See recently posted trip reports or reports of trips from 2010, 2009, 2008.
Lisa Sokanoff (9/8/2010):Six of us made the drive down to Silver Springs Campground located just before the entrance to Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park. The six were Elaine, Lisa, Tandy, Denise, Katie and trip leader Holly. I have to admit that I'm a little spoiled from Miller's and the Orcas trips on having our own space. However the camground was very nice and the spaces were far enough apart that you felt some privacy.
We all drove down that Friday afternoon and set up our campsites. Then did some socializing we got to know Tandy, Holly, Katie and Denise since we had never met any of them before.
The next day, Elaine and I went on a great day hike in the Park. We drove up to Sunrise and did a hiked to Mt. Burroughs 1 and 2. It was a stellar day with Rainier and Little Tahoma right there in our view. It was 4.5 miles round trip with 1200 elevation gain. Not difficult but still fun and popular. There are several trails including the Wonderland Trail that branch off. We did see a herd of mountain goats in the distance. The wild flowers are still around but you can tell the season is changing.
Later that day we met up for cocktail hour and talked about our day. Then had dinner over the open pit grill the campsite had. Food always seems to taste better when cooked outdoors.
On Sunday, The weather in the morning was drizzling, but Elaine and I took off again this time for Fryingpan Creek and hiked to the Summerland Campground. This trail is 8.5 miles round trip with 2100 elevation gain. It starts out in the forest for a ways,then opens up. The weather cleared and we could again see Rainier with the other peaks. Once we got to Summerland we had lunch and saw a big, fat marmot, several grouse with of lots of chipmunks. As we were hiking out a couple told us of a bear sighting a mother and cub just ahead of us. Unfortunatley they took off before we saw them.
Once we got back to our campsite, we had cocktail hour with the others. Tandy and Denise got a bike ride in. Holly and Katie took a long drive to do some serious photography.
It was a great relaxing weekend with pretty scenery and good company. Thanks to Holly for organizing this trip.
Stay tuned for photos.
Jeffrey King (8/23/2010):The 2010 White Salmon Rafting trip was a great success!
15 of us floated, bobbed, paddled, spun or otherwise shivered down the tight volcanic canyons of the river. In may places you can't even see the top of the canyon.
To get it over with, yes I got thrown out of the boat at the falls! It was all great fun and I'll have more detailed photo's when I get the disc from the photographer.
Moss Creek Campground is always a perfect spot for our needs; it's right along Lava Creek and we always get 4 sites right next to each other. The fires were hot, the coffee was strong and the pot lucks were scrumptious!
Many of us decided to take Forest Road 23 back home, it's a great dirt road that cuts through the heart of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We stopped at Takhlakh Lake, saw the meadows and lava fields and ended with burgers and fries at the Big Bottom Bar and Grill in Randal. Let the jokes commence!
Thanks to all for making this a great trip. I have one photo posted and there will me more!
Rex Himes (8/20/2010):It was indeed hot last weekend, but Summit Lake turned out to be a pleasant hike for such conditions. 16 of us set out from Volunteer Park early Sunday morning. One car made some wrong turns along the way to the trailhead but eventually that group joined us on the trail.
The trail up to the lake was mostly shaded by the forest, thankfully, for the occasional sunny spot was uncomfortably warm. Arriving among the wild flowers next to the lake we decided to head up to the small peak above the lake for lunch before coming back down for a swim. What a view a few hundred more feet of elevation gave us: Close up to Rainier, we could see all the detail of the peak's north side, including the Willis Wall, plus Baker, Glacier, Stewart, St Helens, the cities of Puget Sound, and the Olympics, with smoke from a forest fire over the southern part--see some of the great photos posted. Even with no shade, a pleasant breeze make this a great spot to lunch while we soaked in the views. And, we had this beautiful perch to ourselves.
Then it was back down to the lake. For such a hot day, there were surprisingly few other people around--we noted only two groups. So, it was easy to find a relatively secluded, almost sandy beach to have a swim and relax a little with Rainier rising above the opposite shore. The water wasn't ice-cold but refreshingly cool enough that no one stayed in long. Then, it was back down to the trailhead for some very welcome cold drinks and snacks. We was a nice spot for this around a picnic table, but we didn't linger too long, as the bugs began to find us. On the drive back to the city, we saw temperature flashers indicating around 100, so we were glad to have been in a fairly cool place, with a chance for a cool dip!
Rex
Rex Himes (8/4/2010):The weather this past weekend wasn't as perfect for hiking as the previous couple weekends. The 16 OV members who hiked up to Park Butte thus got none of the up-close views of Mt Baker promised. The clouds of the "marine layer" never really burned off entirely, even by late afternoon. We did enjoy the beautiful terrain, which ranged from Schreiber Meadows, full of wild flowers, to raging streams coming down among fog-shrouded ridges and crags. Higher up, we were mostly on snow, which became very ethereal combined with the fog. At least we were all wearing good boots, so traction wasn't a problem, and it wasn't difficult following a fairly well-trodden track. The temps were very comfortable and the relative cool kept the bugs from getting obnoxious. At the top of the butte, we peered inside the lookout cabin and had lunch nearby, sans vue.
A few of the group took a wrong turn coming down but soon realized it and got back to the correct path to the trailhead, where we had quite an enjoyable apres-hike tailgater, with a wide variety of drinks and snacks. Several suggested that this hike must be re-done on a clearer day.
Rex
Tim Byrne (7/26/2010):Rex Himes (7/26/2010):Here's a picture of Lyle's of Grand Park from the mountain on Saturday (link)
http://picasaweb.google.com/biolyle/MtRainierClimb#5497986910940682802
Grand Park is the large flat green area along the right side of the W Fork of the White River Valley running down from the Winthrop Glacier in the center of the picture.It was perfect weather for outdoor activity this past weekend, and that helped make the hike to Grand Park a truly beautiful outing. 21 eager hikers, including some on their first OV activity, met up at REI on a warm Sunday morning. 4 more joined the group in Enumclaw and we all rallied at the scenic viewpoint 24 miles further along highway 410 to caravan up the bumpy forest service road to the trailhead. Unfortunately, one vehicle developed some mechanical issues along the way and the two ladies in it decided to turn back.
At the unofficial trailhead, for which there was thus no real parking lot, there were already about 6 other vehicles, but we managed to find (or create) spaces along the road for our 7 SUVs. We started up the trail, and in less than a quarter mile, a sign marked the boundary of Mt Rainier National Park and reminded us of a few park regulations. Although this was a "boot trail" created by hikers themselves rather than the forest or park service, it was easy to follow. In about a mile we arrived at pretty little Lake Eleanor, where we had a brief rest stop before heading up an official park trail to Grand Park. It climbed gradually thru old forests, and a small meadow with already a view of Rainier above. Since the temps were pushing 80 degrees, we were pleased that most of the elevation gain. although modest, was in fairly cool shade. As we got higher, there were a few patches of snow, but never over the trail, just a few muddy spots.
Breaking out of the woods into the wide expanse of Grand Park was almost an ethereal experience. The Park is by far the largest and flattest alpine meadow on Mt Rainier. Broken only by the occasional copse of trees, it was like a giant carpet of wild flowers with the huge expanse of Mt Rainier and little Tahoma occupying the entire horizon beyond--take a look at some of the photos already posted. After strolling down the trail towards the mountain, we scampered across the meadow to a few trees and logs which offered a nice seating area for lunch. We drank in the magnificent view along with our gatorade! A nice breeze not only cooled us but kept away most of the bugs which might have otherwise detracted from our enjoyment of this incredible place.
After lunch we continued to the end of the meadow, at a trail junction, and then turned back towards the trailhead. It didn't take long to get back down to Lake Eleanor. Although some of the group were tempted to dive in, the lure of iced drinks in coolers back at the trailhead proved stronger. Several did cool off in a nice little swimming hole along the creek right next to our cars. We lingered there quite a while over drinks and snacks, including Parker's delicious banana bread, before heading back to the city. What a glorious day it had been!
Mike Joines (8/2/2010):Sorry this is such a late trip report, but I wanted to be sure to share the info on such a wonderful hike. I have uploaded photos as well.
That Saturday morning was glorious (well the whole weekend was), but no one showed up at Volunteer Park for the hike, but since I had also canceled it the weekend before, I wasnât going to miss this opportunity again! I left Volunteer Park at 8:07, and had no trouble at all getting in line for the 8:45a Bainbridge ferry, so FYI, in this economy, it looks like Saturday day hikes in the Olympics are feasible, even leaving as late as this (i.e., no long ferry lines).
Since I was alone, I dilly-dallied and stopped in Poulsbo for a breakfast sandwich and walked around downtown there. I headed on towards and over the Hood Canal bridge, then headed south to Quilcene. There was a very quaint farmerâs market in Quilcene. The trailhead is about 20 miles from Quilcene on mostly paved Forest Service roads, although with the huge occasional potholes, you could easily get a flat tire if you arenât watching closely. There were 38 cars at the trailhead, and 10-15 cars parked up and down the road, so I had to park about ½ mile away. It didnât indicate a day of solitude ahead, but I later concluded that a lot of these folks must have headed somewhere else, or were backpacking to other destinations from this trailhead, because it wasnât crowded by any means, and I was already heading up very late (about 12:30p).
The lower part of the trail is in dense, lush forest of fir and hemlock, with a thick understory of rhododendron. The rhodies were still in full bloom about a mile up the trail (surprising this late in the season and in this warmth). This part of the trail is pretty steep (20%), and it felt close in the warmth and humidity. About 2 miles into it, you break out into switchbacks and meadows, and the views of the Puget Sound unfold quickly. The trail is on an east-facing side of the mountain, so you have a spectacular view of the entire southern Salish Sea. As I reached Windy Pass, the only snow patches lingered here, along with a single, solitary glacier lily (the yellow variety). Glacier lilies and Avalanche lilies usually indicate that snow was on the spot approximately 2 weeks before, because these lilies emerge and bloom within 2 weeks of snowmelt, fyi.
Nearer the top, the trail is in open meadow, and the wildflowers were in full bloom. There were tons of creeping phlox in bloom. It was like white/pink/purple dust had been sprinkled all over the hillside. There was also a lighter mix of Indian paintbrush and lupine.
Mt. Townsend has a broad and very long humpback summit, with kind of a loop trail around the perimeter, so you can start at the south end and move your way up to the North end, where there is a clearer view of Victoria, BC. You can clearly see Victoria, BC, the San Juans, Vancouver Island, the Canadian Cascades, all five Washington State volcanoes (on a very clear day, as it was on this particular day), and downtown Seattle, including the Space Needle. Mt St Helens was by far the haziest and hardest to pick out. I donât know if Hood is visible or not from here. It could either have been too hazy or perhaps it sits behind one of the other peaks from this vantage point.
Looking the other way, you see the Eastern-most peaks of the Olympics, including The Brothers, Mt Constance, Warrior Peak, and Mt. Deception. You can see the top of the Gray Wolf range and the Needles, which , along with Mt Deception, form the western backdrop of the Royal Basin. I highly recommend bringing maps up on this hike, as you get such a unique birds-eye view of so much.
After a wonderful lunch and conversation with myself :-) I headed back down. As I was heading back down, I could see two white Alaska cruise ships leaving Seattle and heading north up the Sound. I hardly passed a soul going down, for some reason. Because of all of my dilly-dallying, I only got back in time for the 7:15p ferry. This was a 5-star hike, and I highly recommend it for anyone (newcomers and visitors especially) because of the overview of our wonderful corner of the world that is presents.
Jeffrey King (7/30/2010):Sorry this is a bit late...
I'm happy to announce that the 2010 Orcas Island Fly-in was a great success! Thanks to OV and Russ for organizing all those flights! Despite the traffic and overloaded ferry system, members flew in, biked in, motorcycled in, drove in and some just walked in from the neighborhood; it seems the draw of the sun and the islands were too much to resist.
In the spirit of true hospitality, Mark Ditto once again opened the weekend and his home to the masses - most of whom jammed on to the standing room only shuttle. Somehow, pasta always tastes better at someone elses house...especially one with such a great view. Thank you Mark for your warm heart and generous spirit.
Saturday was full of hikes, bikes, whale watching by boat, whale watching by air, kite flying, first flights and second flights. There were multiple trips to the store for ice and beverages and plenty of good old fashioned plane watchin! At the end of the day, there were 47 at the OutVentures BBQ all sprawled out on the breezy grass at Eastsound. Roy and Scott were our BBQ chefs and we should send a big shout out to them for keeping us all well fed and happy. There were new faces to welcome and familiar faces to welcome back and a few four legged friends to entertain and beg from all. With 47 attending, the north end of the field looked like a true tent city with every type and color of tent being represented.
There were two helicopter flights this year which sent tenters running to be sure their tents did not blow away; all those stakes and guy-lines do come in handy at an airport!
As always, I plan on a relaxed, sunset-ferry cruise back home and this year Roy and I were treated to a moonrise-cruise as well. There is something about the islands at sunset, whether by air or sea, there is that magic hour of orange, reds and purples that has an effect on the soul. Out on the deck, the cool air of the sound whips around you as you lean against the steel rail of the ferry, your eyes fixed on the warm glow slowly fading. With the setting of the sun, the long shadows of the islands finally turn dark and the ferry pushes on into the night. I turned and went inside with a smile on my face and the smell of the sea filling my lungs, and another Fly-In comes to an end.
With a grateful heart for all those who helped make this weekend possible, I wish you a terrific summer.
Jeff
Tim Byrne (7/25/2010):My luck with NW climbing weather continues. All seven of our party of seven summited yesterday with clear skies, almost no wind, and fairly good climbing conditions.
We spent Thursday night at the foot of Interglacier, about a mile up the valley from Glacier Basin Campground (full). Wind woke us up on and off through the night as strong winds that were blowing over the upper mountain drifted now and again up over St Elmo's pass.
Friday we broke camp at about 8:30 AM and headed up Interglacier to Camp Curtis. We met a number of climbing parties coming down. None of them had summited because of high winds at the Bergschrund step. After a short misroute up one of the many false foot paths we found the correct trail down to the Emmons glacier, roped up and were quickly at Camp Schurman (9,500). A large party with good campsites were leaving as we arrived, so we ended up with decent tent sites. The previous night's strong winds produced a number of high walled sites that took only a little work to get ready for the night.
Camp Schurman is both beautiful and ugly. You are situated at the edge of the Emmons glacier, below the Emmons/Winthrop icefall. You have the massive Steamboat Prow rock formation as a backdrop. But you also have the most foul smelling restroom any of us have ever encountered, and you have a lot of really dirty snow.
Saturday morning we woke up at 2:00 AM, with the goal of getting on the rope by 2:30. We were actually on the ropes by 3:00 which isn't bad, with an ETA at the summit of about 10:00.
Climbing conditions were relatively good. It was warm with clear skies. So visibility up the route was perfect. But there was no warming downslope wind that night, and the air was generally dry, which left the surface perfect for climbing in crampons. We made good progress up The Corridor, a glacial ridge generally free of large crevasses and generally safe from icefall. We ran into our first crevasse fields at a little over 12,000'. I took advantage of slight misroute to take the party over a narrow crevasse bridge.
At 13,000 we came to the lower Bergschrund (large crevasse separating the moving glacier from the more or less static ice fields above it). There we waited for a party who made needlessly slow progress using poorly executed running belays on step-cut slope that required none. Once the slow party had cleared their Hilary Step we forged on. At about 13,500' we came to the upper Bergschrund, which required a simple step up or two over a bridge to cross.
After the two larger crevasse obstacles it was an easy climb up switchbacks to the base of the crater rim at about 14,000. There we unroped and geared down for the final hike up the scree to the rim and along the rim to Columbia Crest where all of us topped out at about 10:30 am.
The view was (nearly) panoramic: Adams, the Stuart Range, Glacier, the bumps in the Ptramigan traverse area, Shuksan, Baker, the BC Coast Range, Pugetopolis and its eponymous sound, the Olympics, St Helens. Hood and points South were obscured by a bump on the rim.
After photos and such we geared back up and I decided to take a different route down, wanting to avoid the crevasse crossing bottlenecks where I imagined the Hilary Step party would be belaying people one by one down the 'schrund crossing. So we descended to Liberty Saddle, picked our way through the crevasse field at the top of the Winthrop Glacier, and connected with the descending traverse route that took us back to The Corridor. The glacial landscape is remarkable on this route as you pass through the upper reaches of some major icefalls. The route is somewhat exposed but very secure. It's well worth the detour of a half mile.
At about 12,800' the snow turned quite soft, and the last 3,000' of the descent was on progressively sloppier mashed potato snow. Fortunately we found quite a few areas for roped glissades. The sort conditions added at least an hour to our descent, but we still made it down in time to hike out.
After a little rest and some food and water, we broke camp and hiked out. The trip out was made quite a bit easier by about 1800' of glissading on Interglacier. The 4.2 mile hike out seemed more like 6 miles. We reached the cars by about 8:45. After brief commiseration with other climbers about the evils inflicted on one's feet by climbing boots, we packed up and headed back to Seattle.
It's rare to find the combination of good climbing conditions and good weather on Rainier. Usually by the time the good weather arrives in late July and early August (our three week summer), the glaciers are bare and climbing becomes harder (more rock scrambling, more time wasted with dead ends in crevasse fields, etc.). This year's late mountain snows have kept climbing conditions near ideal into the nice weather period. In fact if this Saturday had not been so exceptionally warm on Rainier, even the descent would have been pretty good.
Mike Joines (7/23/2010):[Note: This hike is being re-posted, but this is the report from last week's hike.] Well, there were only 2 of us (MJ and MJ), and one of us had time constraints, so we decided to go to Snow Lake (Snoqualmie Pass) instead of Mt Townsend. I have lived here 8 years, and this hike is so pooh-poohed for its location and reported crowds, that I just had to see what it was all about. Also, not all of us grew up in the Pacific NW and got to go there on a school field trip! :-)
It was quite cool and gray here in the city when we left, but as soon as we got to North Bend, it was beautifully sunny and clear. Right about the time we reached the Denny Creek exit of I-90, we saw a hawk pass over us with a small snake in its claws - the day's experiences were already beginning. We stopped at the pass and picked up a forest pass, then drove over to the Alpental parking lot and the trailhead. There were only about 100 cars in the lot, lol!
We headed up the traihead and kept a pretty brisk pace most of the way. Almost immediately we experienced the auditory pleasure of snowmelt-swollen streams. Tons of things in bloom or hinting at fruit to come: Salmonberry, Thimbleberry, Columbine, huckleberries, blueberries. The trail follows the little vale almost to its end, thru avalanche meadows, stands of mostly Western hemlock and Doug fir, before heading up a few switchbacks to a saddle shaded by mountain hemlocks. The view of Snow Lake from here is just gorgeous. The lake was still about 20 percent ice-covered near the outlet, but melting quickly. Little patches of snow here and there near the saddle and around the hillsides surrounding the lake.
We found a beautiful needle-carpeted place to enjoy our lunch and doze under the hemlocks. I noted a Western blue jay; and all at once, 3 raptors of some sort (they had a distinctive divide down the center of their tail feathers) being roused from one tree over to another for some reason. Meanwhile, a chipmunk tried to get in our packs while we gazed up at the sky.
After this pleasant break, we decided to head back down. There were indeed a lot of hikers on the trail this day, but nothing unpleasant or in any way impeding our enjoyment of it. The weather was absolutely perfect. We were back in downtown Seattle in no time, and there was no traffic on I-90 on the departure or the return. Snow Lake - worth the view if you haven't seen it and you're looking for something relatively close in and accessible!
Lyle Rudensey (7/16/2010):Did this solo today as a conditioner for Rainier (and cuz I have too much time on my hands).. Ah the joys of underemployment in Seattle summer.
This was one of the hardest hikes I've done (about twice as steep as Si), but the cool day helped, and the views esp of Rainier were glorious. Also funny that at the top there's a Stranger newspaper box with last week's issue! Also a mailbox of course, full of nick-knacks that folks have left and a logbook.
Tom Rowan (7/12/2010):Eight of us enjoyed a lovely ride through the Skagit Valley yesterday. After a slow start (thanks for changing my tire Ray/Tim!) we stopped for coffee at Tweets, a little gay-owned cafe in the tiny town of Edison. We then split into two groups. Five rode @ 22 miles along the water, then back through the Valley. Three of us did a shorter but even more beautiful ride through fields and farmlands. Rendezvoused back at the Rhododendron Cafe in Bow for a languid, civilized lunch.
Rex Himes (7/12/2010):18 OutVenture members plus two dogs drove to the trailhead on a warm Saturday, up the long and rough North Fork Road from North Bend. Luckily we had enough participants willing to drive their sturdy SUVs, for the trip would have taken much longer in ordinary cars. A bleak area of active logging operations finally gave way to pristine and rugged wilderness shortly after we crossed a just-opened bridge, for which the construction had closed access to this area for almost 2 years. We weren't the only eager hikers, however, to have read WTA's reports about the road's reopening--about five vehicles already were parked near the trailhead. We ended up sharing the trail with perhaps a couple dozen other hikers, but there would have been a couple hundred on the better known trails off I-90.
The trail climbed quickly, first through a delightfully cool forest. We soon arrived at roaring Bear Creek, which we had to cross, first on a large log which was once part of a bridge long ago washed out, and then very gingerly on several large but slick rocks. The bridge at the second crossing of the creek was thankfully intact and solid. The old mining road the trail was following required special care to avoid twisted ankles, since many deep holes had developed among the old planks and slabs, and they were often concealed by the wild growth that had almost taken over parts of the trail after no traffic or trail work at all last year.
On the opposite side of the creek, many waterfalls cascaded down from still snow-covered ridges. Our trail here started switchbacking up the dry, south-facing side of the ridge which was crowned by Bare Mountain. It was a little too 'bare,' with only a few clumps of cedars to occasionally shelter us from a sun which felt hotter as we climbed--at least there was a pleasantly cool breeze most of the way. As we topped the ridge, there were fields of snow just over it, and we could see the frozen Paradise Lakes down below. We finally arrived at the summit, a large flat area where a fire lookout once stood. There was plenty of room for all of our group plus 7 or 8 other hikers to have nice perches for lunch up there. Mt. Rainier imposed fully over the view to the south, while Glacier and many other peaks of the central Cascades loomed to the north, with Mt. Baker finally appearing as a few clouds began to lift. Thanks to Craig for identifying so many peaks to us.
The trip down was definitely brutal on the legs, especially all the rocks of the old mining road lower down. A couple of the guys stopped to play in the creek where it flowed over giant slabs above our log crossing, while the rest of us enjoyed just the cooling spray. A little further on, we crossed paths with a uniformed Forest Service volunteer who was beginning to clear, with a tiny saw, many of the small trees which had fallen over the trail during the last two winters. Arriving back at the trailhead, I think we were all pleased to have waiting in our vehicles coolers filled with refreshing drinks and nourishing snacks, especially since we were about an hour from civilization. Thanks to everyone for being real troopers on this hot and rough climb. I will have to include a swimming hole on upcoming hikes when it is this warm!
Rex
Larry Olson (7/12/2010):We left Friday evening and headed south to the campground about 10 miles west of White Pass and set up camp. Saturday morning we awoke to some mosquittos but they disapeared when it was warmer. We set out on out hike to the William O Douglas wilderness area and hiked through virgin forest to Jug lake about 3.5 miles in and had lunch. We spent about an 1.5 hrs at the lake admiring the meadows surrounding the lake and the brook trout which were swimming in the stream next to out picnic spot. Afterward we hiked back down the trail to the box canyon on the way back to the campground and found some rocks with bits of gold, silver and platinum in them. I took some photo's of the waterfall and mine then we headed back to camp. We spent the evening around a campfire talking about the hike and various other subjects then retired for the evening. In the morning we collected up our things and broke camp heading home. I want to thank Joan, Chris, John and Ranger for a fun trip and being such great campmates. Larry
Lisa Sokanoff (7/4/2010):We were a small group but a mighty one on this relaxing day hike. There were 4 of us; Elaine Field, Lisa Sokanoff, Cheryl Olson, and new member Nicole Gaudette. This was a nice hike up to Lake Twenty-two, a very well maintained trail. It's normally very popular but I think the weather kept people away so it wasn't too crowded. For most of the hike we walked through beautiful forest with huge Douglas Firs and cedars. Nearby we had views of a waterfall. Then it opened up and we could see other waterfalls in the distance. Once we got to Lake 22 there's a trail you can walk around the lake so we did that then stopped for lunch. Unfortunately, it got socked in and it started to drizzle so we left and headed back down the trail. After we got back, we headed into Snohomish to Fred's Rivertown Ale House for a bite and brews (surprise, surprise). It was a very enjoyable day with good company. Photos to come.
Rex Himes (7/5/2010):This trip report is for the hike we actually did on July 3 to Earl Peak rather than Source Lake due to inclement weather at the latter:
Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa... I am indeed guilty bigtime of false advertising. I posted the relatively easy hike to Source Lake and we ended up doing 7036' Earl Peak, which was only slightly longer but with more than 3 times the vertical gain--3600 feet in all. It was thus another "ballbuster," in fact, one of the more strenuous hikes I've ever led. But, instead of hiking in the fog and drizzle, we had warmth and halfway clear skies, and a couple of other bonuses for the extra effort.
10 OV members showed up at Volunteer Park on a gray but at least dry morning. The overnight showers were gone in town, but I warned everyone that I had seen reports that the rain clouds were hanging persistantly over the Cascade crest. I said that we could head up to the Pass for the Source Lake hike, but if it was in fact foggy there, I had a Plan B: Earl Peak in the Teanaway, where it was likely to be somewhat sunnier and warmer. The hike would only be a bit longer. One hiker decided not to go but everyone else said they'd be up for either Plan A or B according to the weather. Hmm, I might have neglected to mention at that point how much more altitude we would be gaining up Earl Peak.
Arriving at the Pass, there was not only thick fog that seemed unlikely to lift before afternoon, it was raining and it was 43 degrees. We had phoned a friend near Cle Elum who said the weather over there was fine. So, it was a no-brainer to drive an hour east to the Bean Creek trailhead up Teanaway Road outside of Cle Elum. The weather improved just as promised. Though the skies were not clear blue, there were only passing clouds which were high above us instead of us being in them, and it was warm enough to hike in just shorts and tshirts.
We started the hike up roaring Beverly Creek and soon made the turn on to the Bean Creek trail. We started seeing flowers, first a few wild orchids than fields of lupine. After making a slightly difficult crossing of the fast-flowing creek, we saw a profusion of other flowers, including columbine, paintbrush, shooting stars and glacier lilies. Leaving these meadows on a long series of steep switchbacks, mostly in the woods, it was fauna, rather than flora to remark at: We saw first one, then a pair of Western Tanagers, brightly orange and yellow colored birds of the cardinal family, which are rarely spotted in these parts, The pair seemed to be flittering around in a mating ritual, which enchanted us for a few minutes.
Nearing the top of the ridge above the Bean Creek basin, we started encountering a few patches of snow, but nothing that impeded our progress, and we were already above 6000'--two weeks ago on the western slopes of the Cascades, some of us had hiked in deep snow from about 4000'. Cresting the ridge at a saddle beneath Earl Peak, two of our group decided to wait there while the rest of us made the short but steep ascent to the summit. We were up in about half an hour and had our lunch enjoying a panorama including Mt Stuart, almost in our face, and its surrounding peaks, plus Mt. Daniel, Mt. Hindman, and the craggy peaks of the Enchantments, To the south, Mt Rainier rose above the clouds, and we could also see the Goat Rocks. Mt Adams was hidden by clouds, but we thought about the OV party up there and hoped they were having better conditions than appeared.
The descent was quick and it was a delight to go back though the fields of flowers. Arriving at the trailhead, we were only a bit the worse for wear, tired, with sore muscles and a couple blisters, but all agreed the rewards justified the effort. It was really the right day to do this trail, when the snow had just receded enough and the flowers were near peak, but before the bugs were out and before the coming high temperatures would make it an uncomfortably hot experience. Another bonus was the solitude, seeing fewer than 10 other hikers the whole day on this trail that seems to be a bit of a secret. We congratulated ourselves over some drinks and snacks before heading back west, where the Pass was still mostly cloudy. Thanks to all for taking in stride the extra effort with few complaints. And special thanks to Parker for his homemade cookies and for identifying the flowers and birds.
Rex
Jeffrey King (7/14/2010):Tim Byrne (7/12/2010):Mt Adams 2010
Since ancient times, people have viewed mountain peaks as towering objects of myth, spiritual inspiration, and romantic beauty. Early peoples made ascents only to hunt game, to rescue lost or strayed animals, or to gain a military advantage over an enemy.
Eventually, the unknown and inaccessible ceased to be something to be feared and avoided, and the conquest of the major mountain peaks and ranges of the world began. Mountaineering as a sport was born on August 8, 1786, with the first ascent of Mont Blanc (4,810 m/15,782 ft), one of Europeâs tallest peaks.
The first ascent of Mt. Adams was in September of 1854.
Our ascent of Mt. Adams began at Morrison Creek Campground, a tangle of broken trees and rutty roads, left seemingly, to taunt low riding vehicles. As climbers drove in throughout the evening sometimes we only knew of their arrival by a loud THUMP and subsequent scrape and grind of them backing off that big rock they thought they could clear or didnât see. As the sun began to set Base Camp slowly grew and became a benignly raucous force, fed by the energy of what we were about to do.
There was a roaming straight girl, Amy I think, who wandered into camp like a lost puppy just wanting someone to pat her on the head, there were more Jeffâs than we knew what to do with, so we had to name one âStraight Jeffâ (yup, he was with the straight girl); Bruce had his kitchen set up and with a glass-of-red in one hand was cooking steak, corn and who knows what else with the other. Headlamps were lighting up the surrounding woods as tents we being setup, the fire was smoking people out forcing them to be ever on the move, and the cold was settling in and would eventually dip to 31 degrees.
There was a VW bus with another straight guy in itâ¦grinning from ear to ear (we love ya Darren!), some forgot their boots, others forgot their sleeping bags, some brought pie(how yummy was that), some brought crafts (how gay was that) and some just signed the prayer flags and went to bed. There was nervous settling-in as the late sun had tricked us into thinking it wasnât yet time to sleep and as we warmed up our sleeping bags while still in our clothes. Eventually, Base Camp was quiet and we all fell asleep with the same thing on our mindsâ¦
The morning sun is shining bright and clear through a forest of dry evergreens. The smell of cold crisp air, pine and a smoldering fire drift through camp. The sound of rustling tent fabric can be heard all over and tents are heaving and bustling like two pigs under a blanket. Day 1 has begun and will see all manner of morning rituals play out; the morning people up first and the non-morning people are glaring ungratefully at the restâ¦secretly wondering how rolling up a sleeping bag can possibly make so much noise!
We hit the road late, but on-time for gay-time⦠Team 1 loads up the trucks and makes the move, Team 2 will join shortly and base campers just look at us like weâre crazy. The road is dusty â the powdery kind of dust that gets into everything. A cloud of it kicks up behind the truck, urging us to look forward and not back. Rocks and gravel grind a pop under the tiresâ¦hair-pin curves, washouts and ruts slow our trip but we finally arrive as close as weâre going to get to the trailhead. Cars and snow litter the side of the road, blocking our path. We were very luck to get within 500yards of the trailhead given the amount of snow that still remained.
There is always an odd ritual at the trailhead of nervous last minute packing, losing something â stressing out then finding it again, the picture taking, the âItâs still not too late to find a hotelâ¦â, the gulping of water, the slathering on of sunscreenâ¦
But then the hike beginsâ¦one foot in front of the other. The trail is covered with snow, with a few dry patches at the beginning, then it becomes buried in 6-8ft of snow. The Boot-prints of those before us form the trail and lead the way, ever upward. We dance back and forth, passing each other, resting and passing each other. The trod ends for Team 1 at High Camp, on the south west edge of the Suksdorf Ridge near 8,700ft. Team 2 made High Camp at the top of the Suksdorf Ridge at the Lunch Counter around 9,200ft.
Camping at altitude is a unique experience for those of you who have not yet had the pleasure. We were lucky, our home a few dry sand patches on a rocky slope surrounded by snow, ice and clouds. Looking out over the open expanse of sky before us was Mt Hood, the Three Sisters and Mt St. Helens. The air was mostly quiet and dry allowing sounds to cross the snow and ice easily. It seems as though a perpetual dribble of climbers were always passing by our little camp and my only thought was that Iâm glad I wasnât them. After a snack the prayer flags were raised and began fluttering in the wind almost immediately.
A dinner of freeze dried something led us to bedâ¦and a restless night of anticipation.
Summit day was bright and clear with Pikers Peak standing out in ultra bright white, against stark blue skies beyond. Our summit trip started a bit late, around 10am after morning moans, groans and bathroom runs. We hit winds around 15-20mph at around 9,000ft and battoned down our jackets and gloves and headed toward the steep trail ahead of us.
Rico and I decided not to make the run for the summit and climbed to a rock outcropping just below 10,000ft. The rest of Team 1 headed off slowly to the summit, 10 steps at a time.
Three of 6 of Team 1 made it to Pikers Peak being buffeted by even higher winds and boiling clouds coming in from the north. One went on to compete the summit run in a white-out with snow blasting gusts!
In total, we had 10 out of 19 make the summit, Congratulations to all! Climbing to any height is an achievement and EVERYONE should be proud of their accomplishment(s).
Climbing a mountain, whether you walk it, or truly climb it is an experience that challenges, that changes, that enlightens⦠When asked why I enjoy this type of activity, I point to this quote, âThere is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for. George Leigh Mallory, 1922
This climb tested all of us. The challenges, successes and failures put forth will, I hope, resonate and change you in a positive way. The change may be subtle, it may be bright or it might slowly creep into your daily life without you knowing.
Thank you all for taking the journey with me.
Jeff KA big thanks to Jeff for organizing such a large trip. We had a lot of people on that mountain. Also thanks to those who hung out in base camp while we were on the mountain.
My team of 7 camped at the top of the Lunch Counter bench at about 9200' after a very enjoyable climb up on very decent snow for July. We were on serveral feet of snow from the trailhead (Tree wells near timberline were about 5' deep still - crazy for early July).
Saturday was clear and sunny. We had relatively nice weather for preparing dinner, at least for the three MSR reactor chefs. I got in a about 30-40 minutes of fiddle playing.
That night the wind kicked up to about 25 mph with gusts to about 35. It made for a lot of noise but was otherwise pretty harmless. For the most part it was a Chinook wind, a warm downslope wind.
On Sunday, summit day, we woke up to clear skies over a deck of clouds down at about 6,000' driven by a NW wind. That was a very good sign. NW systems tend to be dry and any air lifted up 6,000' is going to dry out pretty well, so no real concerns about the summit. Any clouds up there would be pretty dry and thus safe to head up into.
From high camp we had great views to the South: Hood, Jefferson, The Sisters and of St Helens to the West.
We set out that morning again somewhat languidly. 2 hours of easy climbing brought us to the false summit at 11k and change. I clocked 30 mph winds on the summit gusting to 40mph, windy but not that bad, and it was warm and sunny.
The cloud over the true summit was as expected, a small dry lenticular cloud obscuring the last 400' of the summit.
So we set off into the clouds, and 45 minutes later afters some pelting by graupel we summited (Monique, Sierra, Shilpen, Paul H, Neil, and Paul K in our party, followed by Peter, Lyle and Darren. Kerry K went up a little later on his own).
Winds on the summit were about 40 mph sustained with gusts to maybe 55. (I didn't feel like taking my anemometer out.) It was much safer kneeling up there than standing.
After a short walk we took off the crampons and made our first glissade back down to the shoulder between summits. Then back up to the false summit and the classic 2,000' glissade. Glissade conditions were perfect. Several of us had to arrest at least once heading down because we built us so much speed on the fast track.
After a brief lunch Team 2 broke camp and hiked back down, taking glissades where possible. My fiddle managed to survive all the glissading and postholing, though the jarring knocked a lot of rosin out of the bow and all over the fidddle.
On the way down we passed the main Team 1 camp festooned with Tibetan prayer flags. We also passed a couple of Team 1 members (very quickly) as we glissaded past them as they walked up.
All in all one could hardly ask for better conditions. While views from the summit would have been nice (you can't see Rainier from the S Climb until you summit), it was also nice having high winds and graupel to walk into. It reminded me a bit of Muir's famous trip up the tree in a storm. There's something enjoyable about being in the middle of something that powerful, provided that it can't hurt you.
Rex Himes (6/14/2010):Rhonda Bell (6/14/2010):Ridge hikes are among my favorites, and West Cady scored high, particularly on a perfect day. Broad alpine meadows, though snow-covered, meant 360 views, with Glacier, Monte Cristo, Sloan and several other peaks practically in our face. The Wild Sky Wildness Area seemed to earn its name here. Many of us witnessed an avalanche down the north face of Monte Cristo: We first heard a ka-boom, then saw a river of snow sliding down the mountain, appearing like a waterfall as it tumbled over a cliff. It felt even more like a real wilderness experience because we only saw two other people the whole time on the trail--on a day when most better-known trails were mobbed. It was also a trail that was a first experience for virtually the entire group.
Ten OutVentures members staying at Miller River campground were joined by 7 others coming up for the day, plus two dogs. The trail started by crossing a bridge over a small gorge of the raging North Fork Skykomish, then wound up switchbacks, never too steep, through a thick, old-growth forest. After a couple miles, patches of snow began and soon turned into a steady, deep cover as we climbed on to the ridge. Fortunately, the warm temps made the snow soft enough that traction never became a problem. With Clare as our scout, we managed to stay mostly on the trail all the way to the panoramic knoll on the ridge, where we had lunch enjoying the sun and the views.
For a couple of the group, hiking on so much snow was a first, but everyone did quite well . The only downside was back at the trailhead where pesky mosquitos kept us from lingering very long over the usual apres-hike tailgater. And now I need to rack the guidebooks to come up with another new hike that can come close to equalling this one.
RexBeautiful day for a hike on the West Cady Ridge Trail with bright sunshine and tempatures in the upper 60's. Snow level started at about 3900 feet, I think, which made my first time hiking on the snow a bit slow going (Thanks to Cathy and Mela for hanging in there with me!). We met up with the group just in time to have lunch at a knoll with a beautiful view of the Monte Cristo mountains, Sloan Mountain, and Glacier mountain before they headed back down. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view before we packed up the remains of our lunch and are jackets, which we used to sit on the snow, and also heading back. We didn't make it time for the after party at the trailhead but did enjoy our soda and chips before being forced into the car and back on the road to Seattle. Thanks to Rex (who organized the trip) and Parker (who met us at the donut at Volunteer Park) for a great hike (an my introduction to snow hiking and the group).
Jeffrey King (6/14/2010):Scott Mickelson (6/13/2010):The 2010 Miller River Group Camp was another smash hit this year! Thank you to those of you who were able to make itâ¦and those that didnât, maybe next year!
Like the rest of Washington, we had amazing weather, from a cool mid 40âs at night to mid 70âs during the day. Blue, cloudless skies greeted Saturdayâs hikers as we made breakfast to the rushing sound of the Miller River. The West Cape Hikers encountered snow and even saw an avalanche, the lake Dorothy hikers had an equally beautiful hike with the blue skies reflecting in the lake.
There was also some kite flying, badminton playing, bike riding, butt sittin and book readin. The hot shower was a hit once againâ¦washing off all the bug spray, sweat and sunscreen feels soooo good!
We had the start of a great Wilderness First Aid course being lead by Kim when a real emergency arose. One of our members felt tired and collapsed. Kim described it as a "syncable episode". 911 was called, the medics arrived quickly and he was taken to the hospital in Monroe. He is fine and was sent home later that nightâ¦everyone packed up their camp so they would be able to head home directly from the hospital. Thank you to everyone for remaining calm and for all your help. Kudos to Kim for her cool head and professionalism. Now that you have our attentionâ¦weâll reschedule that first aid course for everyone!!
Some photoâs are posted so check them out.
Jeff K.Clare Parfitt (6/11/2010):A Heartfelt Thank You
Trip to the emergency room in aid car - Free (thank you Skykomish Fire District)
Emergency room visit - $150 (thank you Group Health)
A wonderful group of folks packing up your campsite and delivering it to the emergency room - Priceless (thank you OutVentures).
Little did I know at the start of the wilderness first aid class that I would become the practical exam. Turns out what I had was a bout of vasovagal syncope, or in layman's (gayman's) terms - "nelly boy syndrome". Turns out the trigger was most likely Mr. Feest's dramatic rendition of his horrific broken leg with Kim's equally dramatic pantomime of pulling a leg into traction. That's all she wrote! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response
I guess that I'll have to expand my "10 essentials" list to include smelling salts to keep in my wrist corsage next to my lavender lace hanky.
All kidding aside, a heartfelt thank you to a very special group of people for making a stressful situation a lot less stressful. Special thanks to Kim for your superb paramedic skills and calm demeanor and to Jeff and David for making the drive into Monroe to deliver the truck and gear to the hospital.
We were out of the emergency room and heading back to Seattle by about 11:30 PM. We'll have to regale you at the next potluck with the tales of woe emanating from the ER bed next to mine. Suffice it to say that the series of conversations between my next door neighbor and her various nurses and doctors brought on a bout of post-trauma giggles that were hard to stifle.
So back home, feeling better, and off to listen to Procul Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" one more time.
Thanks again you guys - all in all, a wonderful weekend.
Cheers, Scott
From Barry: My thanks as well. I enjoyed meeting lots of new people and getting to know you all better. What really struck me was the feeling of "family" that pulled together in a time of need. I know that those who witnessed Scott's emergency were not only concerned about him but were concerned about me. Outventures is more than a hiking club and that was evident on Saturday. I'm very grateful.I'm going up tomorrow morning-doing the hike Rex organized and heading there before going to the campground. If anyone wants to carpool and still needs a ride, please call me tonight-206-878-0252. Clare
Roy Vermillion (5/23/2010):We had a lovely time hiking to Wallace Falls. The day began gray and overcast, but 6 of us braved the conditions. The weather also seemed to keep many people off the trails in the earlier part of the day. We hiked to the falls through a beautiful, mossy, green forest. As you hike the trail you get several viewpoints of various portions of Wallace Falls. The sun came and went illuminating the falls and the forest. As we were leaving people were beginning to arrive in larger groups. We timed it well. It was a nice hike close to the city.
Roy
Rex Himes (5/16/2010):It was a great inaugeration of the hiking season for OutVentures. Nine guys and four gals came together at the trailhead off I-90 on a warm and sunny spring Saturday for the hike up Mt Washington. We went the short distance up to the John Wayne Trail and, after a brief walk on it, made the unmarked turn on to a rough trail upwards. The trail indeed was unrelentingly upwards, thru a forest logged several decades ago, but nicely recovering. Scattered along the slope were a few cliffs frequented by local climbers, and there were also a few early trillium blooms.
We started hitting patches of snow halfway up but, as we had heard, the snow was slushy, and even the larger areas of snow later on never became icy or treacherous. Everyone had good boots and took the snow in stride. Things did get a little tricky at one point, however. Arriving at a pond with the peak visible towering above, there were trails in two directions, with no signage or other clear indication which led to the summit. We all eventually decided on a route that seemed a regular trail at first but then turned into a fairly steep scramble, up slopes where rock, mud and snow alternated. Everyone made it up in one piece (much to the relief of the trip leader) but we were worried about the descent, where slips would become harder to avoid. Luckily, as we pulled ourselves up on to the top of a ridge, we saw two other hikers coming up a wide trail. They said to us: "Oh, you came up the hard way--this is the real trail," which we later discovered was the fork we didn't take at the pond.
Now on an easier trail, we crossed a few areas of deep snow, mostly well-tracked, and finally arrived at the 4200' summit. Mt. Rainier loomed to the south presiding over the central Cascades, and Mt Baker appeared clearly to the north rising above the jagged peaks inbetween, all still cloaked with snow. We had lunch there, basking in the sun. Most of us did the entire hike in just shorts and t-shirts. And we shared the peak with only a couple other hikers. In fact, we probably saw not more than about a dozen other hikers the whole day on this little-known trail, while nearby trails were overwhelmed by many hundreds of eager hikers. The trail was only completed 3 years ago, by Earthcorps volunteers, and thus is not yet mention in the most hiking guides.
We took the real trail back down, much easier than our route upwards, and got back to the trailhead in just a couple hours--all feeling the effects of the nine miles with 3100' of vertical gain. We recovered at the trailhead, lingering there for a while over refreshments--thanks to everyone for bringing a nice selection of beverages and snacks to share.
Scott Feest (4/14/2010):The four of us who attended the weekend camp at Scottâs cabin had a really fun time.
It was planned in conjunction with our First of the New Year, Spring Pot Luck at REI, a well-attended event where all were enraptured by the two raptors; a live presentation with a Peregrine Falcon and a Great Horned Owl. Jeff, Roy & I snagged Brian, a club newcomer, into making the spontaneous decision to come along. After clean up, we drove the 65 miles to my cabin on the Mountain Loop Highway, welcomed by a 50% coverage of glistening snow and ice. After firing up the cabin heaters, we built a big campfire and sat around with cocktails, snacks & camaraderie under the billion-star sky.
After breakfast with coffee, frittata, cornbread & bacon, we hiked right out my driveway up the mountain to a really cool, dilapidated 1800âs era minerâs cabin with remnants of ore cars and track. The deep greens and browns of the dense forestâs huge trees were contrasted beautifully against the rapidly melting snow & ice.
Roy & Brian had to leave after lunch around an afternoon campfire and Jeff & I stayed through Sunday, taking in a wonderful hike along the riverâs edge across from my cabin.
With plenty of land for pitching tents, Iâd like to host OutVentures again this summer, welcoming all whoâd like to take in the valleyâs beauty and bountiful array of spectacular hikes, the Ice Caves (or even TRC, the GLBT campground a mile away ;)
Jeffrey King (4/12/2010):Thanks to everyone who came out to the Spring 2010 potluck! We had a great turnout with my last headcount adding up to 78, 80..if you include our special guests.
A special thank you to Scott, our potluck coordinator and to Ken, our Treasurer for helping me man the door.
We had a successful raffle that included OutVentures products like: mugs, calendars, free massages, Annual NW Forest Service Passes, and canvas grocery bags.
Janel from the Woodland Park Zoo's Raptor Program held everyone captive with our special guests, a Falcon and an Owl. We got a personal and up close look at these amazing animals. Thanks Janel!
As we are a member led organization, I would like to encourage you all to post trips and events, use the Bulletin Board and post pictures for the Photo Contest.
Again, thank you all for coming and I hope to see you out on the trail.
Jeff King
President - OutVentures
Doug Early (3/24/2010):Tom, Doug A. and myself met at Volunteer park to set off for Rattlesnake Ledge. It was only about a 45 min drive to the trailhead. The trail was in great shape (nice and dry) as we hiked the 2 miles to the top and along the way there was a great view of Rattlesnake Lake. We saw some kind of yellow flowers along the way. You stay under the tree canopy until you get to the top. We had lunch at the ledge where we had wonderful sweeping views but the winds were strong at the top so we tried to find some protection behind some boulders. The hike back down was quick and perfect as the day warmed up. This trail is popular for people with dogs and they were all friendly.
We were back in Seattle by 2pm. What a gorgeous day it was!
Jeffrey King (1/29/2010):Thanks to everyone who came out to the Happy Hour! We had a great time, in fact we didn't leave till 10:30p!
I hope to see you all at the next event.
I also wanted to remind everyone, that 2010 brings in a new photo contest! So take photos on OutVentures events and post away!
To enter a photo just click the box above the "UPLOAD FILE" button.
Winners will be announced at Fall Potluck at REI and a calendar will be created.
To see this years calendar, go to http://www.zazzle.com/outventures/gifts
Have a great weekend.
Jeff King
Roy Vermillion (1/31/2010):Jeffrey King (1/25/2010):It was suggested that I post a link to this little movie about the Hope Island Kayaking/Camping trip so others could see it as well. Roy
http://web.mac.com/rvermillion/iWeb/Outdoor/Hope%20Island.htmlWe all made it back safe from Hope Island. Pictures are posted, check them out! I hope you all managed to get outside!
Hope Island 2010
Our trip to Hope Island State Park didnât start out quite as we had predicted. Roy, on his way home from work received a callâ¦a pipe had broken on his washing machine and had been overflowing into his condo for several hours. No one was aware until the business owners downstairs came up to tell them it was raining, but that it was raining inside for a change. Luckily, Royâs room-mate Garth was able to take care of the place and allow Roy to join us for the weekend. Cheers and many thanks to Garth!
For those of you who may not have followed the âplanâ very closely, it was to drive 78 miles deep into the South Puget Sound, find a spot to put our kayak in at Carlyon Park and paddle just under a half mile to the island [in the dark]. Then, unload our gear, setup camp and sit around a warm fire toasting to our adventurous spirit.
It was a very dark 8:45p when we pulled up to the Carlyon Beach and Marina. To our surprise, it is a private park and completely gated off. We expected the marina might be private, but not the park. So, we drove around for 20 minutes until we found a spot just before a bridge with a sandbar beneath. We backed the truck up and dumped everything over the side onto the sand bar. The drop was only (only!) about 8 feet and the kayak poked up oddly, over the top of the bridge deck as I quickly tossed our gear out of the truck bed and over the side. Roy had already climbed down and was catching the gear. There was a single street light over us, casting its odd orange light and stark black shadows. It made me feel like midnight thief, quickly getting rid of the evidence as I nervously looked around for other cars or passersby.
There was a light breeze coming in from the South West as I walked from where I parked the truck in the neighborhood. I called Bob and Lyle and warned them of our trouble. By now it was 9:30ish, and I learned later that Bob had remarked rather emphatically, âThey havenât even left yet!?!â Evidentially, kayaking in the dark of winter to an island youâd never been to before is a bit out of Bobâs comforts zoneâ¦and I imagine heâs not alone.
We knew it was going to take us more than one trip across the channel to get all our crap over there, so, we loaded and stuffed and strapped everything we could, secured one of Royâs kayak lights on the bow and I climbed in. I was excited and my heart was beating faster as Roy gave me a shove and I slipped into the dark waters of the sound. I could see the outline of the island ahead of me being backlit by the light pollution of what we thought was Tacoma, so at least I knew which way to go. Second thoughts began to race through my mind as I started to paddleâ¦all sorts of disasters, ranging from a whale attack to drunken rednecks with powerboats. However, after a few strokes and as the kayak began to make smooth steady progress through the water, those thoughts faded away and were replaced with the excitement of it all. There was a flock of gulls on the docks and a few lone boats were moored there, barnacled and longing for the open sea.
The trees tops of the island are the only thing with any real definition, so that is what I focused on. As I rounded the docks, the gulls started calling and moving aboutâ¦I would swear that they were mocking me. Looking up and down the sound for other boats, I could see lights from buoys and docks slowly blinking on and off, inviting moorage and warning of obstacles. The island slowly got taller and taller and drift logs bleached white from the sun started to become visible. Near the center of the channel a current started tugging at my little boat creating a small bow wake. The wake tapped and gurgled on the bottom of the kayak and occasionally a small spray of water would crest out from the bow. It was invigorating to be gliding through the water and I felt as though I could have paddled all night.
The red bow light bobbed up and down as I tried to keep it trained on a single point on the island. I slid past drift logs, sea foam and other debris in the water. It took a matter of minutes for me to cross the channel and I was next to Hope Island, searching for a suitable landing to unload the gear and go back for more. I found some wood stairs and signage for Hope Island State Park and decided to put it all there and go back. I powered up and pointed the bow toward shore. The paddles dug into the black water, swirling and frothing it as it argued against my stokes. The bow bulldozed its way onto the rocky shore and crunched to a stop, a small wake followed me, rushing up past the sides of the kayak and disappearing as it sunk into the rocks.
I unloaded our gear and headed back for more. After I cleared the marina I could see Roy on the sandbar messing around with his camera, I hit the beach and we reloaded the kayak. It was Royâs turn to paddle, so I hung out on the sandbar and watched him slowly get swallowed the by the darkness. I walked between the sea wall and the bridge pylons with a watchful eye on the solitary red light moving through the water.
He returned minutes later with a big grin on his faceâ¦apparently he was just as excited as I am about this adventure. We load the remaining few items and both pile back in for our 3rd and last trip. The crossing goes even faster with both of us behind the wheel and we soon clamber on shore to find our campsite. Now, everyone has been on a trip and forgotten something, rightâ¦? Well, I soon figured out what I had forgotten, the map of the island. D-oh! I knew the shape and orientation of the island, I knew generally where the trails were, but I just couldnât remember where the campsites were. When we climbed the stairs we found ourselves in the picnic area with what seemed like a large field in front of us. We figured we didnât have much else to do, so we began exploring the island looking for the campsites, with nothing but headlamps.
The grass was damp and the quarter moon was hiding behind mostly cloudy skies. Barren white trees stood in stark rows, their grotesque figures glowing in the dim light of the open fieldâ¦mere skeletons of their summer glory waiting for spring. Halfway through what we figured was an apple orchard, Roy began to see eyes glowing in the dark on the fringes of the grass. I stopped to look and sure enough, four pairs of eyes calmly looked back at us. Some stared at us, some continue foraging. At first we figured they were raccoons, then a few raised their heads about 4 feet of the ground. We giggled nervously convincing ourselves that they must be deer and moved on through the wet lumpy ground. Our headlamps only pierced the damp air for a few feet, but we were able to make out old farm equipment, a cabin, a garden and a large windmill standing watch over the apple trees.
I had a brief flash to my childhood, remembering the Jonny Appleseed story, the lyrics somehow found their way into my head, use this link if you want them in YOUR head too! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_IrdS-zu48) The popular image of Johnny Appleseed had him spreading apple seeds randomly, everywhere he went. In fact, he planted nurseries rather than orchards, built fences around them to protect them from livestock, left the nurseries in the care of a neighbor who sold trees on shares, and returned every year or two to tend the nursery. But, the fact that they were here on a random island made me think of him, I held back a whistle to save Roy the torture and we stumbled on through the dark.
We found a sign to the campground and began to make our way there. We crossed a small bridge and I stopped. I said that if we were going to go this far we might as well carry something with us. So we headed back to gather some stuff. I told Roy to load the kayak back up and that I would meet him on shore near the campground, thus limiting the slogging back and forth. Well, things didnât quite work out that way. I ended up not finding a way to the beach and Roy ended up paddling the length of the island 3 times before we met up again. I was tired and hot, he was having fun paddling but worried about me. We eventually found the trail to the water and stared to make ourselves at home. It was after midnight by the time we got camp set so we made some coffee with baileys and headed to bed.
Morning came early, as it often does while camping, and we were up before 9am. Bob and Lyle were close while we were having our morning coffee and gave us a call. I left a few minutes later to meet up with them back on the mainland and help them get stuff to the island. The sun had broken through the clouds early and we had a bright sunny morning on the water. The crossing was uneventful except for a single seal that was lounging on the dock. He raised his head for a minute as we passed by, then went back to lounging in the sun. Roy was waiting for us on shore and took some good shots of the OutVentures Flotilla as it approached the island.
We moved camp to fit both tents in one site and had some lunch. After lunch we took a nice paddle around the island, cameras clicking away. The tide was coming in so we had a nice workout heading north, but then a nice paddle/drift heading back south. Roy got a great shot of a Kingfisher leaping to flight and lots of fun shots of us on the water. Bob and I decided weâd had enough and headed back to shore while Roy and Lyle sprinted across the channel and did some more exploring.
There was more coffee and hot chocolate in camp before we hit the trail to explore and circumnavigate the island, on foot this time. It was a nice walk of about 45 minutes, the hightlight being a pair of deer that let us get within feet of them as we walked by on the trail.
Twilight found us relaxing in camp, so we lit our fire and settled in for the evening. We walked to shore for sunset, which gave us a breathtaking view of Mt. Rainier. Dinner came-and-went by the fire with fellowship and lots of laughter. We broke out the game I had brought with me, Dread Pirate, and pretended we were rotten pirate captains, raiding ports, attacking ships and getting treasures from Hope Islandâ¦I mean, Dread Island. It was a fun parallel for us paddling around and almost ramming each other in our kayaks. All that was missing was the rum and a little swashbuckling!
The rain returned on Sunday for a soggy return to the mainland, a not-so unexpected end to our trip. The four of us headed to Olympia for a well deserved meal before heading back to Seattle. Thanks to Roy, Bob and Lyle for joining me on this trip, I will never for get it!
AAArrrrgg! Are ye the feared Dread Pirate?
Jeff (some of these photo's are Roy's and some are mine)
Doug Early (1/11/2010):6 of us ventured out to Commonwealth Basin in 2 cars. (Tom, Ray, Gary, Fred, Michael and myself) We left Seattle in a warm and sunny morning and arrived at the Pass in a winter wonderland. It was 26 at the Pass and low clouds that hung around the mountains. The roads were bare and easy to drive on but the 10ft. tall snow banks on the side were pretty impressive.
It took us about 90 mins to snowshoe 2.5 miles to the top. It was easy to follow the groomed trail up and we met a lot of friendly folks and dogs along the way. Though there were a few small creek crossings, nobody got wet. Towards the top you could see and actually feel the fog as it clung to the mountain. The Evergreen branches looked magical as the frozen moisture took on an animate appearance.
We had lunch on top where visibility was about 100 ft. After some photo ops, it was a quick hike back down to the trailhead.
Two things that I learned from this trip. Always keep an eye on your poles:-) That one cost me a scary walk over unsteady snow to retrieve mine. Secondly, I shouldn't turn around to talk as I'm snowshoeing down a trail. Because I quickly end up face first in the snow:-)
The guys in my car stopped for some warm refreshments on the way home in North Bend. Since we were so close to the Outlets, we agreed that we just had to stop. Causing us to shop, shop and shop:-)
A nice ending to a fun day! I hope to lead another trip to Keechulus Ridge in a couple of weeks.