See recently posted trip reports or reports of trips from 2010, 2009, 2008.
Roy Vermillion (12/26/2009):Roy Vermillion (12/26/2009):Dec. 23rd was a beautiful, clear, crisp evening. 10 of us gathered at Gasworks to watch the Christmas ships and kayaks arrive in Lake Union. The boats arrived a little early. The crowd was still gathering. A girls choir provided music from the lead ship. The north end of the lake filled with illuminated vessels. Hmmm... how do you provide power for lights on a kayak? It is a cool sight to see. I will post a few pictures.
Roy VDec. 23rd was a beautiful, clear, crisp evening. 10 of us gathered at Gasworks to watch the Christmas ships and kayaks arrive in Lake Union. The boats arrived a little early. The crowd was still gathering. A girls choir provided music from the lead ship. The north end of the lake filled with illuminated vessels. Hmmm... how do you provide power for lights on a kayak? It is a cool sight to see. I will post a few pictures.
Roy V
Jeffrey King (11/25/2009):Our trip was blessed early on with a cloudless, dry afternoon for loading all our gear. However, the 4 hour trip to Kalaloch took us 5.5 hours with southbound traffic through Federal Way, Tacoma and a dinner stop in Elma. On and off rain accented the dark trip through the rolling hills and pines to the pacific. We began to see evidence of a stormy day a few miles from Queets as leaves, branches and other debris were being sprinkled on the roadway.
There were few vehicles on the road and it was easy to get the feeling they knew something that we didnâtâ¦or at least something we were ignoring. We knew we were close to the coast as the wind picked up, shoving the truck around. We pulled in to the Olympic National Parkâs Kalaloch Campground at about 9:30pm and we werenât entirely certain what weâd find there.
What we found were several RVâs facing into the wind and one other tent, huddled safely behind the stunted trees. We drove around several loops looking for the best site with the most protection. We jumped in and out of the truck like little kids, commenting and debating about where the tent and tarps could go as if the wind, rain and gale werenât even there!
We settled on site F7 and put about the unenviable task of setting up camp in the rain at almost 10 oâclock at night. We would later discover that F9 would have been the perfect site, so we made a mental note for the next storm camping trip. All said and done we had a VERY small fire made up mostly of a few fire starters to warm our now numb hands as we waited for some hot chocolate. It turns out that rum and hot chocolate arenât that bad after all.
We slept very well that night with the sound of the pounding surf and blustery winds screaming their lullaby at us and at least four inches of foam mattress beneath us. We slept so good, in fact, that I didnât wake up till at least 10:30 in the morning. And for those of you who know me, thatâs saying something! Maybe there was a bit more rum than chocolateâ¦
Coffee, a morning fire and an amazing breakfast of bacon and eggs started around 11ish, the sound of the surf calling to us all the while. (Note to self, Roy is a great camp cook) I would challenge any of these so-called âIron Chefâsâ to cook perfect bacon and eggs outside on a Coleman camp stove in the middle of a Pacific coast storm. Well, done chefâ¦well done!
After breakfast we took some layers off, put others on, cinched and tucked, snapped and zipped, and finally Velcroed ourselves up in our âwaterproofâ suits and waddled off toward the beach in the rain, wind and cold. Someone said this is FUN, right? For anyone whoâs not yet been to the western coast of the Olympic Peninsula, you are denying yourself a special treat. Iâll admit that visiting in the middle of a storm is not the ideal time for a first visit; however, the next chance you get spend a day exploring. You will not regret it.
The peninsula is high in the center, with Mt. Olympus at 7,965ft and flattens out until it reaches the ocean. Most of the western shoreline ends abruptly at craggy, rock and root strewn cliffs that can plummet fifty feet or more to the waters edge. The Pacific is ever at work here, gnawing away slowly at the land. Sea Stacks and rough coastlines are the result.
We walk toward the roar of the surf which can be heard throughout the campground. The closer we get to the sound the stronger the wind gets, it gusts and furls over the cliff edge knocking us off stride and blowing our rain hoods back. The trees and shrubs are all stunted by the constant wind here and cower close to the ground in thick dense masses. As we near the edge of the cliff there is an odd sound. As the now bare thickets resist the force of wind, they shiver back and forth and make a sound like wind blowing through a sieve. Trees overhead creak and moan, some even grind against one another dropping bits of bark to the saturated ground. Instinct tells you itâs all a warningâ¦go no further.
The smell of the ocean and the force of wind induce an instant need to inhale. There is nothing quite like the smell of air wiped clean by the grand power of a pacific coast storm. We make our way down the muddy, slippery edge, toward the tumble of drift logs below. A slip here would have been messy, but not fatal as the drop was slopped in a way that would have cushioned the fall. It is only later, after our exploits, did we find the paved trail downâ¦
The shore line was littered with fallen giants that once threw their crowns hundreds of feet in the air. It was sad to see them laying here, waiting for decay or the next high tide to carry them off. Like crossing a busy street to avoid traffic, we look both ways before proceeding toward the high tide line, amazed at the number of trees in both directions. It reminded me of a game I used to play; I called it âpick-up-sticksâ. Every step here is from tree to tree, and is a calculated risk. Water, algae, and mold combine to create a slippery recipe for disaster for the hurried or unbalanced. Most logs have been stripped of branches, but some remain, and a good skewering or concussion awaits the careless. Drift logs CAN kill, either by crushing you after being tossed about in high tide or simply by slipping on them. Fun, right?
The surf roars before us, sea foam stuck to the sand is being slowly blown in giant masses across the beach, they are blobs of foamy, churned up water that must be played with. The horizon, dark and ominous forces you to gaze into its depth and second guess the wisdom of being there in the first place. A storm is coming and we wait, perched on slippery logs for it to find us.
We begin to wander the beach with one eye on the mischievous waves and the other on the sky. Where there is just sand the waves creep up on you silently, waiting for an opportunity to gush inside your boots. Where the beach is rocky there is a sound that is difficult to describe. As the water retreats it pulls thousands of pebbles and rocks with it down the beach, a massive gurgle and sizzle muffled by foam and water follows it down the beach. The rubble caught in the tidal zone, is wet and shiny and glints in the dim light of the storm. They meld into a patchwork pattern of ovals and grays and your eyes, confused by the soft pattern, quickly focuses on the whites of quartz or the calico of conglomerates.
Like most, as we walk the beach we secretly hope to find some lost or hidden treasure that the ocean has decided to bestow. As we cross logs and jump to avoid waves, we are forever watching for that shinny object from the corner of our eye. Sadly, we mostly find plastic water bottles, chunks of styrofoam and bits of rope. I was surprised and glad at the lack of other types of trash that I have seen so frequently in the past.
As the storm hits, not wishing to tempt fate, we find higher ground. Wind precedes hail and rain and as I record a gust of 37.5 miles per hour my eye glances skyward. Somehow the magic of flight is still possible for sea birds who have mastered the wind. They dance among the waves, picking confused fish from the whitewater seemingly oblivious to that which sends us seeking safety.
A side trip to Ruby Beach provided no less wonder than expected. Sea Stacks born from the battle between water, wind and rock stand defiantly against the ever pulsing tide. There are more tourists here, willing to brave the wind and rain for the 2 minute walk to the shore before they run back giggling and screaming. The humble will fall into a trance or some other form of reverence at the scene before them, the rest jump and jumble about the logs, simply excited to be out of the car.
The stacks are massive and some the size of islands. It is hard to think that in a mere few thousand years, they may dissolve back into the earth. Off in the distance a small line breaks the horizontal relief of the horizon. It is the lighthouse on Destruction Island. Knowing its history gives special meaning to the dark and stormy view we had of the island that day.
In 1775, while at anchor under the lee of the island, the Spanish explorer Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, commander of the schooner Sonora, sent seven men ashore for wood and water. Upon landing, the entire party was killed by Indians, prompting Bodega y Quadra to name the island "Isla de Dolores," Isle of Sorrow. The British ship Imperial Eagle visited the island in 1787 and dispatched a long boat to explore the nearby coast. During the exploration, the crew rowed some distance up a river where they too were massacred by hostile Indians. Charles W. Barkley, captain of the Imperial Eagle, named the river Destruction. The name was eventually transferred to the nearby island, and the river was called by its Indian name Hoh.
Construction on the Destruction Island Lighthouse began in 1888. The island was proposed as a site for a lighthouse years earlier, but a shortage of funds and shifting priorities delayed the project. The 30-acre, tabletop island rises roughly eighty feet above the surrounding water and is bordered by steep bluffs.
Itâs dark, faint profile adds a sense of mystery and wonder to any who stroll along the shore. Another OutVentures member Anna, said she wished she could have come, if for no other reason to stand with her face in the storm and shout, âHeathcliff!â Emily Bronteâs description of winter and weather on the moors certainly compares to our experience and remained with me throughout the weekend.
The rain and wind kept my camera inside my coat most of time, so I donât believe the pictures presented of this trip truly do it justice. However, any trip to the peninsula is never disappointing to me and I will surely return again for another stormy experience. I hope you will join me.
Slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157622878072540/show/
Set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157622878072540/
Jeff K
Jeffrey King (10/26/2009):Scott showed up at my house before I had even finished packing the truckâ¦coincidence? I think not! :) Thanks Scott, your help is always appreciated!
We left Seattle just about on time and headed South in the rain and mist toward the American River Lodge. After a short 2.5 hour drive and a foggy drive over Cayuse and Chinook Passes we arrived at the lodge. We unlocked the gate and drove the 1 mile dirt road.
The first order of business was to get a nice fire going in the stove to make the place warm and cozy. After that were other chores to the place ready for whomever might show up.
All said and done there were 8 of us. We had pot luck dinners and breakfasts with lunches being on our own. Steve, Zan, Scott and I took a short hike up to the top of the old ski bowl. There was a wonderful view there, where we even saw where Rex, Bruce, Lisa and Elaine went, Mount X I think.
There would be more pictures of that hike, but Bruce dropped his camera down a ravineâ¦no worries, they got it on the way back. They had a great hike with a view so high they could see the smoke from the lodge!
We stuck around the lodge and we lazy, napped and played Scrabble and National Parks Monopoly. I learned NEVER to play Scrabble with Zan and that Scott had only played Monopoly once as a kid.
After everyone got back we took the pumpkins from the road and carved them up (we had put them there in the first place) and further decorated the lodge. After that it was time for cocktails and dinner. Bruce and Scott manned the bar and Rex took the kitchen. The booze were good and the food was even better.
A big fire was set outside as it was nearing 38 degrees by then. We all gathered around and bathed in the heat of the fire. It was funny to watch people rotate to warm this side, then that, slowly cooking like a pig on a spit!
One the cold got a hold of us, we moved inside for a surprise! I had set up a game night. We had poker, Black Jack, Roulette and darts! We gambled away for several hours, spending all the âOutVentures Bucksâ we had!
Morning found us at 28 degrees outside and a âwarm and toastyâ 65 inside. A little firewood later and we were cooking breakfast. Again, chef Rex had us all eating very well.
Thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy the lodge! I had a great time!
Here are the pictures to prove how good we had it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157622547533811/show/
Jeff King
Event Coordinator
President (elect)
Tim Byrne (10/16/2009):Thirteen people turned out for the meeting/social at Madison Pub. Two others have said they are in for climbing with us next year. So we could have Fifteen, or three full ropes' worth of climbers for next year's Alpine Climbing season. It should be a good season.
Our climbing events won't start until April, but we'll have some training hikes in February and March and I'll post those as events on the calendar in case anyone else feels like getting a jump on the season.
Bruce Folden (10/14/2009):Thank you, Roy, Jeff, Rob, and David for a great move night. We had popcorn, chips, salsa, and cookies to munch while we watched an inspirational true story about a blind guy who summated Mt Everest. Now Iâm looking forward to Timâs â2010 Alpine Mountaineering Series - Informational Meetingâ on Thursday!!!
Rex Himes (10/13/2009):The cold temps predicted for Sunday scared off a few potential hikers, but the ascent of Mt. Pilchuck turned out to be almost mild, at least in the sun, with spectacularly clear views. Location is indeed everything for it was less pleasant on other trails of the region, from reports I heard later. The east slopes were 20 degrees cooler and in western locations near the passes a cold wind howled. At Pilchuck, on the other hand, there was so little wind that we lunched near the summit lookout mostly in shirtsleeves.
Seven of us made the short drive to the Mountain Loop Road and up the recently improved access road to Pilchuck. It was a bit cool in the shade as we started up the trail, but we kept warm by just moving along. As we got out of the trees, we got more sun with steadily increasing views. First Puget Sound and the San Juans, the Olympics, then Baker, and finally Rainier and Glacier as we neared the top. Every peak in the central Cascades named on the locator strips in the lookout was visible, plus even more peaks up towards Whistler,
Special credit goes to Jeff and Philippa who together carried her little dog up the big boulders and then the ladder up into the lookout. With her efforts, I don't think the floor had any crumbs left from the many lunches being eaten in there!
Thanks, too, to the group for the great treats we had with wine back at the trailhead, while basking in the sun and enjoying being in the mountains for maybe the last really nice day of this year's hiking season.
Rex
Roza Wojcik (10/13/2009):It was too cold for car camping but the three of us headed out to climb North Ingalls. We were lured by the prospect of larches and doing this classic climb in less crowded conditions.
We arrived at the trailhead at 9:30 am and were greeted by crispy air, the Mountaineers scrambling party and busy parking lot.
On the way up to the Ingalls Pass, water in my hydration tube froze, and we practically didn't stop until the pass,to stay warm. After a quick lunch at the Ingalls Lake we scrambled up the the saddle between S and N Ingalls - were we started our climb. It became windy, at the elevation of ~7500 and soon our bodies started feeling the impact of cold. After a pitch, with fingers getting numb on the rocks, we decided to rap down. We teamed up and doubled up the rope with another climbing party for a 200 ft rappel.
On the way back the sun broke through the clouds and It became pleasant enough for us to lounge AT the Ingalls pass and admire the mountains and larches bathing in the afternoon sun.
We discussed religion on the way down and Tim, with his graduate degree in Philosophy was a great source on the topic.
Back at the parking lot, my car registered the temperature of 29 degrees... brrr
We ended that pleasant day with a good mexican food in Cle Elum.
Roza Wojcik (10/7/2009):Snow showers at the Rainy Pass area were predicted for almost every day during the week preceding our trip. NOAA called for rain almost everywhere in the mountains on Saturday, and for snow in the area of Black peak.
However, the three of us, mountain enthusiasts (me, Claire and Mike), remained undeterred. Knowing how finicky the mountain weather is, we decided check the area out anyway and play it by the ear. The vision of bright yellow larches against the snow background was definitely a big motivation.
We left Seattle at 6 am with few clouds and optimistic minds. The trailhead at the Rainy Pass, at ~6500 ft which we reached at ~ 9:30 am , had a âwintery feelâ but the skies were still relatively clear, so off we went.
We were cheerful and warmed up at the beginning, and even bragged about swimming, seeing the beautiful lake Anne below, in the valley.
After the first two miles on the Heather Pass, however, the clouds moved in â it was clear that more snow is unavoidable. At the point where we turned to a boot trail toward Lewis lake, the landscape was totally âwinteryâ and it was snowing. We wanted to check out our planned campsite at the Wing lake, but we had to abandon the plans. In front of us was a huge talus field, covered with 6 inches of snow â too hazardous to walk on.
We decided to come back to Heather Pass and make a loop via a Maple Pass, back to the cars. Around us was winter. Larches, surprisingly, only partially yellow, were covered with snow. Mike was shaking them so we could âimmortalizeâ them on the film.
It was really chilly. The mountains around us were dreamy, mesmerizing â they were only âdustedâ with snow and looked unreal, like a graphite drawing.
Even though it was cloudy, the colors on Maple Pass, and Rainy Lake provided a beautiful contrast against the snow.
Temperature in the car, 2000 ft below, read 33 degrees.
Our revised plans called for a visit to Winthrop and Twisp, car camping, and a hike to Cutthroat Pass next day.
On the way to Mazama we admired rugged ridgeline of the Silver Star and being back to the summery feel of the Mazama Valley. Twisp River Pub was a great dinner stop, with good beer, heavenly onion rings and large portions.
We car camped and lit the fire at the Lone Fir campground and temperatures at night dropped below freezing. We wondered what would feel like to camp at 7000 ft that night and got goose bumpsï.
The morning greeted us with sunny skies and we had great views of Liberty Bell and Stiletto on the way to the trailhead.
The hike route runs on PCT to Cutthroat Pass, 5 miles and 2000 ft away. At the pass, realizing that the boring PCT will keep running on the mountain sides, I suggested to scramble up the ridgeline, to get some views. Everybody was enthusiastic so off we went. The huge flat rock on top was a perfect lounging place and provided 360 deg views. We looked at the Black Peak, Corteo, Dome and Glacier to the South/West, Silver Star to the East, Golden Horn and the Tower to the North as well as countless others.
It was a beautiful day and a great hike. Driving back on Rte 20 we admired the majesty of Colonial Peak and Claire shared her climbing stories from the area. Surprisingly we stumbled upon my friends, Melissa and Lara at the Diablo Lake viewing area â small world! On the way back and at the Skagit Brewery we talked about hiking plans for next year. Black Peak make up, and Corteo scramble as well as overnight at the Sourdough are all on the agenda.
I want to thank Claire and Mike for their great company and input to this trip!
Mike Joines (9/28/2009):Four of us headed up to the North Cascades National Park late Saturday morning with mostly clear blue skies. We set up camp in the NCNP campground at Goodell Creek, in Newhalem. The campground is situated at the confluence of Goodell Creek and the upper Skagit River . We walked from our cars through our site to the creekâs edge where Parker shouted âCome here!â There were dozens of salmon swimming and leaping upstream, with a few holding steady in the side eddies (were they guarding nests or fixinâ to do âthe nastyââwho knew?). We walked further down the huge, sunny, gravel beach along the Skagit River, and there was a huge dark V-shaped band in the turquoise water below the confluence, which turned out to be a school (is that the term?) of hundreds of salmon gently paddling in this calm side-eddy of the river. It was an awesome beginning to our trip.
We set up camp after checking out the salmon, then hopped in the car and drove up to Washington Pass to check out the viewpoint on this gorgeous day. Ok, it was a beautiful view, but 40 miles of driving each way took away some relaxation time along the riverâs edge.
When we got back, we enjoyed some wine and an appetizer of fried green tomatoes (sorry, you can take somebody out of the country but⦠:)), followed by saffron pasta with freshly-foraged lobster mushrooms sautéed in brandy and butter, with quartered black figs, heirloom grape tomotoes, basil and pine nuts, accompanied by kalamata olive bread warmed over the fire. Topped it all off with peach pie. Yum! Car camping does have its upside. We enjoyed the rest of our wine by a beautiful fire with a clear sky full of stars overhead.
Next morning, we got up to a bit of a breeze and sunny, crystal-clear blue skies. We broke camp and drove to the trailhead, and seeing no OV dayhikers, we hit the trail at 10:50. It was quite chilly in this shady trail head. First half mile is in a cool forest, then you break out of the woods to a relentless set of switchbacks up a brushy hillside meadow. Even in clear sunshine in the open, with a constant cool breeze blowing down the hillside on us though, this was quite a pleasant uphill hike. As you ascend the hillside, Mt. Baker and Shuksan behind it come into full view, as well as other dramatic peaks and basins. We reached this point about 12:15.
At the top of the meadow, you wind right, around to a more rocky, white granite, bouldery area, which is a compelely different landscape. Soon Parker reported the good news-bad news: you can see our destination and⦠you can see our destination. The Hidden Lake Lookout comes into view on top of the jagged crest of Hidden Peak âbut itâs quite an uphill journey from there.
After more of the bouldery trail, you scramble up some granite slabs to the saddle, where gorgeous Hidden Lake comes into view. It is a deep blue jewel set in a deep basin, with possibly Sahale Peak behind it (anyone know? it has quite a glacier sitting upon it). The route up to the lookout is on the lake side of the ridge; it is quite the goat trail, but in great shape, with a bit of slab hopping at the top near the lookout. We reached the summit about 14:00. There were a half-dozen or so people at the summit at any given point in time. The views are breath-taking and 360-degree! Surely this is the equal of any panoramic view in the Cascades. The colors were magnificent: crystal blue skies; white granite slabs (but also some black with lichen); bright orange blueberry leaves; Irish green moss; deep green forested hillsides; deep blue Hidden Lake ; white snowfields and glaciers. And dozens of jagged Cascade Peaks . We think we could pick out the very crest of Mt. Rainier in the hazy southern distance, but it was hard to tell. We soaked up the sun and enjoyed a quick lunch at the summit, then headed down around 14:30. Arrived back at the trailhead between 17:00-17:30, depending on who you pin down. ;-) We were exhausted but grateful for having taken advantage of one of the most beautiful stretches of weather and a classic North Cascade hike.
Jeffrey King (9/27/2009):A great big thank you to all who participated in this year 2009 AIDS walk! We had a nice easy stroll, perfect weather and a lot of great conversation.
Thanks to Rick for stepping in and taking over as Team Leader!
If you registered but did not meet up with us AND didn't get your shirt, I have it at my place.
The photo's are up - I have full rez copies if anyone wants some.
Jeff K
Rex Himes (9/22/2009):It wasn't quite the swan song of this year's hiking season, but the hike up to Silver Peak on Sunday would have been a fitting finale. Fifteen of us assembled at the Windy Pass trailhead, near Snoqualmie. There would have been four more if one car didn't develop an oil leak en route and had to turn back. After a rainy Saturday, the clearing skies must have encouraged people to take advantage of the dwindling days suitable for a pleasant ramble in the mountain.
Silver Peak did not disappoint. We started up the Pacific Crest Trail through a meadow filled with wild blueberries followed by a pleasant forest. At the unmarked junction, we turned sharply upward and ascended the ridge ablaze with autumn colors. At the saddle, 3 of the group turned left for a scramble up nearby Tinkham Peak, while the rest of us turned right along the ridge towards the somewhat easier ascent of Silver. Instead of the hordes on most I-90 trails, we saw only a few other hikers en route. We even had the peak to ourselves for lunch, and it was bathed in pleasant sunshine. Stubborn clouds obscured the more distant summits, but there was a 360 view of all the surrounding peaks and also of Rainier, on and off.
There was only a minor slip in the mud on one steep part of the descent, and the Silver Peak party was soon all back at the trailhead, with the Tinkham three showing up not much later. We lingered for one of the best apres hike tailgaters yet, with excellent beer and wine and delectable munchies. Thanks to all the participants for making this a very fun excursion.
Rex
Larry Olson (9/9/2009):Peter, Rico, John and I met Saturday morning, piled all our gear in my X-terra plus one 130# Akita named Ranger. We drove for 2 hours to the trailhead and geared up to hike the river. The weather was pleasant only partly cloudy, the vegetation still wet from last nights rain. We started by hiking down the old road about 1.5 miles to it's end and where the trail begins. In this area there was a wildfire so the trail was slow climing over the guantlet of fallen trees and overgrown vegetation, we came to a mudside area and crossed it then soon came to the Middle fork of the river and crossed on a large fallen log which has replaced the old log bridge which was there previously. After that was the main burn area and most difficult area to traverse, an area of fallen trees where people have blazed a trail with flagging and the occasional removed branch. After traversing this half mile stretch we came close to the river where we decided to walk up the river till we found a good place to camp.
We found a nice campsite near Milt Creek which is a large waterfall ending at an ice field at the bottom of the cliff with a large ice cave looking similar to the stone arches in Utah quite beautiful. We set up camp and I built a fire to act as a signal to Bruce who had to run in a triathalon that morning and was going to join us later that day, after he showed up we where glad to see he arrived safely. That night we enjoyed the campfire and told stories.
Sunday we woke to rain and were deciding whether or not to go to the lake in such weather, the clouds parted around 9:00 so we decided to try. We could also see the fresh snow that had fallen on the surrounding peaks. We started off to the lake and had to traverse a few more fallen trees but only for a short distance, after that the trail varied from overgrown to extremely descent "this trail has a huge variety of terrain and in some stretches can be challenging. We crossed 3 washouts and some overgrown areas but for the most part the trail was descent and easy to follow since it's course was well marked with flagging, we pondered what poor soul had to flag the 12 mile trail every year to ensure no on lost their way. After an hour into the day hike it started to rain again and 2 more hours into the hike we where drenched, 1.5 to 2 miles from the lake we decided to go back determing it was too cold and wet to safely get to the lake and return to camp before dark. We headed back and were greated by Ranger and John who had decided to stay and keep the fire going for our return. That night we talked about the hike so far and how much we enjoyed being in a wilderness area that see's so few people which keeps it very pristine and unspoiled.
Monday was hike out day, we pack up our camp in a lull in the showers, hiked back to the trailhead and went into Marblemount to enjoy coffee and a hot meal talking about the high points of the trip and how much fun we had. We then departed and went back home.
After hiking this trail I would rate it as intermediate to difficult because of the wide range in different terrain that the trail has to offer, despite that I would highly recomend it for anyone who wants a challenging yet rewarding experience. The terrain is wild but the high peaks, glaciers, falls and high cliffs gives this place a great appeal and I hope it remains quite that. I do plan to re-hike this next summer earlier in the year, maybe early August when the weather is warmer and drier, I really want to get to that lake. Larry
Clare Parfitt (9/8/2009):A group of 5 intrepid women headed off on this hike this past weekend. (Note to people who wonder where all the women are in OV-our group was comprised of all women!) Our members included myself, Lisa, Elaine, Sharon and Ann. We had dwindled down from our original size of 12, most of whom bailed because of the grim weather forecast.
Undaunted, we headed off anyway. We stopped at the ranger station to pick up permits-and found the forecast had become even more dire-an inch of rain was predicted on Saturday along with high winds. We arrived at the trailhead on Saturday at third beach near La Push around 1 pm. A long wait involving a car shuttle to the other end of the trailhead ensued.
After 2 hours, we were ready to begin. We hiked a few miles through the woods, then arrived at the ocean, to hear the wonderful sound of waves crashing, smell the salt air, and view the rugged sea stacks and headlands. To our surprise, there was no rain-we even had some sunbreaks.
After several hours, we arrived at our first campspot at Toleak point. We camped right on the beach, nestled against some trees on shore. We really lucked out, and the rain held off until well after we had our tents set up. A light rain fell all evening and as we were eating dinner.
Soon it was dark, and we were cozily ensconced in our tents. Only then did the rain begin in earnest. We slept in very late, since we did not have far to walk that day, and got started hiking at 12 pm. By that time, the rain stopped, and during our walk, we again had sunbreaks mixed with clouds, and only a very light rain. We hiked up over some steep headlands, on wooden ladders and ropes, and very muddy trails.
That afternoon, as we were hiking through the woods, we ran into several streams we had to cross. The tide was coming in, and we waded into the cold water in our skivvies and bare bums. The water was up to my waist, a lot higher on the shorter folks!
It started to rain a little harder as we arrived at our next campsite at Mosquito Creek. We hiked up a steep slope, and found a gorgeous campsite a little sheltered in the woods, on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Again it rained hard that night, but only after we had our tents set up.
Our last day's jaunt required us to get an early start, since we had to walk around a rocky point at low tide, which was at 8:30 am. Before that we had to walk several miles through the woods. We awoke at 6 am and were hiking by 7. This stretch was the muddiest yet, with many ups and downs over slick logs and oozing slippery mud which was like quicksand.
At last we were back on the beach again about an hour after low tide. We saw some tidepools and rocks covered with starfish and anemones. We hurried on to ensure that we would be able to walk around the rocky point before the tide came in too high.
A little more beach walking and we were at the mouth of the Hoh river. After a short walk through the woods, we arrived at the trailhead around 11:30 am.
We stopped in Forks for Mexican food, then at a brewery in Port Angeles for beer. It was a great weekend. A little wet and very muddy, but a good time was had by all!
Clare
Lyle Rudensey (8/24/2009):Roy Vermillion (8/24/2009):I posted pics from this great spelunking adventure (along with other OV trips) on my Picassa page. See: http://picasaweb.google.com/biolyle/ApeCavesWithRoy#
Will post here too..I like Picassa cuz it allows you to watch the pics as a slide show.9 of us set out for the south side of Mt. St. Helens on Sunday morning. We arrived at a jam packed parking lot. Swarms of people were milling about. After a quick lunch break we headed down the steps into the cave. As soon as we started into the upper passage of the lava tube, the crowds virtually disappeared. Most went on the short hike in the lower passage.
In the cave it was a cool 42 degrees with a little water dripping here and there. The sides and ceiling were mostly black, some red, and amazingly reflective with a silvery coating of bacteria/fungi. Much of the hike involved navigating over boulders, some about as tall as us. The cave was a bit more difficult to hike than I had remembered. There is a steep climb straight up for about 8 feet that was an old lava falls which was a bit of a challenge. We encountered others here and there in the cave. At one point we came to a young couple with a crying baby in a backpack. I, Roy ended up passing the baby to them over one of the big rock obstacles along the way. They were near our exit, traveling in the opposite direction. We urged them to turn back, but they would not do it. Some of our group were comparing me to a mountain goat as I went back and forth along the way helping people in the front and rear of our group get over and around the rock piles. Everyone seemed to enjoy the trip. It is such a different and in a way magical world to explore. I have posted some pictures to the OV website.
Rex Himes (8/25/2009):The morning of the hike, the weather and the forecast seemed better so 11 of us headed up to Gothic Basin, as originally planned. We did end up enjoying a fair amount of sunshine, but Foggy Lake in the basin lived up to its name--the surrounding topography seems to trap and hold any clouds in the area.
The hike starts out tamely enough on the Monte Cristo Road, even with the still very visible evidence of the road's destruction in the fall of '07. The second mile along Weden Creek wasn't too bad either. But then the trail started climbing inexorably, with only brief respites to traverse gullies where streams cascaded down the steep hillside. Further up, it was necessary to ascend a few rocky areas on all fours. Great views of the opposite ridge and nearby peaks emerged as we climbed thru steep meadows, with ripe blueberries on the bushes clinging to the slopes. Finally we topped the steep ridge and rounded the corner into Gothic Basin. There were still a few hardy plants around a small lake, but above was just a rocky, lunar-like landscape rising up to rugged Del Campo and Gothic peaks. We followed the cairns up the rocks to the shores of Foggy Lake, where there was still a gully fully of snow just above the opposite shore .
We lunched at the lake but didn't linger since low clouds obscured the sun and there was a chilly breeze. Heading down, we were quickly back into sunshine but then had to endure the steep descent, which seemed much rougher on our legs than while ascending.
We all survived, had a few drinks and snacks at a picnic table near the trailhead then headed back to the city--and for most of us probably a very sound night's sleep!
Tim Byrne (8/17/2009):With deteriorating conditions on Interglacier on Mt Rainier and the prospect of a long slog up the rocks on day one, I changed our Rainier climb to a climb of Mt Baker.
While I'm sure we had less rock scrambling on Baker, we had to do quite a buit of it. The late season conditions left most of the moraine camp area snow free, and just getting to the start of a useful route meant lots of crawling over rock.
Saturday's hike into high camp seemed like an Ozu film, with the meadows filled with elderly asian men and women picking blueberries in the fog. The fog stayed with us all the way to high camp, for a damp cold evening. We tried to get to bed early for our alpine start Sunday morning.
Sunday we woke up 3:30 and eventually got moving at about 5:00. I managed to find a decent route over good ice up to the usual June-July climbing route which was only lightly crevassed and easily climbed. The climbing was relatively easy for the first 2000'. At about 8300' we hit the crevasse field at the Easton bergschrund. The glacial terrain was spectacular. The recent warm weather had created some rather large crevasses. All of them were pretty easily crossed on good snowbridges, but there was a lot of up and down, extra mileage to follow a circuitious line through the cracks, and a couple of unusually steep sections for this part of the glacier. It was a significantly harder climb that it is in the main June-July climbing season.
We finally made it to the crater between Sherman and Grant peaks without too much trouble, and everyone enjoyed views of the brimstone spewing fumaroles. It was already getting late, but after getting some good beta on the final bit of the route from descending climbers the summit seemed doable. So we decided to go for it.
It was slow going up the Roman Wall, the steep crux section of the climb, and at 9,600 the altitude made it seem even harder. We finally topped out though, after a series of steps which each looked like the top, and made it to the summit.
Five of us went on the trip and all five summited: Lyle, Peter, Sharon, Roza and myself. No injuries, but Roza lost a camera to a moat early on summit morning. We had beautiful weather all day Sunday, with great views of the Sisters all the way up and of Shuksan, the N Cascades and from the top.
After summitting we headed back down, rested for a bit and packed out. I learned that my already heavy 8.5 lb. full rope weighs about 15 lbs. wet and sucks to pack out. Those of us in plastic boots were very much hating them on the walk out.
Next season I'll try to get an alpine climbing group together earlier in the season and plan for a Rainier climb in July while conditions are still suitable for novice climbers. This climb would have been easier if we had done a couple of preperatory climbs and gotten everyone dialed into moving efficiently, dealing with altitude, and how to manage the alpine start. This was my first trip leading a group of non-climbers, so there were lots of lessons learned that will hopefully make next years climbs run more smoothly.
Doug Early (8/14/2009):Well, the weather certainly didn't cooperate before our August Potluck started. The traffic was terrible, the roads had lots of standing water and there was a Mariner's game as well. But by 630pm the rain had stopped at Lincoln Park. A ferry that was leaving from Southworth was emerging from the mist as it was heading towards Fauntleroy. The Olympic Mountains were shrouded in layers of clouds making them look very ominous. But little by little, Outventure members were beginning to show up. A dozen of us made it to the Potluck Thursday night sharing some great food, wine and conversations. The sun even made an appearance before it set.
Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate for our next one in September. At least it'll be inside:-)
Keep on having fun outdoors this summer and don't forget to submit you pix for our photo contest.
Doug Early
Potluck Coordinator
Jeffrey King (8/17/2009):Alaska â 2009 â John Mountain Trail
The OutVentures Alaska Trip of 2009 is a trip that I will remember for the rest of my life. What an adventure! Jim, Bruce and I started off for the King Street Station and Amtrakâs Cascade 510, heading north to Bellingham at a bleary 6:45 in the morning. Bleary, because weâd been up all night going crazy about whatâs missing in our huge packs! Weâve got ferry stuff and camping stuffâ¦howâs it all going to fit?
Somehow it all got in there and we made it to the train station in plenty of time. The station was full of commuters and all types of folks going North, South, East and West. Our huge packs managed to catch an eye or two and were great ice breakers. People walked up to us and asked us all manner of questions. We had a great time meeting people and explaining the details of our trip, most of whom replied âAh, to be young again!â
As soon as the train got moving we hit the café car, Bruce was about to go out of his skin for lack of coffee and breakfast. As usual there was only one poor sap working in the café car, and the power kept going out, managing to stay on for moments at best. So, a muffin and coffee took about 20 minutes to materialize. After breakfast I made some calls to parents and loved oneâs letting them know that all was well. They could hear the train whistle as we blocked roads jammed with commuters trying to get to work (my bad!) and somehow, that romantic sound brought a bit of the excitement and adventure into their living rooms.
The train arrived pretty much on time and the ferry terminal was just across the tracks. We were several hours early and plenty of time to kill. We took turns eating lunch and watching packs so not to lose our place near the head of the line. We could see the ferry in dock and that only elevated our excitement level, it was much bigger than we had envisioned. I had warned Bruce and Jim to keep a sharp eye out at the podium; with everyone sitting down no one was officially in line. All it would take is one person to get up and wham! Sure enough at 3:15pm one person got in line, I jumped up with my pack and within seconds there was a line about 60 people deep! Whew! We boarded the ship moments after, packs clanging and eyes wide open!
We got a little inside info from the deck hand about the best place to put up our tent and we quickly claimed our spot. As this was the first time anyone of us had put a tent up on the deck of a ship, we put it up quickly and nervously. Within a few minutes the entire space was filled with people trying to set up tents. Use #316 for duct tape was discovered as we taped our tents to the deckâ¦tent stakes would have a difficult time here! With the sudden concentration of tents, poles were sticking up in the air in every direction like a pin-cushion. I hesitate to say that more than one person got poked with a pole or twoâ¦âPardon Me!â :)
With tents set and packs stored in Jimâs larger tent we made off like excited little kids to explore the ship. None of us had ever been on a cruise before, so everything was newâ¦whereâs the bathroom, whereâs the shower, whereâs the bar? We wandered each deck several times before we left dock and settled on the West side to enjoy the warm sun that came out for us. We had a twin Coast Guard escort as we moved off into the Puget Sound, the tiny boats circled us like bees.
We moved to the lounge on the boat deck with an orange sun blazing in from the forward observation deck for a celebratory cocktail! Cheers! With the clinking of our glasses the Life Jacket Safety Class began in the observation deck, we heard very little of it⦠As the orange sunset was slowly betrayed by the clouds, the once Technicolor sunset and landscape turned to blues merging with grays; and our attention turned to the lounge.
There is an odd pattern on the walls, a maroon velvet flower pattern with a reflective gold paper behind it. The wall paper reflected the yellow light from large bubble like bulbs on the mirrored ceiling giving the place a distinctly and disturbing 70âs feel. The red booths with dark brown speckled Formica table tops are bolted to the floor, whether this is to protect them from the patrons or the rolling seas Iâll leave up to you. Around the room the walls are decorated with photographs, old and new. Where the booths meet, tiny plastic Romanesque urns sit unevenly and cradle tiny fake plants, the only kind able to grow in this light I imagine. An attempt to straighten the urn reveals that it is also âbolted downâ with Velcro, thus causing its uneven pose. The lounge has an undeniable male style, showing no signs of a âwomanâs touchâ; all else but the alcohol is unimportant.
Several glasses go by before we hit the MV-Columbia Café for a casual dinner. Here, typical cafeteria style food is delivered in typical cafeteria style; the gentle roll and pitch of the ship and occasional whale sightings being noted exceptions. Excited mouths full of food tried in vain to scream out âWhale!â, which invariably came out âMmmhaleph!ââ¦with the occasional French fry paying the ultimate price as it was spit out or tossed against the window. Exited patrons would jam the windows cameras in hand all squinting to try and catch a glimpse of these remarkable creatures. We saw Orca and Humpback whales during our first 2 hours on board. And, for the record, soggy cafeteria French fries do not make good pointersâ¦they simply sag toward the table or smear the glass with ketchup.
That night, two passengers who have a garage band gifted us with some music, guitar and vocal. We drank into the early evening listening to their mellow sound till our eyes sent us aft. The engine room was directly beneath our tent giving us a gentle vibration to help us sleep.
The next day had us exploring the ship, reading and watching nature pass by. We ate, drank and ate some more. Itâs a good thing we were about to get some really good exercise on our hike! The main dining room was amazing with even better views. The windows overlooked our tent site and the majesty of the Inside Passage moved by in slowly changing patterns of green, white and gray.
We arrived in Ketchikan on time with Jim sticking his head in our tent âItâs 5a.m. boys!â. The ship docked around 7am in the pouring rain. I dried out the tent with towels that Bruce had rented from the Purser. Finally we were packed up and ready for the hike. We walk to the terminal for some last minute organizing and to discuss our plans for storing some extra gear. Wham! Bruce is hit by the opening door right in the head! He wanders around holding his head, âDamn that hurt!â he says. A few minutes later I hear a thump and look out to see a man is lying on the ground, surprised I lean against the window and hope that itâs not Bruce. An older gentleman has collapsed and is unconscious. I instruct the ticket agent to call 911 as Jim and some others try to rouse him. Jim gets him to a chair and they try to ascertain his alertness, name, what day it isâ¦the medics arrive and I direct them too him. He insists it was just coffee going down the wrong pipe and refuses treatment. Welcome to Ketchikan, can we have breakfast now?
We store our gear in the Best Western across the street and make use of the attached diner for our last non-freeze dried meal and inside plumbing. We sit enjoying some coffee with a view of our ship still docked, hopeful that this will be a drama free zone! A few sips of coffee later, cigarette smoke wafts over our tableâ¦weâre not in Kansas anymore!
Gar, the owner of Alaska Cab, remembers me from my phone call months ago and says heâll be right over to take us to the trailhead. True to his word we are soon on our way in liquid sunshine. Gar points out the free payphone at the end of the trail and a manned lookout station if we had any type of emergency.
The John Mountain Trail starts as a Public Utility road, steep but well maintained. We ascend 800ft in 2 miles with Bruce always in the lead, his bear bell ringing dutifully. From this point on, rain, clouds, wind and wet vegetation go almost without saying. After all, we are in a rainforest! At about 1.8 miles there is a waterfall barely visible in the clouds and fog above us. It seems to fall straight down several hundred feet, right out of the sky.
Lower Silvas Lake passes without incident. A few photoâs later and weâre on our way to Upper Silvas Lake. Here the trail turns into a real trail. Switchbacks, wooden stairs and damp vegetation is everywhere, Bruce however, is no-where. The only hint of him is the occasional ring of his bear bell, Jim and I quickly learn to affectionately hate himâ¦damn billy goat! The lake is low, patches of snow hiding from the sun still remain, slowly feeding the thirsty lake.
The trail from the earthen dam of Upper Silvas Lake toward John Mountain can be described this way: Take a tall glass, fill with ice, fill half with Kaluha, 5 olives, 2 cinnamon sticks broken in half, a handful of blueberries and one skunk cabbage, chopped. Fill remainder with vodka. Shake vigorously until well mixed, serve very cold! In other words, it was a wet, steep muddy, ruddy mess. Bruce was still no-where to be seen, screaming âYo Bear!â every few seconds was now not only a scare tactic but our only method of communication. If we didnât respond, he waited along the trail till we did. Jim, bringing up the rear has his own description of the trail, and periodically chose to share it with me. Letâs call them âcolorfulâ descriptions and leave it at that!
The trail was so bad we hiked two more hours and only gained an additional 840 vertical feet and only about three quarters of a mile. It was pouring rain, windy and about 52 degrees. At one point, Jim stopped to have a peanut M+M break and ended up spilling many of themâ¦that was when I knew I was close to calling the trip. Spilling M+Mâs is a travesty and a true sign of fatigue! :)
So at about 1,640ft we found a relatively flat area to put up our tents and called it a day. We realized that the skies would not clear the higher and farther we went, so why torture ourselves any more. We picked a spot with a hopeful view if the clouds ever lifted. The ground was so saturated that it oozed water with every step. We put our tents up in the rain and our plastic water barrier on the inside of the tent; thereâs no way this much water would not seep through the bottom of my tent. Better safe than sorry.
Our Noahâs Tarp went up next, providing us a sheltered area outside the tents to eat and congregate. We held up in Jimâs tent for the first few hours to help us all warm up. We cooked our first meal and passed around the booze. Sunday night came early and the rain never left.
Morning brought more rain; however, when the fog lifted the ceiling was higher so our view of ridge beyond and no less than 10 waterfalls lifted our spirits a bit. Jimâs sleeping bag was a bit damp from the hike so he spent the night in ârelative comfortâ. He got up early to warm himself with coffee and breakfast. Thinking back on the trip, I am now amazed at how quickly the day went by. We ate breakfast, watched our view come and go, took photos and naps when we could, did some arts and crafts and drank coffee all day. Dinner and bed came early again.
We woke up early the next morning as Jimâs bag was still damp and packed up for our trip down the mountain. We decided to leave a day early as the rain was relentless and we couldnât even do day hikes. The trip down took almost as much time as it did coming up. Our packs were heavier as everything was wet and Jimâs colorful descriptions of the trail seemed to be louder and more frequent than on the way up. Bruce, was still no-where to be seen, only heard somewhere far ahead âYo-Bear!â By the last half mile Bruce had sprinted ahead and called our cab, so it was waiting for Jim and I as we slogged our way past the trailhead.
The cab stopped in the muddy road near the trail gate to minimize our walking and relive our misery. Just as Jim emerged from the trees and hope returned to his face, a bus pulled up and made us move our cab out of the road. Jim stood and watched the cab drive further awayâ¦those last few steps are always the worst. The diesel bus chugged by, the windows all steamed up by cruise ship tourists in multi-colored rain jackets. They stared at us through the foggy windows wiping the moisture away with their hands and wondering what the hell we were doing! I must admit, I had the same thought about them. They disappeared around the bend in the muddy dirt road, off to who knows where for $49.99 each.
We headed in the opposite direction, toward Ketchikan and a hot shower. This time of year a single bed hotel room was going for $189, we found 2 queens and a sofa bed for $202 at the Super 8. Iâll let you decide who got the two queens. Showers came first, then food. Waiting your turn for the shower was the perfect time to air out anything that could be aired out. We turned the electric strip heat up to full to dry out our boots and opened all the windows 20 minutes later. Nothing smells like wet hiking boots drying out! We unintentionally ended up at a Mexican/Italian restaurant for dinner, and lacking the motivation or energy to walk any further, we stayed. We had our stomachs ready for some local seafood, instead we got fajitas a single shot rum and coke for $9.50!
The next morning brought us to the Pioneer Café for the localâs breakfast. I had biscuits and gravy, but I just had to sample Bruceâs Reindeer Steak and Eggs. Yes, Iâm sorry to say I enjoyed Rudolph wrapped in bacon. From there it was a typical day in a typical tourist town, so many t-shirts shops, so little time. I found a few treasures I couldnât live without, a new book and a few shirts. I was a bit panicked when I ran into Jim thinking I was late to meet our shuttle as my cell phone had reset to Pacific time instead of Alaska time (stupid phone), so we looked and found a bar to escape all the fanny packs. A few minutes later, Bruce happened by and we put one back before heading to the ferry terminal.
The ferry trip back was much like the previous trip. The boat was still new and exciting, but tempered with a bit of experience. We all had a bit more alone time, time to sit back and reflect on what an amazing trip this has been. I
managed to get a full days worth of reading in just by sitting in my tent with the rain fly off. The sun was out and I could watch as nature and people went by. No one stopped to chat as I was in my protected little bubble of nylon and screen. As the sun ducted between clouds I would pull my sleeping back on and off. All manner of people would walk by, younger kids rediscovering the Rubikâs Cube, retirees marveling at all the tents and one lady with 2 service Chiwawas that looked as though they needed more assistance than she did.
Later that day somewhere during the passage through Queen Charlotte Sound, I received a phone call. At the end of the call, I had a new job! Wo-who! I think we went to the bar shortly after that conversation.
Our last evening was blessed with a fantastic sunset and temperate weather. We fell silent at dinner for a while as we all absorbed what we had been through during the past week. Iâm quite sure I have never been on a trip like this before. So many firsts, so much learned, so many new places explored. I am quite sure of one thing; however, that I will never forget the two new friends I have made along the way.
Thank you Bruce and Jim for putting up with me and my camera, and for helping me create so many great memories.
Slideshow of photoâsâ¦
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157621941244767/show/
Set of photoâsâ¦
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157621941244767/
Roza Wojcik (8/3/2009):Sahale camping trip:
Friday:
I, Mike and Tim headed out to Marblemount with a truly alpine start to grab permits. Arriving 7 am sharp at the ranger station and seeing a substantial line built up under the door was a little nerve wracking, but luckily we were able to obtain the permits we wanted.
We chose Hidden lake Peak for our Friday day hike adventure. The trail started in the forest and continued for a long time through vast meadows with lush vegetation. We were surprised not to encounter any herds of sheep or yoddling shepherds - the landscape would have been just a perfect environment for them. In the end, we were hiking through and around beautiful rock outcrops, snowfields and tarns.
The trail was well maintained, had a good grade, and every corner was exposing us to new breathtaking views of countless peaks of the Northern Cascades, especially Eldorado and our destination â Sahale.
We reached the lookout outpost at noon and realized that it is just too early to call it a day. We decided to scramble ~1000 ft down to reach the shores of the Hidden Lake. We had a great time doing route finding though snow and talus fields - our effort rewarded with a dip in the clear and refreshing water.
Altogether â ~10 miles and 4500 ft in elevation â the day hike was a heart winner and a good warm up for our weekend adventure.
Friday evening at the Marble Creek campground included swimming in the turquoise water creek, munching on polish veggie stew with Ukrainian bread, cheese and other goodies and tasting mouthwatering Castel Saleg Moscato Giallo - Alto Adige (courtesy of Tim).
Saturday:
After a heart attack breakfast buffet at Marblemount diner we met our Saturday party â Lyle and Peter, and drove together to the trailhead.
We started ascending though a well maintained, easy trail and before we managed to get totally hypnotized by countless switchbacks we reached the Cascade Pass, which was predictably crowded. Ascending up the Sahale Arm was more strenuous, but we welcomed a cool breeze, lower amount of bugs and spectacular views opening up in front of us.
The camp, which we reached at ~ 2 pm, consisted of individual campsites well spread out and situated on different mounds. It took us a while to find the compostable toilet, which instantly became a hit of the day, due to the spectacular views it provided.
We spent Saturday night admiring a local goat, glacier crevaces, breathtaking views in the sunset, wine tasting and socializing.
The wind died down in the evening and the temperatures dropped significantly (to ~ high 40âs), what allowed for a pleasant night at 7600 ft.
Sunday morning was calm and hot and the goat almost invaded Timâs tent ï.
Thrilled with an alpine start of 9:30 am we started our approach to the Sahale summit.
We traversed across the Sahale glacier to the talus laden southeastern ridge. We then scrambled up the chossy gully and reached the base of the summit block. After traversing on the ledge and reaching the northern ridge we scrambled up to the summit, ~8600 ft in elevation.
After the descent from the summit, we packed out and descended down to our cars. We completed the trip with a dinner at Skagit Brewery.
We talked about our ideas for activities for the future trips alpine summit trips, which included: alpine yoga and jamming sessions, making the YMCA dance a standard Outventures summit ritual, and gathering material for the book: the Best Toilet Views of the Northern Cascades.
Altogether, the mountain gods were gracious to us: we had good weather (even though it was hazy) and didnât get rained on, there were no injuries, insects were present but manageable.
I want to thank all the trip participants: Mike, Lyle, Peter and Tim for a wonderful company on this trip- without you, the experience would not have been the same!
I want to convey special thanks to Tim Byrne for his great leadership and input to the trip â particularly leading our safe ascent and descent of the Sahale summit!
Trip participants - please correct me if I preached a heresy here:)
Jeffrey King (8/3/2009):The Brothers
The summit attempt on the South Peak of The Brothers was a constantly changing endeavor. It was on- again and off-again, dates and times changing almost weekly. Finally, we left a day earlier than planned and headed off for the deep woods of the Olympic peninsula.
Anyone who knows me, knows that heat is not my best friend, thus my move from Florida to Seattle. So, I suppose itâs fitting that this hike, with all its cancelations and rescheduling would happen on the hottest week in the history of the Pacific Northwest. And thus, at 6:30pm on Thursday in 85 degree heat and humidity, foot finally hit trail towards Lena Lake and The Brothers.
The last mile was the most torturous of the trip as the air had fallen deadly still, not a leaf was moving. The air was heavy, thick with moisture being drawn up from the Hood Canal and the surrounding watershed. The Lena Lake outlet was taunting us with the sound of its cool rushing water but it never showed itself. The geology of the lake is such that the outlet flows underground for much of its run. Large moss covered boulders and power dry, creek beds are the only evidence of seasonal high water flow.
Lena Lake finally showed itself and we collapsed into the second campsite we found. With heavy breath and sweaty brows we hastily put up our tent. The natural draw to jump in the lake after such a hot and heavy climb was so strong I almost resented having to put the tent up first. However, the sun was setting and first things must come first.
We decided to make a change in plans and stay all three nights at Lena Lake, making the summit run a âday hikeâ instead of taking Friday to hike to the Climbers Camp. We rested up all day on Friday, enjoying the pleasures of the lake and surrounding views. Temperatures climbed into the mid 80âs and we were glad to be taking a day off.
Dawn on Summit Day came early, but it was welcomed. We eagerly packed our gear and ate a hearty breakfast and set off for the summit just before 8a.m. We met up with a hiking trio who had some experience on the mountain and agreed to merge our parties to combine knowledge and fellowship. The sun was peaking over the ridge as we started up the trail through the âValley of Silent Menâ.
The valley was so named in the 1940s by participants in a climbing course at Olympic College, who found conversation waned during their early morning ascents in darkness. The Valley of the Silent Men, with its house-size boulders draped in moss, sturdy bridges spanning an often-dry stream bed, and endless stands of amazing trees is an amazing hike, one all northwest residents shouldnât miss. Thereâs even the solitude of the climbers camp, a great place to spend a night or two relaxing in the deep forest.
As usual, I was the slowest member of the group as I was always stopping to take photos and to enjoy the journey. The trio had plans to be up and down the mountain by 2pm, rather ambitious with only 1 water bottle and 2 power bars each, but there was no convincing them that they had inadequate supplies. So, I was not surprised when later that day one of the party passed me on the way down begging me for water, and begged others as he passed themâ¦I hope there is a lesson learned.
The trail out of the climberâs camp became more a goat trail than a foot trail. Paths leading this way and that make route-finding challenging at best. We follow cairn markers up gullies, fields and meadows till weâre looking up from the South West at the South Peak. The temperature has risen to the lower 90âs and the welcome, but sporadic breeze gives me goose bumps as my body attempts to cool me off. The gullies are rock and dust infested foot torture machines designed to keep humans out and mountain goats in.
The going is rough and hot, and at about 4,500ft in the shade of stunted pine I make the decision that I am in no shape to make a summit attempt. The meadow ahead of me turns from wildflowers to a scree ridden debris field that ends in a 400ft wall of rock.
We decide to eat lunch in the shade of the pine and discuss the plan for the remainder of the day. Climbers pass us and head up the south chute towards the scree fields. As we rest, we hear rocks tumbling down the chute and remark how glad we are that we brought our helmets. We could also see climbers (the one in white) clinging to the rock face as they worked their way up the class 2 and 3 sections of the climb.
Knowing that Iâm in no shape to continue up a class 3 climb, I decide to go up to a small snowfield I can see from my lunch spot.
Chip has moved ahead to avoid close proximity as rocks may fall. It takes a good 45 minutes for me to go 500 vertical feet as the scree and heat zap my energy. I make it to the field and rub snow on my head and face to cool down, itâs now in the mid 90âs with no shade in sight.
A friend from the National Gay Pilotâs Association knew I was going to be attempting the South Summit and flew a friend of his near the peak around 2pm on Saturday. I could hear him, but I was in a gully with a limited view of the sky and never got to see him. Thanks for the photo's David!
However, he took some aerial shots of the mountain and our route. Itâs amazing what kind of perspective this can give you.
The trip down was uneventful for me, Chip however, got stung by some beeâs or yellow jackets and got some minor cuts and bruises as he ran blindly through the rough brush to escape.
Our feet hurt by the time we reached our camp and once again the lake was refreshing. We both walked on egg shells as our feet were tender from a days battering on the rocky trail. It must have been amusing watch as we hobbled down to the lake almost falling several times because of our tender feet.
The Brothers got the best of us this time, partly because we underestimated its difficulty, our abilities and the effect the heat had on our energy level. Despite our failure to summit we had a great time exploring and experiencing the trail.
Next time weâll have experience and knowledge on our side.
Full Slide show here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157621809647737/show/
Rex Himes (7/27/2009):Paul Hanson (7/27/2009):Incredible close-up views of Rainier, abundant wild flowers, a nice breeze on a hot day, few bugs, and a fun group all came together for a great hike on Noble Knob Sunday.
The only hassle was meeting up, with a summer fun run blocking access to the meeting place in Volunteer Park. With cell phone contact, we all managed to get together and set out up Highway 410 towards Mt Rainier. All drivers managed to find the obscure turn-off and make it up the steep and rough forest service road to the trailhead at Corral Pass. I was pleased that our group included many new members of OutVentures, several participating in their first event. I don't think they were disappointed.
Noone found the trek along the ridge too taxing, except for a few brief upslopes in the sun. Besides the fields of wild flowers and spectacular views almost all along the way, a major bonus was having the trail mostly to ourselves on a beautiful summer weekend. We only ran into a handfull of other hikers and one biker. This was indeed lucky because I found out afterwards that the day before, this trail was part of a 50 mile organized trail run, in addition to several large groups of mountain bikers. Instead of all that commotion, we had mostly solitude, including having the Knob to ourselves for lunch. We were also lucky that the mountain thunderstorms mentioned in the forecasts did not make it into our area, although we saw some menacing clouds far to the northeast. The trail gods were smiling on us in other ways as well: Our one car without a parking permit did not get ticketed and another vehicle very low on gas made it back down the over 25 miles to the nearest gas station.
After the hike, most of us gathered in the pleasant nearby picnic area for some very welcome cold drinks and snacks, before the hot drive back to the city. A few participants have already posted some great pics on the website--thanks!
I added a few more pics to help the gang remember how beautiful the day was. We were lucky that the weather held despite the threat of a thundershower.
Thanks Rex for leading another great hike.
-Paul
Vicki Goode (7/27/2009):Our kayak trip was fantastic! We paddled under the I-90 overpasses, into the glassy Mercer Slough canal, and were instantly transported into a world of beautiful nature and wildlife. The banks of the canal had alder and willow, high flowering bushes, wild iris, and grasses, all which made us forget that we were near a major city. We were blessed with seeing 2 great blue herons, a green heron, turtles, families of ducks, and several other duck species and birds I don't know the name of. As we paddled the canal we enjoyed the water lilies in bloom as colorful dragonflies danced along with us. We had fun chatting with each other as we dipped our paddles along this wonderland. After 2 hours of paddling, we returned and ate our lunch at Enatai Beach and went for a refreshing swim in the lake. We had a great time and I will definately post this trip again for all.
Jeffrey King (7/29/2009):With the exception of one terrifically violent and tropical thunderstorm, the Orcas Island Fly-In could not have asked for a better weekend.
I would like to thank our pot luck hosts: Mark Ditto, Rob and David, and Bruce and Scott for BBQing despite the pouring rain and lightning. Without your generous hospitality these events would not be the highlight of the years activities. Thank You!
As you can see from the photos, Mark Ditto has a wonderful home with a wonderful view. Several took advantage of the shuttle provided, a welcome and appreciated luxury for those tired of driving and working all day. Markâs home will be hard to forget, the amazing view, the wonderful art, the great food and the new friends made while toasting over the setting sun.
Friday evening was spent sitting around a warm âfireâ. The OV canopy provided just enough of a wind break for the propane fire pit to provide us a warm smokeless fire. Cocktails, left over dessert and the lights of the runway made for a wonderful nightcap.
Saturday was full of activities. I took my first flight in a small plane, (thank you Rob for keeping Fridays dinner where it belonged) got to ride on a powerboat, hiked up to Cascade Lake from the boat dock and took a cooling swim. Oh, and was part of the âboy pileâ on the bed in my tent during the crazy thunderstorm! I hope no one picks on me for having such a big tent next year! :) There was also kayaking, bicycling, hiking and shopping on the activity list, plenty to do for all. I hope to see some of these photoâs posted and entered into the Photo Contest!
Scott and Bruce saved the day on Saturdayâs pot luck BBQ. Thunder and lightning crashing all around didnât bother themâ¦they just kept cooking away. Man, were they drenched! I could not believe that the chicken I had was better than I make it at home. Kudoâs boys, Kudoâs! Jason, seeing the huddle in my tent and under the OV canopy, stayed in his wet bathing suit and made the perfect bar-back. Taking drink orders in the rain he walked around making cocktails and delivering them and dry as he could. I only hope he got some good tips!
Sunday was a wet morning! The coffee perked early as we cleaned up camp from a crazy night of eating and drinking. Then the group managed to sqeeeeeze into 3 cars and we headed up to Rob and Davidâs for Sunday breakfast. After getting lost a few times we finally made it to the âcabinâ. Iâm not really sure you can call this a cabinâ¦it looked more like a resort to me! :) The view was great, there was an outdoor fire, plenty of seating and great food. Thanks guys for letting us intrude on your Sunday!
Jason, David and I took the 7pm ferry back to Anacortes. While walking around Jason met a newly transplanted gay couple from the Southwest and we had a little tailgate party while we waited for the ferry to arrive late at 8pm. They were excited to learn about the club and canât wait to join. Thanks Jason for being our ambassador (how much do you charge?).
We had a fantastic sunset cruise back to Anacortes, the perfect ending to a perfect weekend.
Thanks to all who attended and helped make this event happen. It will be one I remember forever.
Check out the photo highlights on the OV website, for ALL my photoâs, click on this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157621886975184/show/
Jeff King
Tim Gerth (7/27/2009):We were a small group trekking to Goat Lake. 3 of us total (and that includes the dog). We used the old stage coach road to get there but took the stream trail back. Both offered unique settings. I found a couple of undergrowth plants that i had never seen before and the rocks exhibited characteristics of the mining camps that once lined the area. Elderberries were prolific. Give them a couple of weeks to fully ripen. The stream on the return exhibited classic Northwest peaceful cascading.
We were surprised to pass through a stand of old growth cedars and doug firs. Perplexed at why the loggers left them. It definitely gave the feel of the forest of giants it once was.
Just before reaching the lake the trail took on a series of switchbacks as it paralleled an amazing waterfall. The water roared down a series of steep rock cascades and over several cliffs. My guess would be a few hundred foot drop from the lake to the stream below.
The lake was crystal, crystal clear, reflections and all. Even though the trailhead was nearly full, only a couple other hikers were encountered at the lake. Perhaps they were nestled at the campsites. After checking out the trail along the lakeside, getting only half-way around the lake but enough to expose the full set of Monte Cristo peaks above the glacier at the lakes head, it was time for a dip. Even though there was no lake side snow, the water had its pockets of icy, shriveling chill. Very inviting and invigorating. Hard to find that kind of nourishment anywhere in the urban world. So it was nice to swim and lingerâ¦and in the water was the only place the pesky little flies were not.
Thunderstorms (yes in the NW) rolled in just as we were leaving.
All in all a great lake and not at all strenuous to reach. Does there have to be a downside? Got caught in the classic speed trap going downhill just east of Granite Falls. Watch it. $150 for 60 in a 45 zone. Ironic that i, who spend my days/weeks/months/years standing on principle amongst the political and financial injustices, rarely getting even a dayâs pause to enjoy the natural surroundings in these past years, then Voila, iâm the one that gets caught and âfinedâ. Can i cry, âBailoutâ?
Roza Wojcik (7/23/2009):I want to thank Tom for organizing these series of wednesday evenings on Mt Si. They have been really enjoyed by many of us. And for me, they provided a fantastic opportunity to work on my conditioning in great company.
Thank you, Tom!
Roy Vermillion (7/19/2009):The weather was nice and the paddling was good for a trip around Lake Union and Portage Bay. The afternoon winds began to pick up towards the end of the adventure. I will do it again soon, so for those of you that have been wanting to get out, watch for those emails.
Jeffrey King (7/17/2009):I would like to thank everyone who came to the July Potluck at Gas Works Park. What a perfect spot and day for an outdoor gathering. In a word it was, well...fabulous!
It was great to see some new faces in the crowd and better to see the old faces covered in BBQ sauce! Photo's are posted on the website! Don will post some as well.
Keep posting those trips, entering photo's for the Photo Contest and keep helping us spread the word about OutVentures. The best advertising is word of mouth!
If anyone was interested in the OutVentures products we mentioned use this link:
http://www.zazzle.com/outventures/gifts
And, there is currently a 15% off coupon to use: Share code FRIFAMZAZZLE with your friends and family and they'll get 15% off their entire order too! Offer is valid from July 10, 2009 at 12:01am PT through July 26, 2009 at 11:59pm PT.
Restrictions and limitations apply....blaa, blaa, blaa
Don't forget you can change ANY shirt type, color, size, gender...so click around and make it your own.
Also, if you have any ideas for shirts or products that you see on Zazzle - send them to events@outventures.org!
Thanks and Happy Outdooring!
Jeff King
Event Coordinator
Tim Byrne (7/15/2009):Well, it's looking like there will be an OutVentures Rainier climb this year, weather and route conditions permitting. Five or six of us will be heading up the Emmons route in mid-August.
Phillippa Nye (7/12/2009):Alan, Michael, David and I did this hike with occasional cameo appearances by Julie Andrews and Michael Jackson. The single white glove was in this case a single white sock holding together a hiking boot that had seen better days. I never seem to see the part on the trip posting where you are supposed to rate the difficulty, so my hikes are always "easy." My group may submit a formal complaint....
However, it was a spectacular view from Pete Lake with snowcapped Lemah mountain in the distance. The enthusiasm for the mountains of two Seattle newcomers from Tampa was infectious. The hiking boot and the hot day argued against going further than Pete, so we called it good at that point and retired to the Roslyn Cafe for refreshments. When we arrived in Roslyn we saw a black plume of smoke, which as we got closer became a house that was fully engulfed in flames. Ten minutes later a single firetruck, and most of the population of the town, had arrived on the scene. We ate dinner and watched the fire being fought. Rome might have been burning, but man those burgers were good! All in all a great day (no injuries in the fire) and entertaining company.
Phillippa Nye (7/12/2009):Liam, Terri and I had a nice day out. With only one car we ended up going to Tuscohatchie Lake via Pratt. For a holiday weekend, the trail was not crowded, and the people disappeared completely after Pratt Lake. Tuscohatchie would be a great overnight spot. The lake has a big sandy shallow area that would be great for lounging waist deep on a hot day. After Pratt the trail traverses high on the side of the Pratt River Valley, and really pretty area. Not many bugs, and one lonely snow patch left. The company was good, and the trip is recommended!
Jeffrey King (7/5/2009):July 3rd and 4th, 2009
North Lake Overnight - Independence Lake
Liam, Scott and I set out for North Lake early on Friday morning and we weren't the first to arrive at the trailhead that hot sunny morning. North Lake lies to the North of Mountain Loop Road just before the Big Four Mountain area, where we managed a good photo or two. The trail was well worn but not annoyingly so. It climbed sharply at first, but leveled off quickly and became a very pleasant trail. The sun was less intense as we headed deeper into the welcoming trees and there was no snow in sight.
We found Independence Lake snow free with mostly small patches clinging to its steep walls. We rounded the lake to the far side where the trail disappeared beneath several inches of snow. It reappeared periodically as the sun did its work. Patches of Western Skunk Cabbage eager to begin the summer were quickly emerging from the matted vegetation.
After 30 minutes or so of failed route finding we decided to return to the lake outlet to make camp. It proved to be a busy spot with day-hikers coming and going, but we knew as soon as thoughts of Forth of July BBQ's got into people's minds we would be able to enjoy the peace and solitude of the Lake. Sure enough, as the afternoon light changed to a warm yellow, the families retreated back down the trail to the safety and cooling AC of their SUV's. We were left with the sound of the waterfall draining Independence Lake and the snapping of twigs as Liam prepared wood for the evening fire.
We dipped our feet into the ice cold water, played on the log jam that controlled the outflow of the lake and watched a falcon circling high on the ridge above. I managed one cannonball into the lake before the sun dropped below the mountains. There is nothing quite as refreshing, and shocking, as jumping into a cold mountain lake. I highly recommend it!
Liam, our current survivalist, showed us his expertise in starting a fire with dried moss and a flint fire starter. Quite impressive! Earlier he monkied up a treeâ¦and me without a banana! We all stared at the warm fire and were amazed how quickly everything burned. Our neighbors on the other side of the lake started their fire as the last of the light moved up the west face of the ridge. The lake and surrounding air took on an eerie blue hue, which contrasted against the white smoke from their campfire. The evening breeze stretched the smoke across the lake in ever changing finger like patterns.
We enjoyed the fellowship of the fire, talking, laughing, shifting away from the hot spots and dodging the smoke till our tired bodies bade us to bed. Sleep came easy with tired backs and feet finally at rest. I fell asleep as the last of the fire flickered on the walls of my tent and with the smell of pine on my hands.
Thanks to Liam and Scott for making this a fun and relaxing hike. I look forward to our next adventure. Highlights of the trip are on the OutVentures website, full photos are here on my flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157620966579402/show/
(if the show doesnât work, take the âshow/â of the end of the address in your address bar)
Jeff King
Rex Himes (7/5/2009):It was another spectacular day in the mountains for OutVentures. We had perfect weather, and a fun group on this new hike with incredible views and beautiful wildflowers.
13 OV members headed up the Steven's Pass Highway to the Scorpion Mountain trailhead on a warm holiday Friday. Even the last several miles of the Forest Service road had gorgeous scenery. No other cars were at the trailhead, on a day when most better known trails were very crowded.
The trail was as advertised, steep and rough in spots, although most of it wasn't that bad. The initial steep section in the sun was the worst on a very hot day, but then we got into a cool forest for most of the rest of the way to the summit There were, however, some great views of the surrounding peaks, including Glacier, along this ridge-top trail. The big wow factor, however, was in reaching the summit, which had a 360 view of all of the central Cascades from Glacier Peak to Mt Rainier, while immediately around us were fields of glacier lilies and several other wild floweres. What a perfect setting for our lunch stop.
Oh, there were many large patches of snow covering the trail. They were never treacherous, however, we just had to carefully determine where the trail emerged from each snowfield. We did this quite well going up but some of us got quite a bit off the trail on the way down before finding it again,probably not paying enough attention while enjoying slide-stepping down the snow. At the beginning of the descent, we crossed a small group of other hikers, the only ones we saw on the trail that day.
We therefore had the trailhead to ourselves for the usual tailgate party, where the cold beverages were much appreciated, while still enjoying the mountain views surrounding us.
Rex
Don Dewsnup (7/3/2009):Hello All,
I just wanted to extend a THANK YOU to all those who volunteered at the Pride Booth this year. We had a great location and the booth looked perfect and there were alot of people interested in the club. Thank you Jeff for managing this event. Kudos!
Everyone have a Happy 4th!
Donald Dewsnup
OV President
Tim Byrne (6/20/2009):Four of us paddled this trip, one double and two singles. We paddled out the ship canal to the Ballard locks. Then it was back to Lake Union to Gasworks park and the edge of Portage Bay. We finished up with a CW loop around the lake.
The weather turned out perfectly after a cloudy morning, just enough sun not to be chilled but not enough to turn the kayak into a people-roaster.
Afterwards we adjourned to Tutta Bella on Westlake for a late post-paddle lunch.
Now to plan a Bainbridge to Blake Island trip, now that I have a better idea how hard it is to rent boats on the sound.
Tim
Don Dewsnup (6/19/2009):Hello All,
I wanted to extend an official THANK YOU to Doug Early as Potluck Coordinator for organizing these fun potlucks this year. Everybody truly enjoys them.
Next in July we will be meeting at Gas Works Park with a view of downtown Seattle. Check the calendar for more details.
Also THANK YOU Jeff and Chuck for taking the extra effort out of your busy schedules to accommodate 50 club members in your beautiful home and backyard. The flowers looked awesome!
To the members of OutVentures please remember to bring main dishes to the potlucks as we encourage recipe sharing for those wonderful main dishes you have been keeping secret.
To those OV Members who contributed to the June Potluck THANK YOU for taking the extra time and effort to share your tasty dishes and desserts with everyone.
See you at the next Potluck : )
Donald Dewsnup
OV President
Don Dewsnup (6/19/2009):Don Dewsnup (6/18/2009):Hello all,
Elaine made a good point about my Lake Dorothy Trip Report.
Here is the clarification.
"After reaching the trail junction before the lake, Elaine suggested taking the trail to the other end where we had been told it was the best views.The group opted for the shorter lake trail. We arrived at the lake to witness impressive thunder clouds, along with thunder and a few sprinkles."
Jeffrey King (6/15/2009):Lake Dorothy hike
After a wonderful morning at the Miller River group camp a few of us decided to take on Jeffrey's challenge to hike to Lake Dorothy. Some others decided to hike to Lake Serene and some others tried to get to Trout Lake but the road was still snow covered and they had to turn around.
He warned over and over about two miles up the road is a reported wash out and it was not fixed for the Forest Service yet. Therefore, David and I drove up in his truck with Rico following us in his truck along with Lisa, Elaine, Jeff Baker and Shawn.
The gravel road is well maintained and we reached the two mile point from camp and to my surprise it was not a washout but a landslide that occurred over the winter with a boulder on the side of the road about the size of a VW Bug.
Needless to say Rico and I drove slowly through the landslide area that reached all the way to the Miller River below. We were persistent and pushed on over about another four crazy ruts in the gravel road however we made it to the trailhead just fine and surprisingly there were quite a few cars in the parking lot.
All of us including our dogs Rocket and Scout headed out onto the trail. It was my first time on this hike to Lake Dorothy. The forest was beautiful and the sun was out and warm. We reached the confluence of two rivers and a bridge we looked down and the water was simply rushing down past the bridge.
There was only one blow down to report on the trail that we easily navigated and a few other areas were there were blown downs but were cleared from the trail. I can tell you this hiking trail is well maintained and almost practically groomed.
We reached the head of the canyon and we started our accent up with the views of waterfalls below and lightly snow covered mountains above very breathtaking and exciting.
Then we reached the top of the canyon right next to the river emptying out of the lake in basically a granite chute. The water was rushing so fast the noise just filled the canyon and you can barely hear the other person speak. The new shoots of ferns and skunk cabbage were incredible along the way. Rico was very fascinated by all the flora surrounding us.
We reached Lake Dorothy and it was a bit humid and warm and sprinkles of rain started to fall down upon us since the big Thunder-cloud to the south east mushroomed into a front and it looked like in the distance as the view of the long narrow lake unfolded upon us it was raining on the other end of the lake. We heard thunder several times as we hiked along the lake shore.
Needless to say we made it to the a low lying area along the lake shore that we perfect for a picnic and we enjoyed our lunch with a beautiful view of Big Snow Mountain at the far end of the lake set bright white against the black cloudy sky. Elaine wanted to press forward to the other end of the lake however we did not want to press out luck with the thunder cloud ahead of us.
The lake itself was free of snow and ice the water was crystal clear with a view of the rocky bottom. The dogs enjoyed dipping into the water and receiving snacks from all of us at lunch including an apple core or two. After we ate we headed back down to the Miller River Group Camp where mountain bikes were awaiting us to ride in. The hike to Lake Dorothy is worth the trip for the views and the crystal clear waters including the beautiful hiking trail. The drive up was an exciting adventure. I'm glad we took on Mr. King's 4x4 challenge.
Iâm proud to announce that the Miller River Group Camp was a fantastic success! We had a great first night with 17 campers, and that swelled to a raucous 28 for the second night.
The Miller River Group Site proved to be an ideal spot. Having the entire campground to ourselves with a locking main gate meant that we had perfectly controlled privacy with no unwanted intrusions. Campers began to arrive around 2pm and were greeted by the OutVentures banner hanging high in the trees above the road. Bikes were available at the registration desk for registrants to explore the sites and pick their favorite. You should have seen the smiles on the faces of those who came zooming back around the loop! You could almost see the stress flying off as they were grinning from ear to ear with the wind blowing their hair back even with sufficient product trying to hold it in place. Many came up to me after and said it had been 10 years since they had ridden a bike! (Glad I could help!)
The weather could not have been better, 80âs during the day and mid 50âs at night. If it got a little warm for you in camp a simple trip to the river provided a beautiful view of Maloney Ridge and cool breeze to boot! The sound of the rushing water induced many to nap or simply read on the banks and enjoy the solitude.
Some with 4x4 high profile vehicles were able to ford the washout and rough road all the way to Lake Dorothy. Others picked hikes in the area and went off for a day of exploring, lunching in the local Skykomish bars or simply taking a drive on some back roads.
After the dayâs activities a hot shower waited for anyone who wanted one and it worked like a charm! Thanks to those who helped carry the many bucks of water (Mike, Scott, Steven).
We were glad to see 13 women join us on this trip. What a great turnout and treat for the OutVentures community! Thanks to Clare for all your hard work! We hope to see all of you on future trips. Thanks to Michelle for spoiling us all with warm brownies and a hot artichoke dip that was to die for! You can see a photo of her with her box oven preparing her deliciousness on the website. We also had several 4 legged friends providing lots of kisses and butt sniffing! Thanks to you who brought your dogs, everyone loved having them.
Every evening started with cocktails, an hors d'oeuvres pot luck and a warm fire to help shoo away the bugs and ward off the chills. We had so much food we almost didnât need to make dinner. For other entertainment we had a BB gun and soda cans for testing your marksman ship and horseshoes for testing your patience! I also think itâs great how the tennis racket bug zappers seemed to be such a hit! There is a rumor that someone ended up with grill marks on his ass, but Iâm not going to mention any names.
Every evening ended with cocktails (of course) and passing deserts around the circle with a fire raging in the middle. I must admit, at 1am Don and I found someoneâs German Chocolate cake and ate the whole darn thing. It was almost better than sexâ¦almost!
I encourage all of you who took pictures to share them with the rest of us. My camera was taking blurry pictures all day (not MY fault of course). So please post away!
I would like to add a quick thank you to those who helped me tear down the site on Sunday. Tom, Mike, Doug, the picnic table canopy crew, Rico for taking all that recycling home, and Scott for sticking around till 2pm with me. If I missed youâ¦you know who you are! THANK YOU!
This event could not have been a success without you, your help and your participation. I look forward to seeing you all on future OutVentures events.
Photos on flickr if you like a slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710039@N08/sets/72157619703099175/show/
Photos also posted on OutVentures.
With Gratitude,
Jeff King - Event Coordinator
Clare Parfitt (6/7/2009):Eight women headed off yesterday across socked in and drizzly Snoqualmie Pass to the sunny skies of Eastern Washington.
It was a beautiful day, partly sunny, not too hot and a little wind. We proceeded on the flat easy trail, with basalt cliffs surrounding us and sagebrush hills. We walked through an oasis of thick vegetation at times-brush and cottonwood trees fed by the creek. We ran into a small snake-of an unknown species-there was no rattle.
After about an hour on the trail, several of us heard a strange mooing sound. We didn't think there could be cows in the canyon and wondered what it could be. One of the dogs in the group then alerted us to the fact that rocks were being knocked down the steep hillside to our right. We then looked up and saw a huge herd of bighorn sheep-we counted atleast 30! Females with babies, and some large males with the curving horns. Then, on the other side of the canyon, we saw a different herd-again about 20-30 animals. We were amazed at their agility as they quickly scrambled up the steep slope, then all peered down at us from the top of the canyon wall, with their horns sillouhetted against the blue sky. Very "Lion King-esque," someone remarked.
We continued for a few miles. As we proceeded, the canyon became narrower, and the trail faded in and out. We hit several trails that dead-ended, but then always found the main one. We ran into a beaver dam, and evidence of industrious beavers who had half-chewed through a large tree. At the end, this trail becomes very brushy and sort of just peters out. My book says the trail continues out of the canyon and to the top of the ridge, but I have never been able to find this route. Although, it is possible to bushwack up through the steep sagebrush in certain locations and then gain the ridge, at the top of which hits the Skyline trail, with views of the rolling hills of the Yakima valley.
Afterwards, we stopped for some fantastic local beer at a brewery in Ellensburg (an out of the way location, known only to beer afficionados Lisa and Elaine) Then we drove on to Roslyn and stopped for pizza and more beer.
This is a bit of a drive, but worth it to go out to this area atleast once a year. Spring is the best season. It's a great alternative when it's rainy on the West side or the higher mountains are still snowed in.
Clare
Rex Himes (5/31/2009):The biggest adventure in climbing Bandera Mtn was getting to the trailhead, with the road washed out in several places. The obstacle course continued on the lower trail, but we got around those fairly easily. Even so, the steep upper part of the trail seemed the easiest part of the trip.
Four SUVs with just enough clearance made it thru 3 areas of sinkholes and side cave-ins, with just minor trepidation, to the washout that totally blocked the road right before the trailhead. Parking alongside the narrow road was in short supply but somehow all our drivers maneuvered into tight spaces. 15 OV hikers skipped rocks to get past the water over the road and started up the trail. Shortly up the trail, a section of it has slid down a steep ravine but there was an easy detour. A little further, a roaring stream crossed over the trail instead of flowing thru the blocked culvert underneath. More rock-hopping and a few small logs got us over to the other side. The rest of the Ira Spring trail was in good shape, though it climbs steeply. Even steeper was the cut-off up to the summit ridge, a boot-path that almost seemed like climbing a ladder.
Snow lingered on the summit ridge but was negotiable with just cautious stepping. The group arrived at the summit to enjoy lunch with a spectacular view of Mt Rainier in our face and Mt Adams alongside in the distance. The other side of the summit looked over frozen lakes and snowbound peaks towards Mt Baker. A nice reward for our efforts.
The trip down was hard on the legs, but passed without major incident, just a pair of torn boot soles, a minor pulled muscle and one or two very sore knees. Back at the cars, we celebrated with several bottles of chilled, excellent rose wines accompanied by Parker's scrumptious home-made cookies and other snacks. Heading back down the road to I-90, the drivers didn't even blink while negotiating the wash-outs.
It was a perfect day to be in the mountains, and a great group with whom to share the experience. All the warm weather is melting the snow off of more and more trails, so soon we should be able to venture up even higher.
Tim Byrne (5/28/2009):For the May 27 edition of this ride we had a good turnout of eight riders: six men and two women. Riding experience ranged from regular commuters to not-having-ridden in years. We ended up riding a 13 mile loop: Burke Gilman to the Locks to Discovery Park - through the park via the closed roads system - then back via the park perimiter, Govt Way, Nickerson and the Fremont Bridge. We averaged about 11 mph and managed to stick together pretty well for most of the ride, even on hills. Highlights included a wrong turn on my part which gave us a bonus hill to climb, a nice view of the Regata down below in the Sound from Daybreak Star, and a couple of nice well-earned windy downhills.
Every Wednesday - 6:30 - Gasworks Park (E Side of Lot) - anyone with a bike and helmet is invited to join us.
Rex Himes (5/18/2009):13 OV members and one small dog set out to hike on a beautiful and warm May Sunday. The parking lot in Ollalie State Park was pleasantly uncrowded, very different probably from other popular trailheads off I-90 on such a nice day, at least those already snow-free.
After a short walk to and on the Iron Horse trail, Tim found the unmarked tunoff towards Mt Washington. This trail, although following a long abandoned logging road, gained elevation quickly, among small waterfalls and rocky outcroppings--this is an area very popular with rock climbers, and we saw a few heading up. There were a lot of trilliums and salmon berry bushes in bloom. In two miles we reached the "Owl Hike" viewpoint at 2800', but were somewhat underwhelmed by its views compared even to Rattlesnake Ledge. So we continued towards the summit, with an increasing amount of snow on the trail. It was fairly well tracked and slushy, so easily negotiable, just avoiding the occasional hole in the snow.
At about 1 mile beyond Owl Hike, around 3400' in elevation, we found a pleasant lunch spot in a steep but open valley crisscrossed with streams of snowmelt. We found some dry rocks on which to sit which, if a bit precarious, offered nice views of the surroundings and nearby snow-covered peaks.
On the way back down, our small canine hiker was almost carried off in a rushing torrent we had to cross. but she was quickly pulled out. We came across several hikers going up, but overall this trail was very uncrowded for what it offers so close to the city. Back at the trailhead, we had some excellent bubbly, wine and snacks to crown a very nice day in the mountains. Thanks to all the enthusiatic participants.
Roy Vermillion (5/10/2009):Seven of us set out for a 3 hour kayaking tour from Moss Bay Kayaks on South Lake Union to Madison Park through the arboretum and back. We had a great day for the trip, sun, some clouds, and little boat traffic. This was followed by chicken parmigiana and spaghetti with meatballs for dinner at Buca de Beppo.
Roy
Tim Byrne (5/10/2009):Seven of us rode this one. One of us had not ridden much in four years. She managed to ride about 30 miles before opting for a bus finish, generally an option in Seattle.
Traffic on the BGT was crazy, which you'd expect on a beautiful day like today. Just before LFP we ran into a bunch of people riding three wheeled arm powered tricycles that looked like they belonged in the special olympics. I suppose they had a reason for using them, but to me they just seemed really straight.
The big find of the trip though was the Januik winery is serving brick oven baked pizzas on weekends, and I will definitely take adavantage of that on the next ride out there, maybe in a couple of weeks.
Rex Himes (5/10/2009):What a spectacular trip it was to Lake 22 on Saturday. The well-maintained trail starts steeply up thru a moss-covered old-growth forest, where already a few trilliums were in bloom and a couple of waterfalls were roaring. Crossing the talus midway, the trail became completely snow-covered, but it was well-tramped and slushy so traction was not a problem. The icing on the cake, quite literally, was arriving at the lake. The lake, its shores, and the dramatic cliffs rising 2000' above were all snow-covered, but under a brilliant blue sky the sun was so warm we could have sunbathed on the "snow beach," next to the lake where we lunched. And the audio-visual effects were dramatic: As we arrived, a loud ka-boom was followed by a stream of snow cascading down the cliffs into the opposite side of the lake. The awesome event actually went on for several minutes as we all gaped.
Five OV members trekked up to the lake and back down, where we celebrated with a little bubbly.
Jeffrey King (4/28/2009):Well, I can't say much about this trip other than it was amazing! We had sunshine and blue skies the entire trip with temps ranging from 31 to 44. It was warmer than that in the sun, but we were all too busy to simply sit around.
Our total head count was 10: Jeff, Don, Steve, Zan, Fred, Gary, Scott, Tom, Terri and Rosa. We even had a late night visit from the hottie in the next campsite. Anyway, as promised the hike was an easy 2.3 miles made slightly more difficult by patchy snow, swollen creeks and one 13inch dutch oven! We had only one slip and fall...no names please!
We took a day hike to reach some falls on the South Fork of Boulder Creek, but the bridge was washed out and there was still at least 4-6 FEET of snow! Wait till you see the photo's...is it summer yet or what?
We hit the hot springs hard after our day hike and as promised, they were HOT! I couldn't handle the 113 degrees that the rest of the group could, so I picked a smaller relatively cool pool at 108. It was the perfect roasty toasty medicine our tired legs wanted! As I forgot my camera while at the springs (duh) I don't have any pics of us bathing, I'll have to ask someone else to post some of those for me.
The campfire that night was lively and warm. Our hunky neighbor told us all the story of how he was hiking alone (at 1:30am) up a nearby trail and saw two glowing eyes staring back at him...Mountain Lions! He saw them in the bushes with his headlamp just staring back at him...YIPES! I don't care if Martha Stewart says it wouldn't be proper, I would have wet myself!
We ended the trip with lunch at a greasy spoon in Quilcene and with a driving trip up Mount Walker. There were great views of the sound, Seattle and the mountains.
Thanks to all for making this trip such a success!
Jeff
Rex Himes (4/20/2009):What a perfect day in April to hit the trail. The temps were hot and there were also some hotties on the trail. Eleven OV members met at Volunteer Park for the short drive to Rattlesnake Lake, where the parking lots were already overflowing. We quickly climbed up 1000' in two miles to the main ledge, which commands a nice view of Mt. Si, Mailbox and other surrounding peaks. We paused there among the many other hikers, but then continued up the ridge, past two more ledges. The trail was much less traveled here but it also got progressively snowier, so about a mile from the first ledge we turned back for lunch at the furthest ledge.
After a quick descent through more hordes of hikers climbing up, we found a picnic table by the lake for a pleasant little apres-hike party, which included raising a glass of bubbly to the first annivesary of Ray and Gary's move to Seattle. This was accompanied by some home-made goodies and more wine, of course.
Hopefully, with the warm temps, snow in the mountains will be melting away and we will be able to do some higher trails soon. In May, I'll likely lead a trip to Lake Serene, where we've been able to watch avalanches (at a safe distance) in the past, so stay tuned.
Rex
Lyle Rudensey (4/17/2009):Relevant to the topic of saving the planet, there's a new queer environmental group in Seattle called Out Sustainability and they're looking to connect to other groups or individuals.. They're doing some stuff for Earth Day and will be at farmer's markets- check them out at:
http://www.outsustainability.com
Rex Himes (4/9/2009):I took over as leader for the Oyster Dome hike when Jon Pollack came down with a bad cold. I didn't hesitate when Jon asked since the forecast was for a warm and sunny Sunday, and Oyster Dome was one of the few interesting hikes where we wouldn't have to confront loads of recent snow with probable avalanche danger.
There were seven participants on a beautiful Sunday morning. Some of us stopped at an excellent bakery in Edison just off Chuckanut Drive before arriving at the trailhead. Finding the poorly marked trailhead wasn't too difficult with good directions and many other cars already parked on the narrow shoulder of the road.
The trail climbs steeply above Samish Bay, with the forest thin enough, due to recent logging, that there were steady views out over the bay and nearby islands. Poorly marked junctions caused a little confusion and we ended up taking a short spur to the "bat caves" at the foot of a steep cliff rising up to the Dome. The trail here also was both steep and muddy, requiring some careful stepping. Nearing the summit, we only encountered a little slushy snow that was not at all icy. The reward for our effort was lunch on a sun-warmed rocky ledge with views over all the San Juans, Vancouver Island, and the Olympics, with even the elusive Mt. Olympus visible.
We descended the trail quickly and had a pleasant after-hike party by the cars, very pleased to have taken advantage of this early taste of summer-like weather.
Rex
Jeffrey King (4/5/2009):We had a great time at Lake Easton! Snowball fights, xcountry skiing, snowshoeing, anatomically correct snowmen, hot fires, BIG tents, hot coffee, sledding and the chatter of Canadian Geese as the took to the lake for the evening.
Thanks to Chef Scott for taking care of us!
Photo's are posted for your enjoyment.
Jeff
Rob Tyrrell (3/29/2009):This was a fun, early-season hike. Kind of dramatic weather change between the parking lot and the summit, but a beautiful hike and great company. Glad I brought poles
:-)
Thanks, Rex!
Mela Collins (4/2/2009):We were a small but mighty group on Saturday! Three OutVentures women hiked up to the worksite to help complete construction of a turnpike and remove some downed trees. Much to our surprise it was snowing at Squak Mountain and left us wondering if it could really be spring.
As promised, we all wore hardhats (a truly under appreciated fashion choice) worked with butch tools and got seriously muddy.
It was amazing to see our progress over the course of a few short hours. The work was hard, but we laughed a lot and discovered the joy of finding the perfect rock.
Hopefully we'll do this again soon - but on a drier and sunnier day.
Thanks to Sue and Shannon for all you did. It was a great day!
Jeffrey King (1/28/2009):We had a nice turnout for this weekday social event. Five other members besides myself sat infront of the fire and watched the first out of 11 chapters of "Planet Earth". We had a first timer join the group, Tim and he seemed to enjoy himself quite a bit. I'm looking forward to the next viewing on Tuesday the 3rd.
Rex Himes (1/19/2009):Even though my posting was very last minute, 11 of us showed up for a great snowshoe outing on Mt. Rainier. Foggy and icy roads in the lowlands gave way to brilliant, warm sunshine as we ascended the road from Longmire to Paradise. Along there, it was interesting to note the section of the road that had recently slid down the steep slope shortly after the big Nisqually bridge, making it one-way with flaggers until repairs this spring.
The parking lot between Paradise Inn and the new visitor's center was almost full, but the three drivers all found convenient spaces. Climbing out of the cars, we found no heavy clothing was needed with temps probably close to 60, at least out of the breeze. Ten of us put on snowshoes and Clare put on her X-country skis with skins for the ascent up towards Panorma Point. The views were some of the clearest I have seen in recent years, with none of the haze typical even on an otherwise cloudless day in the summer. Mt. St. Helens and Mt Adams soon came into sight above the Tatoosh range behind us, with every detail visible; a little later, more distant Mt. Hood became very clearly visible. Not to forget Rainier itself looming above us in all its glory.
Despite the warm temps, the snow was not as slushy as we expected but actually crusty and icy in places. The steep final ascent to Panorama Point was thus a little daunting. 8 of us found the traction to make it up and had our lunch on a rocky perch with a spectacular view--group photos taken there should be posted here soon. A few of us looked for a way down that was a little less steep and ended up coming down an even more treacherous chute, holding on to scrub pines until it was safe to just glissade into the open bowl below.
All made it down safely, thankfully, and then we descended back to the lodge, where we found the rest of our group and had a little celebratory after-party with drinks and snacks in the new visitors center. Thanks to everyone for their contribution to this, and the general level of enthusiasm which made the day a very fun as well as beautiful excursion.
Russ Borgnin (1/13/2009):Rex Himes (1/4/2009):This was a great example of why it is important to do your own weather research for trip preparation on not rely on the heresy of other including the rangers. Great job Rex, his preparation made this a great trip for us all!
Changing plans several times for this trip, wanting to stay safe from avalanches, we ended up taking advice from a ranger that probably put us in more such danger than my original plan. His weather forecast also was off the mark.
I had originally planned to snowshoe up the Deer Creek FS road, from the end of the plowed part of the Mtn Loop Rd, since it's closed to snowmobiles and appeared not too exposed to avalanche danger when I was up it several winters ago. The Verlot FS Ranger told me on Saturday, however, that he thought that road too dangerous in high avalanche conditions. Instead he suggested snowshoeing out on the closed Mtn Loop Road to the Ice Caves overlook, so I posted that. Driving up there though, behind a truck hauling snowmobiles, I realized that they could be heading to the same place--and sharing a trail with them is not my idea of a wilderness experience. So we stopped at Verlot to ask about other suggestions. He mentioned Lake 22, even though a member of a school group had been killed in an avalanche there last year. He also warned that 4-6 inches of snow were expected to fall during the day, on top of multiple feet already there, even though the detailed forecast I had checked in the morning said the snow wouldn't start until later in the afternoon.
So, five of us headed up the trail to Lake 22, at first well trodden through beautiful woods and across icy streams. After about 2 miles, however, only about 1/2 mile from the lake, the trail was obliterated by a recent avalanche. There didn't seem too much snow left above, so we cut our own trail across the debris field until we found the previously packed trail beyond. Here, on what is an open boulder field in the summer, we were at least getting great views of the surrounding peaks. The next switchback was also obliterated, so we cut up steeply to catch the next level of the trail. Not far above, however, more avalanche debris made the going so icy on a very steep slope that we decided it was too dangerous to continue. We found a nice spot for lunch, with nice views, and then headed back. Along the way down, we met a couple other intrepid hikers who mentioned another route to the lake... via the avalanche chute where the girl got killed last year. We were not tempted.
Not a flake of snow fell on us and we got back to Seattle just as heavy snow began, exactly according to the forecast I had seen. Oh well, we had a nice little adventure from which we emerged safely.... I'm not sure, however, about relying on the advice of rangers for future winter outings.
Jeffrey King (3/8/2009):I'm happy to report that the Fort Ebey Camping trip was a great success! We didn't have a drop of rain or a flake of snow, but we did have exciting places to explore, five campers, 2 dogs, a big campfire and a tasty pot luck dinner.
Friday's fantastic weather gave us some great views of the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound (the photograph of the Tanker is one of my favorite). Despite the chilly temperatures and the wind that kicked up late on Saturday, we had a great time. For me, the two highlights were Fort Ebey and Fort Casey.
Fort Ebey's embattlements and bluffs we exiting and windy. The old doors would creak and grind as you peered inside the dark and echoing rooms. The space was eerie and smelled damp like an old basement that hadn't been opened in years. My stomach had an odd uneasiness as I explored and it got so dark at times I kept one hand on the wall, to make sure that I was standing up straight. I forgot my headlamp, so my way was lit by the erratic flashlights of my fellow explorers (we felt more like time travelers). It was hard to imagine men living here.
Fort Casey was much larger and equally impressive. Some of its guns still stand ready, though they guard themselves more from time, rust and wind than us from danger. I stood on the thick concrete and felt the cold of the ironwork as I braced myself against the gale that was buffeting the southern edge of the grounds. As we walked up and down the stairs sand stirred from cracks and corners stung against my face and I could hear the beach grass rustling violently as it huddles tightly to the ground. I found myself wandering slowly along the abandoned posts. I don't know if it was out of a sense of respect or solace, but a feeling of quiet drifted over me!