AlpineLakesAficionado

Squak Mt. The Long Way Route 1.18.12

2012-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

With the monumental dump of snow mixed with the generous lowland snow by options were very limited. I had expected more snow but there was still enough to provide challenging driving conditions around my house. I decided a nice walk from my house to Squak Mt South Access Road and on to the summit would be a fun trip. The snow was waning as I started out. The roads were compact snow and ice. I made great time the 2.5 miles to the Access Road. There was very little traffic and the people I did see were driving at speeds suitable for the conditions. I was a bit unnerved around a steeper portion of my approach. Both coming and going I was very aware of what traffic was doing. I certainly didn't want to get in the way of car sliding out of control on the hill.

Once I started on the road there were tracks from earlier in the day. I found it easier to find my own way in the shallow snow instead of trying to match stride lengths of the tracks. The weather changed to a light rain and I was wary of freezing rain. There were a few trees freshly down from the added weight of the snow. The snow progressively got deeper as I reached the end of the bootprints. I broke trail for the remainder of the way to the summit. There was about 16" of snow from the previous week's activity. I didn't linger long and I pushed the pace down the road. The snow was great for a speedy decent. The balance of the way home went very quickly. I did have to navigate more traffic on the way out then on the way in. I was pleased that my new La Sportiva Gore-Tex Boots kept my feet warm and more importantly dry. 10 miles in wet conditions was a good test.

Approx 10 miles 2100' of climb 3:45 car to car

Snowy Cougar Mt. 1.16.12

2012-01-16T15:02:00.000-08:00

I was really looking forward to having the kids off today from school. I was hopeful another outing with them out in the hills. With the suddenly snowy weather only stoking my desire to get them out, my oldest decided that she wanted to climb Cougar Mt. I have very fond memories of a previous trip when she was able to summit on her own power. My fondest memory was when we came across a sign for Longview Peak and I wasn't able to dissuade her from bagging her second peak of the day. I was hopeful the roads were passable and thankfully they were easily navigated. After our customary stop for Gatorade and snacks we were off for the short drive to the trailhead just off of SR 900. The weather was chilly and the snow had stopped. There was about an inch covering the trail making for some slick footing. I chuckled to myself as the 4 year old took the lead and set a stiff pace. It sure is a joy to watch those little legs "power up the steeps". As is customary the little one lost interest and I had to resort to my ruse of promising hot chocolate if the summit is realized. In this case I was sure that the summit would be too much so my hope was just some time well spent with my girls. After a mile the little one decided that she had enough and we had a family meeting to decide to what course of action to take. The oldest was dead set on continuing because she wanted to add another entry to her Peakbagger summit page. In the end I felt like it was probably best to head back. The kids each fell once and they were quick to recover. I was pure joy to be out with my girls and to see there smiling faces all bundled up to ward off the chill.

Approx 2 miles 400' of climb 60 minutes car to car

Arrowhead Mt. 6030' 571'P 1.12.12

2012-01-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I was more surprised to put a group of 5 together mid week to do a Winter Climb or that I could find 4 other people who haven't already done Arrowhead. I have saved this one for a day with clear conditions to make the most of the sweet views. While the weather wasn't as clear as I had hoped the cloud deck was high enough to allow views of area peaks mantled in snow. I had hoped to do Arrowhead by the non traditional West Ridge Route but the group was more interested in the favored East Ridge Route. We met at the Sultan P and R at the 7am. I had Fletcher and Rob sign on for another outing but we also were able to add Craig(Redwic) and Sergio. We had clear sailing on Hy 2 since the road were bare and dry. I was very thankful for the detailed route description on where to park, roughly 7.5 miles East of Stevens Pass on a fairly large turnout on the North side of the US2. The weather was very crisp but not overly cold as suited up. I was very careful to leash the dog for both the crossing of the road as well as the 1.5 mile walk East on the train tracks.

The going was easy on the tracks and shortly a train went by as I held the leash with a death grip. We soon saw a snowshoe trench leaving the tracks and we investigated. I felt like we still should walk further East but having a solid trench to follow was too good of option to pass up. The trench was very icy so a few of us went ahead and added traction devices, I was very envious of the micro spikes which were much better than the crampons I was forced to use. After a few hundred feet of climb the path started heading further East than I wanted to I took off more Westerly. The snow was fairly consolidated and the grade was much easier than what I was expecting. After leading for a short ways I let everyone pass me. Sergio hadn't done a snowshoe hike before and I was more concerned for his well being than the others. I was happy to see that we were making very good time and with getting an early start I was very hopeful for success. Around 4400' the going became much steeper and with this the snow was softer. The lighter guys leading didn't have much post holing problems but Sergio in front of me had much difficulty. We both are considerably heavier than the rest of the group. Thankfully I didn't have nearly as much issue as Sergio. I give him a ton of credit for maintaining a positive demeanor in a tough situation for someone new to snowshoeing.

Around 5100' we finally broke out onto the ridge and I was very happy to find a snowshoe trench as easy to walk on as a city sidewalk. Being only 900' below the summit with such perfect conditions we quickly made the summit. The wind was a bit nippy on top so I descended a few feet while everyone had summit beers and lunch. I returned to take some group pictures and didn't waste much time to descend again. I am sure that my face with grape colored icicles hanging off my goatee was quite the site. I wasn't quite paying enough attention to the point where we had reached the ridge and we descended on the nice trench past it. I was fine with mixing up the descent so Craig and I descended the trench while the others backtracked to our ascent route. After a few more hundred feet of descent Craig and I feared the route would follow the complete East ridge back to the train tracks. Not wanting to go so far out of our way we did a descending traverse to the West to reach our ascent route. We were surprised not to see any sign of bootprints descending so we decided to wait hoping that the rest of the group would soon catch up. After some time we decided that they may have descended via another route. Since the going is relatively easy we decided to continue with our descent. The rest of the way to the train tracks went very quickly and was quite enjoyable. Once reaching the train tracks I put my head down and pounded out the rest of the mileage back to the car. Not too long after reaching the car everyone else made it out.

Some times group dynamics can be a problem on these types of trips but I was very thankful that everyone related well with each other and were able to make decisions as a group. It was very fulfilling to be able to cross another on off the Back Court 100 especially in the dead of Winter

Approx 6 miles 3400' of climb 6:00 Car to car

More Cabin Creek Wanderings 1/4/12

2012-01-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

A couple of Week's ago I had an interesting trip in the Cabin Creek area. Although it didn't result in any summits it did provide and enjoyable outing. Recently the weather has disrupted my trip plans and today was no exception. When I got up it was dry but imposing and by the time I got out the door the heavy rain had already arrived. As I made my way up I-90 the rain stopped but I was sure it was right behind me. When I saw blue sky East of the pass I shifted gears and decided to head East. I was running low on ideas so I thought it best to try a rematch with Cabin Mt. Looking at my maps it appeared that one could access my previous route from an exit earlier but that proved less than fruitful when the road ended in a snow berm preventing any further travel. I still am suspect about this route working since I don't remember encountering a bridge to cross over the Yakima River. At any rate I backtracked to I-90 and made my way to my previous parking spot on Cabin Creek Road going through Easton.

The weather was dry and foggy but seemed likely to improve as the sun made it's way higher into the sky.I traced my steps of my previous trip but further up I headed further West finding smooth sailing in the clearcut. The snow was fairly consolidated and I was only sinking in 6" with my snowshoes on. I saw some flagging on a tree and I entered the trees following the line of flagging. The going got steep but the snow in the trees was very grippy giving the pace a distinct lift. Soon I popped out on a road and I had a tough time remembering if it was the same road as my previous trip. I followed for a short ways and the road dead ended and I angled to rejoin the trees because the snow was much quicker. I quickly ran into another road and I stepped over this road climbing steeply in less consolidated snow. Soon I found myself in some sort of rock garden with immense rocks to circumvent. I was I was worried about voids in the snow. I had visions of a recent trip report where the skier fell into a hole and had a very tough time extricating himself. That report had the luxury of having some onlookers who could have helped. Not having that luxury I tredded gingerly. Not finding any easy way I decided to bag the rest of the climb. I headed back down, when I hit the road I had crossed over I decided to continue heading West. Soon I found a nice stand of more mature trees with a nice angled slope. Even though my legs were crying to stop the easy going in the trees was more than I could resist. I plodded on switchbacking in the nice snow with a manageable grade. Soon I found myself in a small basin with some views. I could see 250' of climb above me with open deep snow and then a small short portion to reach the summit ridge. I had already passed by turn around time and the tank was very much on empty. I decided to head back and hopefully to miss the impending rain. I was very surprised to make it as far as I had since the going was much tougher than expected. I followed my tracks most of the way back to the car. The rain hit on the lower slopes but I was close enough to the car for it to be of little bother.

Approx 6 miles 2200' of climb 4:30 car to car.

Mudbog Hill 1250' 500P' 1/2/12

2012-01-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

After last week's enjoyable outing I thought a similar type of day was in order. With the weather dry and the kid's still out of school I thought I shouldn't let this opportunity pass by. The girls are starting to get into the peakbagging thing especially as I have started each of them a page on Peakbagger.com. I guess the compulsion doesn't fall too far from the tree. We made our customary stop at Tiger Mt. Store and I was dismayed that all the drinks were not cold. After chatting up the cashier, I found that the store had all the copper wire stolen over the long weekend, making their compressor non functional. Hard to believe that all that effort was worth the risk for the perpetrators. After the girls finally each made their decision on what snack to take we were off. I decided on Mudbog Hill because it was on List of John and looked to have logging road access tot the summit. I am not sure that the girls would enjoy a low elevation bramble bash of some obscure low lying hill.

Just before the train track crossing we parked at a wide spot in front of the locked gate. There was plenty of signage to discourage further exploration so what follows may or may not be a collective figment of my family's imagination. After getting situated we may or may not have started up the nicely paved road. The road climbed steeply and then switched to gravel. After a short descent we found ourselves at a small lake or what may be considered the "Mudbog" this hill is named after. Soon the pitch increased and the girls were losing their enthusiasm. Thankfully only one at a time would do this making motivation somewhat easier. Once we reached the saddle the winds really increased and it was a bit nippy. We followed the road until it crested and left the road cross country for a short ways to make the summit. After a brief round of high fives we retraced our steps back to the road.

Finding a dry sheltered spot we all enjoyed a family moment enjoying our summit success. Much to my surprise a group of 3 motorcycle riders came up the road and as soon as they saw us they turned around. Thankfully relieving me of the burden of explaining what we were doing. After finishing our snacks we headed down hoping to outrun the inpending rain. Soon after we again saw the riders and as soon as they saw me they quickly turned around. Evidently we must look pretty imposing. A bit further down the road we ran across a nice couple out for an afternoon hike. Soon we were back at the car thankfully before the rain arrived. I am very thankful my girls were both willing and enjoyed themselves. Nothing beat their excitement to update their climbing page.... a proud papa I am.

Approx 3 miles 700' of climb 2:30 Car to Car

Little Peak 3440' 600'P 12.29.11

2011-12-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

For once I had a plan for this day however the weather had other plans for me. I wanted to stay on the West side of the crest but when I made my way up I-90 the rain was torrential and making it worse it was quite warm. Not enthused with spending a day getting drenched I kept driving without a destination in mind. I hoped the weather would be better East of the crest. As I made my way towards Easton the skies showed no sign of letting up. As I neared the Nelson Siding Road I felt an urge to turn off so I did. As I made my way down Nelson Siding I remembered a couple of previous trips in the area. I used the Granite Creek Trailhead but I remember that the road continues with two other trailheads further along. This seemed like a good day to do some exploring. The road turns into a groomed snowmobile road so I had to turn around and park. The rain was still pounding as I suited up.

Thankfully I had enough gear to stay dry and shortly after leaving the car the rain magically stopped. I walked the road which seemed to lose more elevation than it gained. The road was well packed making for easy travel. I reached a junction and chose the one heading up hill. After another mile I reached a saddle and took the branch heading SW. I didn't have a map so I wasn't sure but it seemed the road was heading to a distinct point giving the day a worthy goal. I was able to see a snowshoe trench heading towards the ridge crest so I followed. I was happy to see that there was some foot traffic making me feel a little less crazy. At least I wasn't alone in my pursuit of some unnamed high point. The ridge is long set off small bumps which would be much easier to bypass by staying on the road. Since I didn't know this I thought each bump would be the summit. Since I thought each bump was the summit I resisted putting on the snowshoes. Becoming frustrated of this up and down regimen I rejoined the road until the summit came into view....... or in this case another false summit. Finally I reached a point that was considerably steeper and after topping out I was pleased that it was the summit. The summit has some good views to the North and there is a nice plaque commemorating a local father.

Not looking to get any wetter I decided to head out before the rain returned. After rejoining the main line of the road the rain returned with a vengeance making for slushy walking. The road seemed to go on forever, just before reaching the car I met up with a large group of cross country skiers just heading up the road. I sure did get some funny looks, I am sure they weren't expecting to see a drowned rat carrying a pack heading out.

Approx 8 miles 1500' of climb 4:30 car to car

Holder Knob 1110+ 12.26.11

2011-12-26T17:36:00.000-08:00

With the kids having indulged themselves, along with myself, over the holiday weekend I thought it best to get out. I wanted to take advantage of both the dry weather and the kids being off from school. I wasn't looking to go far so a return trip to the Taylor Mt. area was perfect. In the Spring we had climbed Holder Ridge and but did not climb Holder Knob. I thought it was a perfect fit for this day.

The parking lot is just South of the Hobart-Issaquah/Hy 18 junction. I was very surprised on the amount of cars in the parking lot. There were very few spots to left to park. Most of the rigs were horse trailers and we were soon treated to a group of 7 returning as we were prepping to leave. I always marvel at horses, there sheer size in inspiring. We headed up the nice logging road reversing the route we had used in the Spring. Once reaching the junction with the Holder Ridge Trail we left the road taking the trail North. Soon we reached another junction and continued North on the Holder Knob Trail. The trail itself was muddy but manageable for all the little feet. In short order we were able to reach the summit area and snapped some pictures. A nice trailrunner took a family picture for me since I was struggling to do so on my own. I was thankful the whole family was able to stay upright on the way out on the very slippery trail. For fun we left the trail as it parallels the access road and went cross country to regain the road. It was very fun to get the girls out and have them both add a summit to their growing lists.

Cabin Mt. Wanderings 12.20.11

2011-12-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

I had an extremely taxing weekend so I made a nice fire and spent some good family time relaxing on Monday. With all that time doing very little you would think that I would have had time to make plans for the next day. I instead gave it very little thought with the expectation of winging it in the morning. By the time I got motivated it was nearly 10 am giving me a sparse amount of daylight hours. I was hoping for a quick efficient climb of Cabin Mt. via the North. I used the Cabin Creek Road via Easton and had some trouble finding the best place to park. The roads were not exactly matching my map and I lost considerable time before parking .25 short of the turnaround and followed a well travelled road that was heading in the general direction of my intent. In the future I will access this area from the Cabin Creek Road from I-90 cutting down on the amount of walking

The road led to the train tracks which were heading directly in the direction I wanted to go. Walking train tracks was a new experience for me and it took some experimenting to find the most efficient method. I even tried just walking on the rail which was the easiest but soon lost it's appeal. Once I reached a road that led to Cabin Creek Cabins I left the railroad tracks for a logging spur heading towards the power lines. Once I reached the powerline road I followed until I reached a high point. I switched to snowshoes and left the road for the nice consolidated snow of the clear cut. The snow made for an enjoyable climb as I used the sparse trees as slalom cones. The snow covered all the unpleasantness of what lay beneath it. I angled towards some larger standing timber that looked rather choked so I paralleled the clearcut in the dripline of the trees making for even easier travel. Finally I ran out of clearcut and entered the trees. After 200' of climb I popped out on another road that had been driven on making for easier travel. Since the road wasn't on my map I was curious. Since the road was rather steep and packed I felt like it may be the fastest method to reach Cabin Mt's summit. I resisted a few times where there were options to leave for a more direct line. At around 4200' I reached the end of the road. Looking up and seeing another 600' to go and without the time to reach it, I decided to head back. I had to be back early and I knew I wouldn't be able to make the summit in my allotted time.

The weather started to move in and became quite windy, thankfully the wind abated as I descended lower. Making my way over the most varied terrain was quite enjoyable on the way out. I was very happy to get out and stretch the legs and give the dog a good run even though nothing substantial was achieved.

Approx 6 miles 2000' of climb 3:30 car to car

Lizard Lake, Pt. 4120'+

2011-12-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

With the benign weather holding out I was set for another day out. It looked like I would have a nice team so I hatched a plan to do Arrowhead via the less trodden West ridge. Slowly members of the team dropped out until in the end I was the only one remaining. I didn't feel like trying for Arrowhead solo so I decided to decide on the way. I had only a few maps loaded into my new phone so I had a short list to work from. I was in the mood for something with very little route finding and a low amount of trailbreaking. I had a map of Dandy Mt. which is just above Stampede Pass and this would provide some miles mostly on groomed snowmobile tracks. I parked outside of the fee area near where the road has been blocked by piled snow. I suited up with the temps in the low teens, thankfully there wasn't much wind.

I left the road and cut the switch backs using a nice snowmobile track.. Soon I reached Stampede Pass. I left the road at the intersection diving into the trees. The snow was highly variable with some heavy rain crust and some areas of deep powder. Leaving the snowshoes in the car started to come back to bite me as the snow was made for annoying travel. Soon my objective came into view and I was off line, in order to work my ways back on the right path I would have to drop some elevation and make my way through a wide area of softer snow. Not feeling it I instead kept climbing in the direction I was heading finding more favorable snow conditions. I topped out on a small point and had lunch.

I quickly descended back to the road and followed it over Stampede Pass and on to Lizard Lake. The road gives great access to the lake and it was locked with ice for the season. There were numerous snowmobile tracks across the lake. Looking forward to getting home early I made my way the 4.5 miles back to the car. It was good to stretch the legs a bit and give the dog a nice run.

Approx 10 miles 4 hours car to car 2000' of climb

Bluebirds on Snoqualmie Mt., 6278'

2011-12-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Of late I haven't had much time to dedicate to climbing but the stars lined up with stable snow conditions, perfect weather, good company and most importantly a full day to devote to my mountain escapades. I really wanted to do WildDare via Dingford Creek but Rob and Fletcher wanted some South facing slopes to ensure some quality time with the warm sun. I was disappointed because I was kind of set on doing WildDare and I had already done Snoqualmie. I am completely selfish when it come to picking trips, I will do any trip as long as it is what I want to do. Trying to be more accommodating I relented and went with the majority. As it turns out it was a perfect choice for this day. Since the climbers trail is efficient we pushed back our meet time 90 minutes. We left Issaquah under dirty fog. Soon after passing North Bend the sun broke out and remained unbroken for the entire day. In fact a fairly strong inversion made the upper slopes of Snqoqualmie rather warm, a nice bonus.

We parked at the Alpental parking lot as another solo was suiting up to do Chair peak, too cool. The dog seemed more interested in following him and I had to run after and thankfully was able to retrieve the dog. I found a nice boot path so we left the shoes in the car. The trail went to a nice sledding slope and I used this for efficient climbing. I traversed to climber's right to find the boot bath that was going our way. The trail was easy to follow but there wasn't a huge amount of travel but it did help with route finding.

The views started to open up

The going was steep and I really didn't have the legs or this climb. I was very thankful for my partners being patient as I slowly plodded along. We finally reached a junction with the majority of traffic traversing to the pass just North of Guye Peak. I followed a single track heading up the ridge that would take us to our destination. The going was steep so we all put on crampons although they probably not a necessity. Once leaving the trees the snow softened considerably slowing progress. The views kept improving.

I really struggled on the last part. Since I had already been on the summit I had a tough time keeping myself motivated but in the end I kept chugging along and I was proud of myself for pushing through a weak minded day. Thankfully the summit came into view. It did seem the Western point was the highest so I forced myself to make my way there despite my legs complaining.

I was concerned for the descent because portions had been steep and icy on the ascent. I was thankful that there was some sun to warm the snow. But as is some things go too much isn't a good thing. The snow on the less steep portions was very soft and many postholes were enjoyed by all.

The descent went exceedingly quick and much to my pleasure we all reached the car with out issues.

Approx 5 miles 3300' of climb 5:30 car to car

Taylor Mountain 2600' 11.29.11

2011-11-29T22:09:00.000-08:00

With another hectic week I didn't have much time to get out. I decided that I would try something close with easy access. I really needed to get the pup our since of late he has been bouncing off the walls. I hastily threw some things together and headed to Tiger Summit. I parked near the gate that is just East of the pass. I was careful to hold on to the pup so that he wasn't tempted to bolt out on the highway. I followed the logging road that parallels the power lines until I reached a nice spur that started climbing rather steeply. I followed this until I reached the ridgeline where the views to the West were better than expected.

The road started a descent and I left the road cross country through some interesting terrian unitl I stumbled on a trail that ran along the watershed boundary. I walked over every bump along the way hoping to reach the highest point. I ended up following the trai for around a mile when I was satisfied that there were no higher points further along. I do wish I had continued further when inspecting my maps when I got home because I was most of the way to Brew Hill and knocking two scrub points off would have been nice. The weather started moving in with wind and a very light snow while I quickly made my way back to the car.

Approx 8 miles 1300' of climb 2 hours car to car.

Hall Point 2440' 11.15.11

2011-11-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

I wanted something close to home because I couldn't leave early and the days are certainly becoming short. I haven't climb Change Peak which is sometimes called East Mt. Washington. In my research I found mention of a climbers trail that is not marked on the map. This seemed a perfect fit so I picked up Rob in Issy and we were off. The weather was benign and we even managed some sun breaks. With the recent low elevation snow I was excited that we would need snowshoes. Too bad soMeonE left their snowshoes at home despite leaving themselves a note to remind them

I had some issue getting us on route because I wasn't quite sure where the trail actually started. We ended up at the Mt Washington trailhead and forest service worker happened to pull up and gave us some precise instructions. This was a stroke of good fortune. We parked in the turnout just across from the Hall Creek crossing. I spied a worn track and we followed, we did find it easier if you start right at the concrete bridge abutment on the West side of Hall creek. The trail is steep but the going was made easier by the nice shallow layer of snow making for nice steps. Soon we reached a nice vista and the trail continues on up. We were debating on the way up if we should change our destination and stay on the ridge line since the snow cover we hoped would be shallower and the distance shorter. I didn't think we would make our goal doing a road walk without both having snowshoes. We reached a junction with the our intended road that leads to the small pond at the head of the valley and also continues along the ridge. We decided to keep climbing and quickly reached Hall Pt. which is a nice regional viewpoint.

We started traversing the ridge which was reasonable and soon reached J's Landing. I headed East and found a reasonable route back to the ridge and Rob went West and ran into a logging spur. We decided to head on the logging spur head to our original goal. the road was choked with alder laden with snow making for annoying travel. Finally Rob put on his snowshoes and I followed in his tracks. Thankfully this made it easier for me. I was struggling breaking trail in the knee deep snow. It became apparent that we would not have enough time to make our goal with the slow going. We found a nice sunny spot to have lunch and debate our options. We decided it would be most reasonable to head back the way we had come, so that is what we did. I did find the descent tedious since the traction always looked suspect but in the end it was just fine. I would definitely try to do this trip as a loop using our route for the ascent and descending via the Mount Washington trail. Another nice day to be out.

Mount Margaret 5580' 11.8.11

2011-11-08T18:24:00.000-08:00

With an unexpected nice weather day I thought it best to take advantage. I wasn't looking for a long day just a day to get out and enjoy the new snow and sun. The road to the Mt Margaret trailhead was in fine shape and it was very good to drive the road instead of walking from the Sno-Park as I have done a few time in the past. On a previous trip I had climbed to the South Mt Margaret Peak and we decided to turn back due to some inclement weather. The road was an easy walk and I left the road for the maintained trail that leads to Twin Lakes. The footing in the shallow snow was great and made for some pleasant walking. Soon I reached the cover of standing trees which were doing the best to bomb me with melting snow. Thankfully once further into the trees this annoyance ended.

Soon the Junction with the Lake Margret trail came up. Instead of heading to the ridge as I had done on my previous attempt I stayed on the trail bypassing the Southern Summit. After hitting an open area I started up off trail heading for the saddle between the two peaks. The going was easy at first but higher up the snow was less than adequate paired with the frozen duff made for slow going. If there had been any exposure I would have had to add crampons since every step was suspect. Once on the ridge line the going was easier and I soon found myself on the summit. The views had now evaporated into a bank of low lying clouds which was a disappointment since I had hoped for some nice views. I backtracked to a small flat area where I had lunch and enjoyed the warm sun.

A very nice short jaunt out.

Approx 7 miles 3:45 car to car 2000' of climb

Devil's Head 6660' and Bean Peak 6743' 10.25.11

2011-10-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

With another stellar weather day on tap I was hoping to get out. I was puzzling over what to do when I got a text from Rob wanting to do something with some scrambling and moderate distance and vertical. I had been wanting to get out and do Devil's Head and this fit our time frame for this day. I picked up Rob at the Issy PNR and we were off and it was still very dark. I knew this would give us plenty of time. The road to the Beverley Turnpike trailhead was thankfully in much better shape than my last time. We suited up under some very cold temps. I would guess it was in the Mid 20's. The sun was just starting to warm the slopes above us and I really wanted to get into the sun since my hands were freezing. This became a constant theme for the day. On the sunny side of ridges it was very comfortable and very cold on the shady sides. We made quick work to the 4th creek Pass and dropped into the very frozen basin below us. After a short drop we were back to climbing to the pass between Bean and Volcanic Neck. We made quick work of this section and I led us on a traverse on the Eastern side of the ridge to avoid the cliffy areas of Volcanic Neck. I was able to find a small slot to cross the East ridge of the neck without having to drop some elevation to go around. The terrain on the North side of the neck was more benign. While I was doing this Rob tried to tease a route up the East face and was met with some resistance.

We regrouped and headed along the ridge on fun terrain to reach Devil's Head which I thought was a brilliant time for a summit since this would be my last trip before Halloween. We easily reached the summit and snapped a ton of pictures since the weather was ideal as was the scenery. I had a good perspective on Sherpa and it's balanced rock. I tried to get a good picture to determine which is higher, From every perspective I have seen the balanced rock seems to be taller, but what do I know.

After a quick snack we headed back towards Volcanic Neck. I hadn't really planned to muster an attempt. Part of me wanted to save it for another trip since it was my last peak on the Teanaway Twenty that I hadn't climbed, part of me was enthused on the 3rd class scramble on potentially icy rock. I knew Rob wanted to try so I waited with the dog below. He called down to me letting me know that the route was gravy and repeated this enough times that I made my way up as well. After 200' of climb I was worried about the dog who hasn't had enough reps on this type of climb to make me comfortable to continue. I gave some thought to leashing him to a tree below and making another attempt but I was sure he would duck his collar and felt like this could cause problems. Soon Rob returned from a successful summit. We continued heading South to Bean which I had already climbed but I knew this would be a faster way out. I love the Bean Creek basin and I was looking forward to return anyway. We easily made the summit and there was a group of three already there. An older couple and their son. I was happy to see once again some older climbers making me hopeful for a long career myself. The group on the summit was heading down our ascent route so we parted ways. I headed East for a short ways before dropping. I wasn't crazy about descending a route that I hadn't seen before but I knew it wasn't very long before the mellow slopes would be reached. The descent is slabby in parts but the rock is very grippy making for an enjoyable descent. Once reaching the basin we had lunch and basked in the sun. The route out was easy and it had the added bonus of heading directly into the warm sun for long stretches. I try to savour each sunny day this time of year since I know it might be months before I see the sun again.

Approx 9 miles 3600' of climb 6:30 car to car

Meadow Mt. the circle route 10.18.11

2011-10-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

Well you probably know the drill by now, worked late, had to be back early and needed something shorter. This version was augmented with a perfect fall day. I hadn't been in the area and my lack of knowledge provided a challenge that resulted in a much longer driving day than was needed. For those of you less challenged if you go towards Stampede Pass and take the spur that leads to Lost Lake you will be well on your way. If you would like to make it even less challenging you can turn just past Meadow Creek. At any rate after my joy ride through the maze of logging roads I found a spot that I could turn around and park, so that I did. I couldn't make the terrain and my map agree with each other so I wasn't quite sure I was where I wanted to be. I decided to head up in the recently planted trees aiming for a patch of more mature timber. The new growth was a pain but tolerable, once reaching the older trees the ascent became much more enjoyable. Soon I found myself on the ridge line and quite of ways from Meadow Mt. I headed North and came out on a logging road that was heading in the direction that I wanted to go, so I followed. Thankfully this road was slightly on the Northern side and was warm and pleasant. When the road tended on the Southern side where the wind was howling. I had to put my windbreaker and hood on to stay warm. It was quite amazing the difference 50' can make. I followed this road until it end where I surprisingly ran across a work crew just leaving. I don't know who was more surprised to see who. I left this road aiming again for a stand of more mature trees. I picked up a descent tread that spit me out onto another logging road which I again followed. When the road crested I left it for a nice rockslide going my way. I ran into my trail again that followed to just short ways away from the summit. The views of Ranier from the summit are splendid but the lighting was poor so I wasn't able to capture it very well..

The views to the North where even better. The perspective of the Lemah-Chimney Rock group was from an angle that I hadn't seen before.

After a short stay on the summit soaking up the sun I made my way down. I used the trail that for more of the descent and replaced the nice rockslide of my ascent with a young tree jungle. The trees where so close together I had a tough time squeezing through. I managed to hit my logging road and followed it back to the car. It was very nice to get out with such a glorious day.

Blowout Mt. 10.10.11

2011-10-12T19:03:00.000-07:00

With life returning to normality, for me anyway, I wanted to get out. The weather didn't look promising and I had to be back early so something short was in order. I have enjoyed my exploring of the South side of I-90 so I thought I would try to shamelessly bag another scrub peak. I thought Blowout Mt. would be a good fit and since it was well over 5000' I hoped to lay some tracks ins some fresh snow. I was able to keep myself on route all the way to my jump off point. I used the road that goes to Stampede Pass and then took #41 East until I reached Log Creek where I continued on this road that hopscotches over Log Creek numerous times on bridges of suspect quality. There are many bumps that channel water away from the road that one needs to go over so some clearance is required. The Subaru managed most of them without too much damage to the under carriage. Finally I reached one bump that I wasn't sure I could make it over so I parked.

Even though the skies were spitting snow I stayed in shorts and just layered up with some extra shirts and a raincoat. I walked the road until I reached the trail I had hoped to find. The trail sees heavy motorcycle traffic but it seems like someone has taken the time to add some traction on some of the steeper portions to keep some of the tire erosion down. Once cresting the ridge the snow markedly increased as did the snow showers.

I easily followed the trail towards my intended target. I quickly had lunch and retraced my steps in the growing showers. By the time I got back to the car the weather was vastly improved but I still had very stunted views. While the hike didn't provide much in the way of exercise it did provide once again some vital time for me to put things in perspective.

Snaggle Tree Peak 4898' 678P' 10.5.11

2011-10-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

With the lousy weather I was unable to coax anyone in going out with me. I instead decided to have a family day but after running some errands and with us watching an additional kid I somehow found the motivation to get out. I didn't have very much time so I thought I would indulge myself in some shameless peakbagging. After consulting my maps I found Snaggle Tree Peak would fit my time frame. I made my way to Stampede Pass before turning onto #41. I was thankful that all the many people on the roads let me by since I had a schedule to keep. I am still not sure why there were so many people out, maybe scouting for hunting? I didn't see anyone actually outside their rigs, which I am sure had something to do with the crappy weather. After a few miles on #41 I hung a right and headed South. I was intending on just parking and getting a few miles in but the road was in good shape and there wasn't any good places to turn around. Soon I found myself at the end of the road. Thankfully the terrain matched my map and I was reasonably sure I was were I wanted to be.

I quickly changed in the driving sleet. I was expecting the chance for some snow and I think another few feet of elevation I think I would have had my wish. I headed off on a rather brush less track and then dived headlong into the very wet stunted trees. I aimed for some standing timber finding easier going. I crested the closed contour and then descended to a saddle and then popped out on some good tread. I followed the trail to the West for a short ways before diving into the brush. I found an old road that headed to the treed summit. I am guessing the peak is named for the two bleached snags at the summit. I criss crossed the area before deciding the highest point was the root ball of a fallen tree. Since the views were non existent I didn't linger long before retracing my steps. I was a bit concerned for my way back since I had no line of sight and everything looked the same. I quickly made it back to the closed contour and then tried a slightly different route back trying to avoid the worst of the dense new growth. I came out on a trail and I was sure I had traversed too far, so I back tracked. I ploughed back into the brush finally coming out on a good trail. Realizing I was just under the summit I just had climbed I retraced my steps and made sure to head out the same way I had come in. So much for saving some time in the brush.

Miles, Not enough, elevation, not nearly enough 1 hour car to car

Nimbus and Thor 9.21.11

2011-09-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

With a chaotic schedule of late I did my best to etch some time out to take advantage of the recent nice weather. I had hoped to do a combo of Thor/Nimbus last week but the didn't happen. I put out some texts trying to find some partners and I was very happy to have Fletcher and Rob to sign on. I had been out with both on previous trips so I was quite sure that they would certainly help make the day a success. I met up with both in Monroe and piled into the trusty Subaru and we were off. The day started at the Tunnel Creek trailhead which provides a short jaunt to Hope Lake and the PCT. The day was warm when I left but their was a very high cloud deck keeping the temperatures very manageable. We had such great conversation that I hardly noticed that we had passed Hope Lake and we were most of the way to Trap Lake. The short climb to Trap Pass went equally quickly and we left the trail at the pass. We instead followed the climbers trail that leads to Thunder Mountain Lakes. Many years ago I had tried this same trip and was turned back because there was a fire in the Square Lake drainage. I had remembered the climber's trail to be much harder to follow then what we found today. The trail was easy to follow and like the rest of the day the grade was pleasing. Soon Slippery Slab Tower came into view.

This heavy snow year is still in effect and what was most surprising to me was that the bugs were horrible and none of the heather has turned as of yet. In fact the flowers along the way were still blooming. What a wacky year? We alternated between rock gardens and snowfields as we made our way to the saddle to drop to the uppermost Thunder Lake. I was a little confused about which way to go, I felt like we needed to cross a higher saddle but when I saw two overnighters coming down from the lower saddle we headed their way. As it turned out if we would have hit the higher saddle it would have saved some time for our first objective of Nimbus. After some short pleasantries we left the two and headed to the UTML. We headed West and easily made our way to the summit area of Nimbus. I knew it wasn't likely that we would be able to reach the very top because there is an immense rock on the summit that is nearly blank on every side. We mused for sometime about how me could actually make the summit. In the end I couldn't coax any takers for letting me use them for a shoulder stand.

After a short stay we headed down for the next objective of Thor Peak to the East. I had read that the ascent was straightforward so I headed East to the North of the impressive point to the East of UTML. This in retrospect was not the easiest of routes. I led us on a high traverse over some very steep gullies with some less than ideal footing. On one gully I lost my balance and dropped my water bottle and watched it bounce it way 500' below me. Once reaching the end of the ridge I crossed over to the South side for less taxing travel. The heather on the South side was still wet but since the grade and runout was less I felt better. I reached the saddle and dropped pack. Once I could see that the rest of my party was right behind me I easily made my way to Thor's summit. As advertised the route is easy and without drama. As I was signing the register that was placed in the 80's in a glass vial with a ancient cigarette in it, a first for me ,the rest of the my group joined me. There seems to be a debate on what the name of the peak should be, evidently there is a struggle between Wolverine in honor of the lake below the peak, and Thor the conventional name for the "unnamed peak" After looking through the register and noticing that there weren't that many entries in the many years that it had been in place another solo climber made his way to the summit 10 minutes behind us. I don't know what the odds are on that happening but I am quite sure that they are not very high. We had a healthy debate about how to return. I desperately didn't want to repeat the high traverse of our approach. I had the idea to drop to the small tarn to our West where I spied a low angle gully that would get us back to our ascent route. Another idea was to head straight back towards Trap Lake. This I was resistant to because the reports I had read made me think while the route worked it wasn't something that anyone would want repeat. I talked briefly with the solo climber and he had traversed from Thunder Lakes on the South side. I was willing to try this but part of the group not knowing this was quite a way below and so we decided to try for the gulley route.

You can see the route in this picture

The initial part of the descent went quickly and I was very pleased to find some running water since I was out. I tried to stay high to avoid any unneeded elevation gain. We had to cross one steep snowfield that was easier to cross in the moat. I was very worried about the pooch since this was his first foray into such a large boulder field, but as becoming more common he exceeded my expectations. Soon we reached the gully and I was pleased that it was even easier than what I was hoping for. We tried to space ourselves to avoid any rockfall injury but within 20 minutes we were thankfully back on route. Once back on route the rest of my party left me to try to fit in nearby K9 which I had already done and didn't have the desire to repeat. I took a short break in order to keep the dog from being confused. Since I new with the rest of my party needing an hour to accomplish the task I slowed my pace. I used this time to break out a big smile. I realized why these endeavors are so important to me, it provides my life an essential balance. Soon I rejoined the rest of my group who had nixed the idea of doing K9. The rest of route out felt like there was a couple of miles added but we did make it out without needing headlamps. Just an extraordinary day spent with great company.

Approx 15 miles 5600' of climb 10 liesurely hours.

Who needs a plan? Cape Horn 7316', Frosty 6489' Upper Florence, Bingham and Mary Lakes

2011-09-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, before a wife and kids, I used to set out for extended trips with just the dog from company. The goal was to hit as many alpine lakes as possible. Some where along the way I grew more interested in the summits and the quest began to climb the 200 highest peaks between Hy 2 and I-90. With more responsibilities I haven't made a point of doing an extended trips for many years, I thought I was due. I hatched a plan to do 9 peaks in 4 days. I was confident in my abilities to make all the summits with my skill set. I tweaked the route over the preceding weeks to make it efficient as possible. I asked for the time off from work and not only was approved I was asked to take it a week earlier. Now the only thing I needed was a weather window. Since the weather has been so poor this Summer I thought my luck had to change. As the days went by the forecast kept improving to the point I no longer worried about poor weather I now was worried about the growing predicted heat. Since I had to work the weekend before I was slated to leave I packed on Friday in order to allow an early departure. As I made my way to work I had an uneasy feeling and that was soon validated. In the end my day at work ended with my resignation. At first I was crushed but as my trips in the hills usually do, they give me clarity. I realized that my job actually makes me unhappy and it was probably the best for all involved.

After a breakfast with my parents and family I decided that I would leave 2 days earlier, I mean what could I do over Labor Day weekend to fix my situation? I headed out in the early afternoon to give myself a chance to pound out some miles before dark. I reached the Whitepine trailhead around 6pm giving me some time before dark. From the onset I was worried about the amount of gear I was carrying and more so of the weight. I was unable to fit everything into my pack and I had to resort to strapping down extra gear outside my pack. Once I finally shouldered the pack the weight wasn't too bothersome. The trail was in good shape except for one portion a little over a mile in that the trail has been rerouted because of a bees's nest. The trail has numerous ups and downs with little change in elevation. When I reached the Whitepine/Wildhorse junction I headed to the creeks to see if there was a good place to camp. I was worried that any spot might be taken since it was a holiday weekend. I was right and I found a couple of guys next to a nice campfire. I asked if they minded if I camped nearby and since they didn't I walked to some nice running water and found a spot that was both far enough away and comfortable for a bivy. I quickly made dinner and by the time I finished eating it was dark. I gave some thought of bringing the fifth of Bourbon over to the campfire and making friends. In the end I was worried that I might spend a little too much time with the bourbon making the next day less than pleasing.

I had a good night sleep and was up and eating breakfast semi early. I packed up and headed cross country to directly regain the Whitepine trail. The morning was perfect and the bugs were at bay. The only thing lacking were my legs. Although they were fine for the grade of the trail I started to wonder about the off trail climb to Upper Grace Lakes with a heavy pack. The intent was to drop pack around 7000' and tag Big Chiwaukum and then return to my belongings and traverse to Upper Grace Lake for my first camp. My plan for the next day was to go with a day pack over the pass and traverse to Opportunity Peak and then back and pack up and head up the steep snowfield to the summit of Snowgrass Peak. There is an umarked split in the trail in the first large meadowy area where the tread is equally worn. The trail descends and the route I had intended on taking rises. From this vantage I could see the snowfield I need to surmount Snowgrass and it looked very daunting. The truth of the matter is that I had decided to alter my plans and head to Frosty Pass directly. The views of the area are pretty inspiring.

After the junction most of the climbing has been done, it is a lot of ups and downs and parts are muddy and brushy. Thankfully with the big snowpack this year there is no shortage of water along the trail. I lost count of the numerous crossings. Shortly after the signed junction for the Grace Lakes Trail there is a horse camp where I stopped and shed some layers as the sun was heating things up quickly. From the camp I could see Frosty Pass and I was happy that it wasn't too much further. Shortly before the pass I met up with a solo on his way out. I chatted for a brief time before continuing my plod to the pass. Once cresting the pass I headed East on the Icicle Ridge trail towards Mary Lake. I passed a group of three who I surmise were doing a loop trip and had camped at Upper Florence. I had camped at Mary Lake many years ago and on that trip I had visited upper Florence Lake. I remember Upper Florence being by far the better lake but Mary provided better campsites. Since Mary was closer it was an easy decision to camp there. I was thankful to have the place to my self. I used the biggest camp site that has it's own mini trout pond. The views of the Snowgrass-Ladies group was on display and the dog seemed at home

I lounged for the rest of the day and when the bugs grew too tiresome I did some exploring around the lake. I founded the one thing I desperately needed.... a snowfield. No Ice NO problem

I spent the remainder of the evening reading and trying to put the traumatic events of last week into perspective while making my pack lighter by downing some bourbon. I made a great dinner and once the sun set I headed for less than restful night of sleep. Evidently my spot wasn't quite as level as I had hoped and I ended sliding off my pad most of the night. It did get surprisingly cold at night but I stayed warm in my bivy. Bosco was a natural and alerted me anytime any animals neared camp. The moon was only half but it did light up the night like a beacon. For those who haven't ever experienced a moon away from city lights and in altitude it something that words cannot ever describe. While I was off my intended schedule I could still make 7 of the remaining peaks. I eagerly packed a day pack and headed towards Upper Florence. The goal was Ladies Pass that is the shared saddle between Cape Horn and Ladies Peak which were my intended targets for this day. Mary's Pass went quickly and then I dropped some elevation before crossing Florence Pass. The basin that is between Florence and Ladies Pass is something to behold. It is lush and green and immense why I didn't snap any picture I am not sure. Now I could see Cape Horn and it's North Ridge looked much more imposing than I had imagined

I plodded on towards Ladies Pass. I didn't realize that once cresting Ladies Pass the trail continues to climb. This enabled me to start the ridge much further up making the off trail portion much shorter. After a few switchback I spotted a worn track on the north end and followed. This led me to a small flat area on the ridge perfect for leaving my pack. I quickly made my way up the steep North ridge. There is plenty of loose rock but the footing is generally sound. Soon I found myself on the summit and wasn't able to find a register. I snapped a few pictures and quickly descended to my belongings.

After descending to Ladies Pass I stopped and had lunch. Looking at the summit area of Ladies Peak I grew concerned. It didn't look inviting, I know it is doable with my capabilities but I started to wonder the wisdom of doing it solo. I decided to head up to see " how it goes". I made it up easily the first 400' and then I would have to traverse a ways before regaining the ridge. From there it looked doable until a couple hundred feet below the summit where I would have to do another steep traverse. I didn't like the look of it and decided it best left for another trip.

From the upper ridge I was able to Lake Bingham and I could see that it still had icebergs in it. I couldn't believe a lake at less than 6000' East of the crest could have ice still in it in Early September. I decided I should investigate. The drop to the Bingham is well graded and goes through some nice meadowy areas and I did have to cross a short steep section of snow that was still rock hard. I dropped 50' to around it instead of risking a slip. About a 200' above the lake I dropped to the immense snowfield on it South shore. I followed this down to the lake and had a short break. Bosco certainly enjoyed the snow. I was simply amazed at the depth of snow. I am certain that this will not melt this year.

I easily made my way back up the Ladies Pass. Without the weight of heavy overnight pack I felt like I was running up hill. When I reached the short steep snowfield I was very careful to kick good steps instead of going around it as I had done on the descent. Once back at the pass I eagerly dropped to Upper Florence to do some fishing. When I was there many years ago I remember some VERY big trout. In fact one 20 incher rebuked everything I had to throw at him. He then had the gall to follow me around the entire lake taunting me as I went. I managed to land quite a few but none were lunkers. I did see some really nice ones but again they were very weary of what I was offering. After an hour I decided to head back to camp. On the descent I passed an older lady on a solo trip who hadn't decided where she was going to camp for the night. I find it inspiring to see people of all ages on the trail and I marvel at some of them. I do hope that when I reach my elder years I am still able to shoulder and overnight pack. Back at camp I made dinner and read before calling it a night. I switched spots to a more flat area that provided a much more comfortable sleep. The deer were out on this night and Bosco ran numerous deer out of camp at night. It is funny even though my sleep was disrupted it provided me much comfort and better sleep when he wasn't barking knowing that he was watching out for me. I again had to rearrange my plans when at Bingham where I could see the traverse to Snowgrass summit was still solid snow. This gave me pause since I was unsure how Bosco would do on a steep snow traverse. I had brought crampons and a ice axe so I felt like I would be ok. Since prior to going to bed I noticed Bosco's limp more pronounced I decided that I was pushing him too hard. I had planned on heading to Doelle lakes for my last night but when his limp was even worse in the morning I decided to head out a day earlier. I settled for tagging Frosty Mountain before the long trudge to the car. I packed up and made my way to Frosty Pass where I dropped pack. I followed the trail to the horse camp a short ways before leaving the trail. I headed up and then hit a small ramp that had a fairly worn boot track heading up. I followed this all the way to the summit which provides a nice seat. I signed the register that was placed by Fay Pullen in 02' and had very few entries which didn't make sense to have a relatively worn path to it's summit. I had a short break and had to laugh when I caught Bosco lying on steep snowfield. I had to hold my breath hoping he wouldn't slide off of it.

I headed down to regain my belongings and head home. The heat was growing as I made my way out. It seemed as every step I took the temps went up. I was very thankful that again there was plenty of running water for both myself and the dog. I tried to stop for a short rest at a great spot about half way out and was marauded by black flies. I felt like if I stayed another minute I might not make it out alive. It took me about a quarter mile at top speed to finally loose the swarm. It certainly wasn't the rest spot I had hoped for. Not taking any chances I didn't stop the rest of the way. Finally after an eternity I made it back to the trailhead. Overall the trip served it's main purpose of allowing me to clear my head and did provide me a couple more summits. I hope to return to the area to finish my business. It certainly it a beautiful area and has now provided me two very memorable trips.

Mount Phelps 5535' ( most of the way anyway)

2011-08-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

I had a small window of time for today's foray into the mountains so I needed something shorter and efficient. I had tried to Phelps last year via a route that I isn't done very often. That attempt ended when a partner lost his ice axe and once dropping to find it we couldn't find the motivation to continue. I suspect it had alot to do with the driving slush that was falling from the sky. I had tried to pass the usual Blackhawk Mine approach and approach by older growth found on the West side of the creek. For this attempt I wanted to try the standard approach. I had done so much research for my prior attempt I didn't feel the need to revisit any old reports. While I am not sure what effect not doing my homework had on the eventual outcome I do know it didn't help.

I was able to make good time to the turn off for the 4x4 road that leads to the mine despite the fact that there seems to be a lot of work currently being done on the North Fork Road. For my last trip we were thwarted on the drive in by a washout so I parked in the same spot as I did last time. The washout has been fixed which means I needlessly walked an extra mile. It seems strange to me that the road was fixed since I would suspect it sees very little traffic. The road is again washed up further but that only leaves a short ways to the road that I wanted. Once leaving the main road the 4x4 road heads up steeply and just at where the road again splits is the start of the climber's trail. The trail is flagged every so often and I found it most helpful to use the stumps with rocks on the top of them as my guide. The trail is steep in spots but not too hard to follow. I was very careful to pay particular attention to where I exited the clearcut so that I would be able to pick up the route on the way down. I would recommend on trying to stay on this trail as much as possible because the descent could be problematic without the trail. Once out of the clearcut the initial portion is scrubby trees that give way to more mature trees speeding the ascent. I was still able to follow the trail as it starts a rising traverse. Soon I reached a small flat area that grew into a subtle ridge. I was surprised because I expected to hit the saddle between Phelps and McClain to the South. I was obviously further East than what I thought.

Since the Ridge was heading in the direction I wanted I decided to forgo the traverse to the saddle and instead keep climbing. The subtle ridge starts forested but then breaks out into some talus and heather fields. The wet foliage had now dried and the pace kept the elevation ticking away. The grade is not overly steep so I was feeling better about my chance for success. I reached an immense slab that I forced to go around. I went climbers left and came out an snow filled gully. I dropped 50' of elevation to go around the snow. The snow looked of sketchy quality so I didn't want to chance climbing the gully. I instead crossed it and headed up the steep duff slopes. I came out onto another gully filled with very small, loose talus and climbed until I was stymied. The cloud cover was very low keeping me from seeing too much of what lie above me. What I could see wasn't something I wanted to attempt solo. I could see a small gap above to my left above me that may have afforded me the summit ridge but I had a feeling I was off route. After some thought I felt I needed to traverse further left but I was now growing concerned for time. I didn't want to force myself to have to do a speed descent of my ascent route. I had to be back at a specific time and I couldn't afford to be late. I decided to not take any chances and descend.

I dropped 400' following my ascent route without issue. I then lost the trail and had a small quandary about which way I needed to go. I ended up back tracking and rejoining the trail and was able to follow the balance without issue. I can't recommend enough to use the stumps as your guide on the way down.

Approx 4 miles 2800' of climb 4:30 car to car

West Peak of Cabin Mt....... I think 8.23.11

2011-08-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

I only had a short day and with the rainy weather yesterday I nixed doing Phelps due to not wanting to get overly soggy. I thought some more exploring on the South Side of I-90. I was hoping to do Snowshoe and Bearpaw Buttes. I tried to access via the Easton Side but was stopped by the bridge being out. So I backtracked by using the Stampede Pass route. I didn't have a map coming from this side so I was never quite sure where I was exactly at. I finally gave up trying to find my intended targets and parked with the intention of giving the dog a walk. I walked the driveable road climbing the whole way until I decided that the point above me had enough prominence to at least give it a shot. I left the road and made my way up the dense huckleberry brush. After a couple hundred feet I reached the ridgeline to find an imposing rock summit. I scouted around before settling on a 3rd class crack that led to the top. It appeared that it was nearly equal to the summit to my East and a bit short of another point even further East. While I can't be sure it does look like it was the Western Peak of Cabin Mountain. I retraced my steps and soon found myself back at the car.

Back on the Attack Mac Peak 8.16.11

2011-08-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

This year has been rough for me making any headway on my goal of doing both the Home Court and Back Court 100 list. With things settling back into normalcy I was eager to get out on the predicted perfect weather. Bruce signed on and I had a plan. I wanted to head back for attempt of Mac Peak since last week's trip was aborted due to a very flat tire. I had been worried that doing Mac Peak last week was pushing the pup to hard since he just started his climbing career. I instead did Mt Sawyer and he did very well. I had some concern for the next day because of his problematic hip. My fears were unfounded when I awoke to find him in a completely hyper puppy state. I decided that hiking was actually helping his issue and more importantly the wife agreed. I decided that I was going to stop worrying about it.

I picked up Bruce in Issaquah and we were on our way. The Tonga Ridge Road is in good shape and there are a few areas that you have to slow to go around but nothing a normal car couldn't handle. The road is endless to be prepared to add some extra time for the approach drive. We finally reached the end of the road and parked. Last week I had noticed a large avalanche had come down from the open slopes of Tonga Ridge and crossing the trail. This slide extended all the way to the road and there is still 15' of snow and rubble covering the road just past the trailhead. I am doubtful that this will melt this year. The connector to the Deception Creek trail drops 500' to the valley floor. There are quite a few nice campsites just past the junction which would provide a nice trip for a newbie backpacking trip. We crossed the creek draining Tonga Ridge on a footlog and shortly thereafter crossed Deception Creek on another great footbridge. The trail meanders up valley on a nice cushioned tread passing many old growth trees. It is wonderful walk, made better with some good conversation. We soon reached the junction with the PCT connector and quickly switchbacked up to the PCT. We passed a couple of young girls who were doing some trailwork( thanks!) Upon reaching the PCT we merely stepped straight over it.

I had been on route last year so it was fairly fresh in my mind. The area is mostly open and seems to be a series of steps. We soon reached a boulder field which we crossed and climbed steeply in forest for a short ways before hitting more mellow slopes. We then did another short steep stretch where we reached a small tarn. The last trip I tried going up climber's left and had to back off and traversed under the cliff band to the right until I found a short steep gully giving me access to the easier upper slopes. This time I went directly to the gully and I had to lift Bosco over the impass and then I was able to make it over without too much issue. I think if I had gone further left there is a much easier way. At any rate it is only a 10' portion that gave us issues. Once above the cliffs we made it the wonderful basin with another tarn and a beautiful stream running from it. The views of Mt Daniel are amazing.

From the Basin the route is very apparent. We entered the shallow gully that meets up with the SW ridge. The going was pleasant and easy. At the top of the gully we did a rising traverse to the ridge line finally gaining the ridge around 6200'. The views really opened up on the ridge, we stayed mostly on the easy East side of the ridge. The going was again very pleasant and soon we found ourselves on the summit. We eagerly signed the Fay Pullen register that was placed in 2005. I was surprised for such an easy summit with such commanding views there were very few entries. Mac Peak is the highest summit in the immediate area giving it a wonderful perspective on the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. I laughed when I saw my new pup laying in the snow in a effort to keep cool. It always amazes me with dog's innate ability to just know what to do. We lounged for 45 minutes trying to defend ourselves against the marauding mosquitoes.

I had hoped to try for Jungeselle just to South but I didn't feel like we were going to have time. I debated for some time about whether to exit to Talus Lake below us just to mix it up. It looked like we could make it there without much issue and since I had been there previously I wasn't concerned about making it back to the PCT from there. In the end we decided to retrace our ascent route. Once we reached the gully I found a fairly distinct trail on the South side of the gully which made the descent faster. For the most part I was able to follow this trail most of the way down. Just a couple hundred feet above the PCT we entered a gully that I mistakenly thought was the gully we had crossed at the start of the route. We ended getting sucked too far North and ended up on the isthmus between two of the Deception Lakes. We regained the PCT for the long slog out. We passed a young couple on the connector trail heading for a camp at Deception Lakes. It sure made me wish we were staying the night. We instead turned our attention on making our way down to Deception Creek. I think it took us longer going back than it did on our way in. Finally we reached the dreaded 500' climb back to the car. Without too much pain we finally reached the car. Just a wonderful day out, perfect weather, great summit, great company and a new trail dog that has passed his final exam!

Approx 12 miles 4500' of climb 8:15 car to car ( with 45 minutes on the summit)

Mt Sawyer 5501' 8.9.11

2011-08-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

This has been a sporadic season for climbing for me and that's probably generous. Finally life has settled back into normal routines and I had time to get out. I wanted a moderate day so not to overtax the new pup. He seems to be growing stronger every day and seems to be limping much less frequently. I felt that a summit of Mac Peak via the end of the Tonga Ridge Road would be just the right fit for this day. I had been nearly to the SW ridge by this route before so I knew the route and with a full day I expected some success. I was able to get an early start and finally reached the endless Tonga Ridge Road to find that I had a very flat tire. After changing the tire a change in plans was also in order. I don't have a full sized spare so driving the lengthy logging road back to Hy 2 and then the 20+ miles to Monroe to be fixed would take some extra time. I wanted to make sure that I was able to make it back into Monroe at a reasonable hour so that I could get the tire fixed and avoid having to drive all the way home on a gimpy tire.

I decided to head up trail instead of dropping to the creek. I had been up this trail once before so I thought I would make my way to the climbing trail that summits Mt. Sawyer. The trail is in good shape with only a few blowdown from some decent sized avalanches. Once the grade backs off I was surprised with how much snow that was still in the trees. There were long portions of deep ,consistent, and continuous snow. While traffic on the trail coming from this direction is light I was able to follow the trail easily and soon started the long traverse to my intended target. I almost thought I had past it when I heard voices above me. A short ways further I found the junction that is very distinct and would be hard to miss. I quickly caught up to the voices who belonged to a party of 3 with 2 dogs. They graciously let me pass. The trail is snow free until it wraps to the North side where there is quite a bit of lingering snow. The summit was just a short ways off and I was dismayed that the heavy cloud cover hadn't lifted. It is hard to believe that it is Summer with the cool cloudy weather of late. Looking at what I could see it seemed more like late May.

I relaxed a bit on the summit checking to make sure that my retirement plan hadn't dissipated since I had left home. I was very pleased with the Bosco who is a pleasure to travel with. He doesn't whine in the car and isn't a bother to people or dogs on the trail. He seems to be a natural on the trail and I was happy to have him knock off his first Home Court 100 Peak. I had hoped that the clouds would lift on the way out but that wasn't the case. I did get a good view of Mac Peak on the way out, except for the top 500' anyway. I was able to limp into Monroe without issue. I was surprised that the tire didn't actually have a leak???? I am guessing when I checked the pressure before leaving I must have pinched open the valve stem somehow.

Appox 8 miles 2100' of climb 4 hours car to car

Cole Butte West 5502' 7.26.11

2011-07-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

While this wasn't the objective at the beginning of the day it was a good day out. I had hoped for a long day in the Salmon La Sac area but when the rain showed on Monday I wasn't able to get the new pup out to stretch his legs. I am hoping to build his endurance up slowly since he already has a misshaped hip. I did get the the all clear from the vet but I still think it best to break him in slowly. Since I wasn't able to get him out on Monday I thought I would take him out on Tuesday instead. I was looking for something around the 8 mile mark hoping that wouldn't be too much. I settled on Goat Peak outside of Easton. I was able to find a couple reports but none of the description of the jump off points matched what I was seeing. I instead headed up the road to Cabin Mt instead. I was off my map so I was just winging it. I made a couple of turns on road that proved to be too much for the Subaru. I came to one last junction and chose the less traveled road. There was a nice wide spot in the road so I pulled over and parked even though the road was still passable.

I was excited to get the new dog on a hike and debated on the way up if I was going to leash him or not. I decided to let him run free while I was getting packed. He did run down the road but each time he came back when I called. I made my way up the steep logging road with my new partner taking his place in front of me. In the first 5 minutes he mastered the two commands I use most, "front" and 'water' when I want him to drink. I was very pleased that he seemed to already have the love for what I do and understood what he was to do. I continued on the road really with no destination in mind. My goal for the day was merely to work with the dog and if any summits were reached that would be a bonus. Eventually I ended up at the termination of the road. I saw a meadowy area that looked like an easy way pathway through the wet new growth of trees. Thankfully the new trees were planted with enough spacing that I didn't get drenched.. To the West was an area of second growth that was left standing. I angled to this more open forest and was rewarded with easy going to the ridgeline. Bosco seemed to be enjoying himself and was making his way easily cross country. He doesn't seem to have a lot of jump in his legs and was forced to go around some of the blowdowns. Once on the ridgeline I hit a trail that I had hoped would be there. I followed this West bypassing a few high points before settling on 5502' as being the highest.

There were no views so I backtracked along the trail and gave some thought on continuing East to see if I could top out on some more of ridge high points. I decided to instead to explore a logging sput that descended to the road that I used for my approach. I knew it wouldn't reach it but I figured it may cut down the amount of cross country in the wet brush. At the end of the spur I was able to find some easy going to return to my approach road. Once on the road I continued a mile further East to see if I could find any trails leading to the ridge. Once the road started descending I lost interest and headed back to the car. While the day wasn't exactly as I had drawn up it did leave me very pleased that my fear of Bosco not being able to climb with me may be unfounded.

Approx 5miles 1500' of climb 2:15 car to car.

Holder Ridge 951' (Taylor Mt. Forest)

2011-07-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

After losing my faithful partner last week and the same day his replacement joining the household I was emotionally spent. For me the best way to combat a heavy heart is to find comfort in my routine. With the kids out of school Monday is my family hike day and I thought it a good way to break in the new pup. The kids wanted to head up to the "princess towers" on Squak Mt., but that plan was foiled by the locked gate at the park. I am guessing the closure is a cost cutting move which makes me laugh since they just added all kinds of new signage drawing attention to the park. Maybe that money would have been better spent on actually keeping the park open. I have wanted to explore the Taylor Mt. for some time so I thought this a better option. We parked at the area just past the underpass of Hy. 18.

   I leashed Bosco and had to laugh at my oldest since she insisted on bringing her pink scooter. My guess is that she now has the first ascent of Holder Ridge via pink scooter. We followed the trail crossed the road and then went up the Holder Ridge Trail. The trail is still muddy with the recent rainy weather and there is quite a bit of foliage to contend with. I wouldn't want to do this after a rain unless you like getting wet. We wound our way up to the ridgeline, even catching a glimpse of the Columbia Tower. The kids enjoyed the regional views of the houses and farms in the area. I was tempted to let the dog off the leash but with two kids along and really not knowing what he would do I thought the better of it. After cresting the ridge we had a M&M break before continuing on the trail. The trail descends and then meets the junction with the Holder Knob trail. I really wanted to have the kids continue but I thought that might be asking too much for their little legs. We instead followed the connector trail to the gated logging road and had a nice mile long amble back to the car.

After a wonderful day out I turned my thoughts to the next day. Originally I had hoped to take the dog out for something a bit more substantial. I knew he wouldn't be up for a normal day of mine but I thought he could muster a pared down day. That night I could tell his feet were a bit sore from the day so I bagged taking him the next day. When I awoke I just couldn't inspire myself to head out. The thought of heading out solo and without a dog just didn't seem appealing. While most of my days in the hill are without human companionship I have rarely gone out without a dog. It just wouldn't have felt right. I am hopeful with a few more outings Bosco will be able to join the ranks of the stellar climbing dogs that I have owned. I guess only time will tell.

   The dog has certainly been a blessing with the dealing with sudden and unexpected loss of the family dog. While it only has given me minimal comfort it has been a great distraction for the rest of the family. I am thankful for this because it has enabled me to deal with the loss without having to be concerned with the how the rest of the family is dealing with it. It seems so surreal for me to think about the way things have unfolded. Wasn't it just 2 weeks ago when Tanner managed to unlock himself from his crate, open the hotel door and somehow make it down 3 floors and out 2 sets of double doors in an effort to find his family? Wasn't it 3 weeks ago that Tanner made his way along the lake because I wouldn't let him in the boat full of children I was giving a tour of the lake. Wasn't it Tanner who then swam the entire length of the lake to make his way home. I have to laugh now when the kids of the lake ask "where's the dog who swam across the lake". Wasn't it Tanner who is on my desktop screen saver looking over the edge of Kachess Ridge on Last month's climb of Little Kachess, looking as fit as ever. How does a dog so strong of heart just expire from heart issues? It seems like a pattern is developing in my life, losing two family dogs within a short period of time and now I have lost all 3 of my climbing dogs at the age of 10 suddenly and unexpectedly. While all of these have been most painful, the thought of deciding that they can no longer accompany me on my trips into the hills would have been even more difficult. I do find much solace in the fact that Tanner did get his last trip and didn't suffer the fate of watching me go without him. I am sure that this would be the worst possible thing for him.

   Looking forward I hope to get back to my normal routine and with any luck I will have the companionship of Bosco for many years to come. While I am not convinced that he will be able to handle the the rigors of what I do, I am looking forward to finding out.