mount dubois

Overview

I believe this is a new route. I have not seen a description for a similar route and there was no evidence of previous ascents. This appears to me to be the most direct and shortest route and one can bail from the main ridge more quickly than other routes in bad weather. Also there is no bushwhacking on this route. And best of all, there is a trail up to about 10200 feet! AND there is a stream near the end of the trail so one does not have to carry water for the first 2000 feet!! This route seems like a no brainer so I am not sure why it is not the main route? For the map please visit the link for my post on Peakbaggers.com; http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/Ascent.aspx?aid=827380

Getting There

The road to the trail head is the same as described in the trip report by Eric Kassan on July 13, 2013 on peakbagger.com. Take the Chiatovich Creek Rd until the end and go through the gate and continue on the 4x4 road into the national forest. Turn right at the junction with the Davis Creek road and park at the old cowboy camp at 8200 feet.

route description

The approach: From the camp continue on the road by walking straight ahead (do not follow the short road the turns left). It crosses the creek in about 100 meters and you may want to uses sandals there and then stash them. You will be following the North branch of Chiatovich Creek. The road crosses the creek again but one should not have to take off their shoes at this crossing. The road passes through meadows but one can keep on the old road if one pays attention to the old cut in the vegetation. The road then follows a smaller and dry branch of the creek that is to the South of the main branch. one may lose the road temporarily in the meadow but one can pick it up again when you are back in the sage brush. eventually it turns into a horse trail and crosses a small wash and continues up a drainage. You may see some evidence of mining on the way. You will be passing two rock falls coming down from the South from the ridge that you will be gaining later. 

The climb: At the second rock fall you will be in a meadow that has thick vegetation to the North. Walk past the rock fall about 200 meters to a creek. You may notice a couple of camp spots here. This is 10,200 feet. After watering up, walk back towards the rock fall and start heading up the small sub ridge that angles Southwest which is just West of the rock fall. There will be pine trees there. The terrain is easier if one stays in the draw South of the exact ridge. Once above timberline one can see most of the rest of the route. Gain the main ridge by climbing and contouring Southwest. Once on the ridge the only obstacle that remains while following the ridge to the Pellisier Flats is the last section. There is a buttress that has a short section of easy class 3 near the top but stay on the Southern side of the buttress to find dirt rather than boulders under the class 3 area. That will minimize the class 3. Once on top of the flats it is a 1/2 mile stroll to the summit. If one is acclimatized I believe this route can be done in 4.5 to 5.5 hours up. I am not sure of the exact distance but when I trace it on my Topo software it is 5 miles horizontal. Maybe add another mile. 

Trip description:
My buddy was not acclimatized and suffered diarrhea. Two minutes into the hike he had an accident and hiked w/o pants up until the meadow at 11,000 feet. Thus his name; The Naked Hiker. I picked up water at the stream in the meadow at 10,200 feet. We started up the ridge. My buddy was having to use resting steps b/c of the altitude but I was acclimatized from scouting out the approach a couple of days before. We found an intact Big Horn skull with horns and torso up on the ridge. My buddy called the buttress "The Hillary Step". It looks intimidating from a distance but is quite easy once you get there if one picks their route carefully. John lead this section as he is the master of finding routes around rocks. On the flats we saw a herd of 15 Big Horn. The trail register had the names of the usual suspects. Doug Mantle indicated he has only climbed Mt Dubois 11 times over the last 44 years!! Am thinking that looping the route with the route described by Eric Kassan would make for an interesting day. Having done his route up to the flats and the Zdon route from Middle Creek, this new route seems to me to be the most direct and friendliest route. No bushwhacking, and the ridge is mellow with the exception of the short class 3 which is much easier than "Black Mountain" on the ridge from Middle Creek.

Essential Gear

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External Links

http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/Ascent.aspx?aid=827380  This is the link to the same description on peakbaggers.com and one can view the map.