Dreaded Palmer Creek seems uncrossable Dispatch from Morgan Beasley — July 20, 1997
We started off confident we could reach the Great Cairin Hut. The day started out with a hard bushwhack through alder, devil's club, and nettles, all mixed together. That soon thinned out into old growth intermingled with devil's club, which was welcomed. As we continued through the day, we were forced onto a very steep slope next to the raging Palmer Creek. While plodding our way over the steep slope, we spotted a halo overhead, which turned out to be a helicopter bringing our re-supply of food and climbing gear to the Great Cairin Hut near our base camp. As the steep portion flattened out we continued on in two side drainages that were fed by spectacular waterfalls. Then we found Palmer Creek was impassable. We didn't know what to do. We took off our packs and scattered up and down the creek to no avail. From here we had four options: 1. Wait until morning when the creek is lower and try crossing, then climb up the rocks to the hut. 2. Hike up the ridge about 2,500 vertical feet, then cross the creek on a flat stretch where the river should be slower and wider. After, continue over and down to the hut. 3. Use some old rope we found in the forest to cross the two wide logs that spanned Palmer Creek, and climb the not-so-steep ridge to the hut. 4. Spend at least three days going back down Palmer Creek with only one and a half days of food left — an option that would bring us back to our kayaks and abort the expedition. We spent about two hours breaking up and scouting out the first three options. Judd, Bill, and I found the first two options infeasible. All rested on Michelle's, Dan's, and Del's scouting with the logs. When we returned from our scout of option two, there were Del, Dan, and Michelle. The log was a GO! They had all crossed with no difficulty. I'm sort of nervous about the crossing but also happy that we have found a way to the hut.
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