlesnake Canyon maps Trip Planning 6
Adventure monkey Steve Allen's exit out of Happy Canyon to the Big Ridge. Trip Planning 17
M VIDEO - Mt. Lindsey (14,042 ft) Northwest Ridge Hiking & Camping 0
piper01 Wolfman Panel, Comb Ridge/Valley of the Gods Hiking & Camping 3
Udink Nine Mile Canyon XIV: Warrior Ridge Hiking & Camping 4
WasatchWill A Recon Trip Around Comb Ridge Hiking & Camping 6
TannerT Adam's Canyon North Ridge 1/23 Hiking & Camping 10
Artemus Multimodal Transport on Wham Ridge Backpacking 41
Vegan.Hiker A Farewell to Fall along the Shawangunk Ridge Hiking & Camping 6
kansas ruins at Comb Ridge Trip Planning 3
kansas roads along Comb Ridge Trip Planning 6
Udink Price Canyon Recreation Area to Ford Ridge Hiking & Camping 4
T GSMNP Sunkota Ridge, Thomas Divide, Noland Divide, Deep Creek Backpacking 4
hatchcanyon Trough Spring Ridge Off Road 4
Nick Escalante access from Fortymile Ridge Trip Planning 7
scatman Grandeur Peak - Dragon's Tail Ridge Route - November 28, 2014 Hiking & Camping 19
toejam Mission Pine Ridge Hiking & Camping 5

Similar threads

Back
Top