Kachess Dam Road

The last couple years I have had a growing interest in trying something new. I tried some cross country ski trips but wasn't sold on being able to master the telemark turn. Last year I decided that I would look into a Randonee setup and started my search for something that would work on the cheap. I never quite pulled the trigger on anything but when I recently saw a complete setup with boots in my size I thought I would make an offer. It was obvious to me that the seller just wanted to get rid of the skis so I offered much less than the asking price. To my surprise he accepted and I went to pick them up before work on Sunday. I put off going until Tuesday with the hope of some new snow that I was sure would be helpful. I am not a skier so I thought it best that I try something where I didn't have to dodge any pesky trees. I still wanted to try and climb something that I hadn't been on top of before. I also wanted something that was less travelled because I knew I would have my hands full and didn't want any added distractions. My initial plan was to try for Easton Ridge from the East where I could use logging roads to get high on the ridge and boot the remainder. I was a little unsure about the area and when I got off in Easton I thought it might be better to see how far I could drive the Kachess Dam Road. The road was packed from heavy snowmobile traffic making it more difficult than my previous trip 2 weeks ago. I passed the tree that nearly hit my car which thankfully had a portion cut out. Where the car tracks had stopped last week now continued so I thought I would give it a go. I drove nearly to the Kachess Large Party Camp and parked. I could have gone further but I didn't want to push the issue.




I had skied this road a few years back and did Spring trips to some of the area peaks in the past so I knew the way. What I didn't know was how to use my new gear. After a couple of tries I was able to get the skins on and my boots locked up. The bindings took me a little longer to figure out but soon I was eating up some miles. Once I reached road 4824 I started to climb. I was quite happy with my progress and I climbed steadily on the hard packed road. Once I had climbed 1500' I thought I had better see how I was going to respond to the descent. I have a very low tolerance for speed coupled with my total lack of skiing ablilty I knew I might have ISSUES. As soon as I took off the skins I knew I was in trouble. The skis were more frictionless than I thought possible. I vainly tried to snowplow to decrease my exponential increase in speed. My first run ended in a jumble of gear. I decided to boot lower to a more benign spot, granted my first choice wasn't steep at all. Finding a grade that was more to my liking I gave it another go. I promptly lost one pole and distinclty remember thinking " Oh sh## now what". This run ended in another fall much less graceful than my first. I tweaked my leg pretty good and decided that proceeding in this fashion was not prudent in the least. Not overjoyed with the thought of booting 4 miles in my ski boots, I reapplied my skins hoping that they would slow me down enough to make is safe. Too bad for me they slowed me down to the point of not sliding hardly at all. It was faster to proceed this way than booting it, so I continued. Soon after I started having foot issues so I had to stop and remove my socks and just use my liner socks which thankfully solved that issue. I thankfully made it back to the car without any further issues. I really didn't expect it to go well and I was right..... anyone want a cheap randonee set up?





Approx 10 miles 1500' of climb 5.5 hours car to car

Kachess Beacon

I had hoped to try for a Home Court peak closer to home but the weather didn't look inspiring. I thought I would have a better chance heading further East. I met LiketoThruHike at Preston and we were off. Going up the pass the snow wasn't the issue but rather freezing rain. The road was in descent shape and soon we found ourselves in Easton. After sliding through the off ramp stop sign due to my lack of paying attention, I turned toward Kachess Dam Road. I was unsure if the road was plowed and as we went past Silver Creek Road there was a plow working. Since there are some homes on the Kachess Dam Road I thought there was a good chance they would plow that next. As I turned onto the KDR the snow was MUCH deeper than expected. There was recent travel leaving ruts but the center portion was putting the Subaru clearance to the test. I was sure it was deeper than my clearance would allow but the snow was so light that the bumper just skimmed it off the top and threw it on the windshield. I remembered the acess to the Silver Creek Road had been re-routed from the power line approach that I had used on my last trip. The ruts abrubltly changed direction down to the lake and there were none going any further. I turned around a parked. I thankfully always carry a snow shovel so I was able to clear out a space allowing an easy exit, or so I thought. The snow was the lightest I have ever seen it was deep but it was almost like walking without snow at all. Thankfully I had loaded the trail head on a previous trip and I noticed that we had passed the turnoff. I had rembered the road as being signed on my last vist. Since we were already geared up we decided to just walk to the trailhead and not risk getting the car stuck trying to park.




LTTH decided on putting snowshoes on from the beginning while I stayed in boots. I had planned on using the ridge directly to approach the beacon but when I saw that the Southern exposure had melted out the seasons earlier snow and what was remaining was surely the least consolidated snow possible. The Silver Creek Trail approach seemed like a better alternative. The trail was suprisingly easy to follow and was steeper than I remembered. Thankfully I was able to get a internet signal on my phone and I was able to read a report from Joey regarding the jump off point for the scramble trail to the beacon. I left the trail where he said the trail was. I was unable to see any sign of a trail but just merely headed up. There was defineltly not much bonding between the very crusty old snow layer and the light new layer. I stayed in the trees until reaching a spur ridge that we rode higher until reaching a more defined ridge. The going was mostly open and a very pleasant ascent. Soon I crested a small false summit and was surprised to not see any tower. I continued on until the tower came into view. The last portion had the deepest snow of the day and really got the heart going. I ducked out of the wind and snow and waited for LTTH who arrived soon after. We had a quick snack and I started to get cold so we beat a hasty retreat. The descent went very quickly and was quite fun sliding on the crusty old layer. Soon we were pack for the long road walk back to the car. Just as I rounded the last corner I was dismayed to see a tree had fallen narrowly missing the car. The branches were not actually touching the car but there wasn't enough room to walk in front of the car. The tree was much to big to move WTF..... what the hell are we going to do now? I was able to take the snow shovel and sheer off the branches far enough up the tree to give me some hope. We then dug as much snow out from under the tree and gave my self a landing area past the tree. I was able to have LTTH stand on the tree as I punched it and made it over without issue. Getting back into the ruts took some inspired driving but I made it and parked. Now it was time to see if we could make it back to I-90. Besides having to dodge some snowmobilers who were parked in the middle of the road and wouldn't move we had no issues. Snoqualmie Pass was challenging to cross but I took it slow and had no issues. I still can't believe a random tree would fall so close to the car without any wind and the lightest snow possible. I couldn't help but think the tree had been cut down on purpose we both looked and didn't see any tracks going into the woods. I would highly recommend this route provided you can drive close enough to the trailhead.



Approx 8 miles 2500' of climb 4:30 car to car

Kachess Dam Road

I had hoped to try for a Home Court peak closer to home but the weather didn't look inspiring. I thought I would have a better chance heading further East. I met LiketoThruHike at Preston and we were off. Going up the pass the snow wasn't the issue but rather freezing rain. The road was in descent shape and soon we found ourselves in Easton. After sliding through the off ramp stop sign due to my lack of paying attention, I turned toward Kachess Dam Road. I was unsure if the road was plowed and as we went past Silver Creek Road there was a plow working. Since there are some homes on the Kachess Dam Road I thought there was a good chance they would plow that next. As I turned onto the KDR the snow was MUCH deeper than expected. There was recent travel leaving ruts but the center portion was putting the Subaru clearance to the test. I was sure it was deeper than my clearance would allow but the snow was so light that the bumper just skimmed it off the top and threw it on the windshield. I remembered the acess to the Silver Creek Road had been re-routed from the power line approach that I had used on my last trip. The ruts abrubltly changed direction down to the lake and there were none going any further. I turned around a parked. I thankfully always carry a snow shovel so I was able to clear out a space allowing an easy exit, or so I thought. The snow was the lightest I have ever seen it was deep but it was almost like walking without snow at all. Thankfully I had loaded the trail head on a previous trip and I noticed that we had passed the turnoff. I had rembered the road as being signed on my last vist. Since we were already geared up we decided to just walk to the trailhead and not risk getting the car stuck trying to park.




LTTH decided on putting snowshoes on from the beginning while I stayed in boots. I had planned on using the ridge directly to approach the beacon but when I saw that the Southern exposure had melted out the seasons earlier snow and what was remaining was surely the least consolidated snow possible. The Silver Creek Trail approach seemed like a better alternative. The trail was suprisingly easy to follow and was steeper than I remembered. Thankfully I was able to get a internet signal on my phone and I was able to read a report from Joey regarding the jump off point for the scramble trail to the beacon. I left the trail where he said the trail was. I was unable to see any sign of a trail but just merely headed up. There was defineltly not much bonding between the very crusty old snow layer and the light new layer. I stayed in the trees until reaching a spur ridge that we rode higher until reaching a more defined ridge. The going was mostly open and a very pleasant ascent. Soon I crested a small false summit and was surprised to not see any tower. I continued on until the tower came into view. The last portion had the deepest snow of the day and really got the heart going. I ducked out of the wind and snow and waited for LTTH who arrived soon after. We had a quick snack and I started to get cold so we beat a hasty retreat. The descent went very quickly and was quite fun sliding on the crusty old layer. Soon we were pack for the long road walk back to the car. Just as I rounded the last corner I was dismayed to see a tree had fallen narrowly missing the car. The branches were not actually touching the car but there wasn't enough room to walk in front of the car. The tree was much to big to move WTF..... what the hell are we going to do now? I was able to take the snow shovel and sheer off the branches far enough up the tree to give me some hope. We then dug as much snow out from under the tree and gave my self a landing area past the tree. I was able to have LTTH stand on the tree as I punched it and made it over without issue. Getting back into the ruts took some inspired driving but I made it and parked. Now it was time to see if we could make it back to I-90. Besides having to dodge some snowmobilers who were parked in the middle of the road and wouldn't move we had no issues. Snoqualmie Pass was challenging to cross but I took it slow and had no issues. I still can't believe a random tree would fall so close to the car without any wind and the lightest snow possible. I couldn't help but think the tree had been cut down on purpose we both looked and didn't see any tracks going into the woods. I would highly recommend this route provided you can drive close enough to the trailhead.



Approx 8 miles 2500' of climb 4:30 car to car



Sorry no pictures the camera crapped out on me

Lake Lillian Road 12.7.09

Each peak has it's defenses, weather, terrain etc. Sometimes it is the things that are in our control, fitness level or motivation. Sometimes it's the small things. I had concerns for this day because of the uber cold weather but that could be addressed. I had concern for the pups and considered leaving them home, but they needed to get out. I met Zach at Preston and we were off. The goal was for The Dungeon which is a satellite peak of Rampart Ridge and is very visible from I90. I was disappointed to not be Able to drive past the sno-park adding some extra mileage. We layered up and were off. Although it was in the low teens it was manageable. We made good time to the turn off for the road that leads to the backdoor route to lake Lillian. The sun was shining but didn't do much to warm things. Just before we reached the end of road the snow depth increased and stopped the dogs in their tracks. As I said sometimes it is the little things, the snow was balling between their paws causing great discomfort. There was no option but to turn back. I have logged many trips of many miles in varied conditions and have never had a similar experience. The way out involved minimal beagle carrying but went well.




Appox 8 miles 1200' of climb 4 hours car to car

Iron Mountain (Blewett)

With inventory bogging my day off on Tuesday I sweet talked my boss into giving me Wednesday off instead. I knew the weather was going to be stellar and I sure didn't want to miss that glowing orbs fleeting visit. I was excited because I had a crew of 4 going and I laughed to myself thinking about not exceeding the party limit for the ALWA. As things go for me one dropped out in the morning because his car wouldn't start and since it was his friend meeting us from Ellensburg that made two down. I hadn't received confirmation on the 4th member so I went to the Preston park and ride just to be safe. I waited for ten minutes and when no one showed I went to the gas station and then came back just in case. Oh well it was sunny what did I care if I had to be the only one to enjoy it. Just before Snoqualmie Pass my phone rang and it was my wife, evidently in my haste to leave the house I hadn't noticed the slight nudge I gave the driveway gate was enough to knock it off the track and making it impossible for her to leave. Wow this isn't the start I was hoping for. I turned around and headed home when cresting Tiger Summit I looked on my phone to see what time it was and was shocked I had 13 missed calls. Of course my wife was able to fix the gate soon after hanging up and I didn't need to turn around. We both had a good laugh as I turned around and retraced my route. I knew my route wouldn't take a huge amount of time and since it was a road deproach I felt that I could still make it work even though I was way behind on time. Lucky for me I was able to drive to the gated road that I intended using for my approach. This saved about 3 miles of road walking effectively making up much of my lost time. It was very cold but I expected a pretty strong inversion so as I climbed I shed layers. The sun was glorious and unbroken, I had forgotten how much better things look when there is some sun on them. The road was mostly snow free and I probably could have driven around the gate but I wasn't sure that was prudent. Where there was snow it was packed down by what looked like 4-wheelers making the going slippery but easier than having to break trail. The road system didn't exactly jive with my map so I was never sure I was on the right track. Each switchback seemed to get me going further in the wrong direction. Thinking I was on a road not on my map I decided to leave the road and just head up. The going was mostly snow free and open making for a quick ascent. I thankfully regained the road cutting off a huge chunk of mileage. I continued on the road which mostly traverses until I reached another junction where instead of continuing on the main line I made the mistake of heading straight. I could see what I thought was my summit and the road was leading directly in that line. The road degraded into some brush and the way was no longer packed by machine. There was some sort of trench but I couldn't really determine what had made it. Adding to this unpleasantess the road was level or slightly declining. Growing weary of making no progress I really had to talk myself to once again leave the road and start climbing. Here the snow was deeper and not very well consolidated. Thankfully I again reached an upper road which I had to crawl through some annoying brush to attain. I was once again on a packed road and making good time. I was able to see the road switchbacking up to a small saddle and for the first time I knew exactly where I was. I left the road shortly before the saddle and was happy to find a brush free line with perfect snow for kicking steps. I reached a small saddle and dropped pack bathed in the warming sun that was shortly going to hide behind Miller Peak. I was able to tease a route through the rock outcroppings and soon I was on the summit. I snapped some quick pictures and gingerly made my way back to my belongings. I had a quick lunch and then plunge stepped back to the road. I cut some corners where I could and left the road again for a steep snowless descent back to the road system below. I was happy to make it out before needing the headlamp. Just an amazing day to be out.






Approx 10 miles 3000'of climb 5.5 hours car to car.

South Bessemer Road 11.24.10

After monitoring the weather all week I was excited to see the predicted dry day for Tuesday. I was hoping for a hike merely for conditioning and wasn't swayed by the fact that I had already summited the peak. I received a PM from Bad Dog showing some interest in tagging along. Liketothruhike signed on as well so the plans were laid. I had some concern regarding having Bad Dog taking her dog, not because I was concerned about her dog's behavior but because I am never sure how my dogs will react to anything. Later in the week she let me know that she was going to bring all three of her dogs. Being unsure how this would play out we made contingency plans. When I left the house it was very warm and was raining. This was the worst combo for the hike I had planned. Starting at 900' meant a long walk in the rain. What happened to the dry forecast? After meeting up in Preston we were off for the bump fest that is the Middle Fork Road. We parked and attempted to let the dogs socialize which wasn't as bad as I feared but wasn't good enough to warrant continuing. I do wish to pass on my apologies for my dogs aggressive behavior. It seems to only happen when he is confronted with very submissive dogs. I do believe things would have been sorted out but Bad Dog decided to air on the side of caution and make her way towards Granite Lakes instead. After gearing up LTTH and I were off. From the onset I think motivation was difficult for both of us and yet we plugged on. After finally reaching snow around the 3.5 mile mark the rain seemed to intensify. It was apparent to me that the snow level was much higher than our intended goal and we would be trudging in the rain for quite some time. At around 2700' we stopped and both looked at each other and decided that this did indeed kinda suck. We made quick work of the descent and thankfully had dry clothes in the car. It always is refreshing to me that the day didn't have one aspect went as planned and yet I had a great time, just not enough to warrant continuing. Thankfully there is always next week.




Approx 8 miles 1800' of climb

Mount Margaret South Summit 11.17.09

After last week I wanted something with a shorter drive and something I hadn't already climbed. My idea was to do the South Summit of Margaret and traverse to the true North Summit. Although Margaret's Summit is high enough to be included in the Home Court 100 it lacks 60' of prominence and thus is not included. I was happy to see a trip report over the weekend giving me more hope of attaining the day's goal. Having a trench in place already would make it much easier. Having not scared away Liketothruhike last week he signed on and a co-worker Zach showed some interest as well. Having some extra horsepower would certainly be a bonus. After reading the dire forecast for 75mph ridge winds I came up with a back up plan that would be safer that thankfuly we did not need to use. After switching cars in Preston we were off. The quarters were cramped with 3 climbers, gear and two annoying dogs. Thankfully the drive was not long. The weather was wet but not windy. After exiting exit 54 we used the road that parallels I-90 and I was able to drive quite a ways before being stopped by the slippery snow. I did a 100 point turn to get turned around and parked. The mainline of the road was groomed so we just booted it until the turn off the Margaret summer trailhead were we switched to snowhoes. We were able to follow the buried trench greatly easing the work. However the going was still slow. We took turns breaking trail and I was very thankful to have partners for this one. It is doubtful I would have had any success without their great help. We were able to weave our way through some brushy areas giving us access to the upper roads. Once On the upper road I had us head West and head for the trees which I hoped would give us a nice crust making going easier. Since the trench ended we were on our own and the portion which gave us access to timber for me was the hardest of the day. Thankfully we reached the trees and true to form the crust was able to hold all our weights. We crested a small point and I thought we were on Margaret's South summit. We dropped along the ridge and stopped for a short lunch. After what seemed like a long portion of flat area we began to climb again. Once I saw a glimpse of the next highpoint on the ridge I knew we were farther South than I had hoped. Once reaching the exposed ridge both the wind and snow increased. We reached a 8 foot wall of snow that I was worried we wouldn't be able to go around or over. I dropped pack and broke out the ice axe. I was able to claw my way over the point with out too much trouble while LTTH was smart and found an easier way traversing to the West around it. Both dogs and Zach followed behind me without difficulty and followed the ridge North until we reached The South Summit highpoint. As we made our way the last few feet we were serenaded by a group of birds encouraging me to finish it off. We discussed dropping to the saddle between the South Peak and the true summit. We decided that we probably didn't have enough time or in my case legs to make it. The descent went well with the exception of a couple of entertaining falls on my part. I think we were all very happy to make it back to the car. This trip was for me harder than it should have been highlighting my lack of conditioning. Thankfully I should have more time to remedy that. It was nice to have some company for once and I hope to repeat this in the near future.




Approx 10 miles 3200' of climb 7 hours car to car

MIssion Peak 11.09.09

After reading some posts for hikers looking for mid week partners I spent the week PM'ing to try to get a group trip out. The weather wasn't cooperating and I was back to going solo. After a speedy recovery from a cold I was happy to have like2thruhike to sign on. After a 7am meeting we piled into the Subaru and were off. I was delighted that it was dry going over both Snoqualmie and Blewett saving some time. I had considered leaving the dogs at home because Tanner had a split nail and was open and not healing in the least. I was forced to super glue it together earlier in the week and it seemed like it would be a go. After packing up I let the dogs out and immediatlely the nail broke open and for the first time was bleeding. I had for once thought ahead and brought another tube of super glue and thankfully it became a non issue. Since I had been in the area before and I figured the snow coverage would be sparse I wanted to avoid the basalt fields that I remembered from the Northern approach. I really didn't want to spend alot of time on rocks with sketchy snow coverage. Instead I thought it would go to use the access roads for the ski slopes to gain the ridge. I had hoped to first summit Wenatchee Mt. and then traverse to Mission Peak. Since Mission Peak was my primary goal I decided to do that first instead. Just before reaching the ridge we dropped pack and layered up. Since we were on the East side we had been sheltered from the wind. I had a strong suspicion that once on the ridge the winds might be intense. After a short slippery traverse we reached the ridge and were greeted with strong gusty winds. Thankfully we both had taken eye protection because it was doubtful we would have been able to continue with out. There appears to be a trail on the broad ridge and soon we crested a small high point. Since visablitliy was limited I broke out the GPS and were were 40' short of our needed elevation. We dropped to another saddle and climbed the remainder to Mission Peak's summit. I was thankful that we were on the summit because the winds seemed even stronger and we couldn't see what was ahead to the North. Thankfully once scrutinizing the maps I am confident we indeed on the true summit. We had seen lots of worker's on the way up prepping the slopes for the upcoming season. Thankfully every one was pleasant. It was new for me to see a handful of fans hooked to hoses actually making snow. There were a few immense slag piles burning as well on the way up, which again was a surprise to me. We took a slightly different route on the way down and it seemed to take twice as long for the descent. I was thankful to have some good company and enjoyed hearing about the trials of thru hiking our country's great major trails. Even though the weather didn't allow any views it more than made up for with allowing me to feel it's strength. A great day to be out.




Approx 8 miles 2500' of climb 4:30 car to car

Squak West, Squak Main 11.02.09

With the inlaws in town I knew I wouldn't be able to get out this week. I just picked up new boots and I really wanted something to get a head start in breaking them in. I dropped the oldest in pre-school and stopped at Squak Mt. on the way home. Had some hotspots on my heals that evaportated once I adjusted my socks and relaced them. As I made my way along the trail to the main summit I passed the West summit which I quickly dispatched. Just after passing the fireplace I left the trail in a straight line for the main summit. I was surprised to crest a point and then drop some elevation before regaining some back to the summit. I really felt that the first point was actually higher than the area where the towers are located. Upon looking at my topo it clearly isn't but I would like to verify with a GPS. Feeling pressed for time I ran most of the way back on the access road. Although the boots are a little heavy for running I was very pleased with the fit and had no foot issues.




Approx 6.5 miles 1:50 car to car 1800' of climb

Mission Interrupted 10.27.09

I had hoped to get out and stretch the legs today and on that front, mission accomplished. I was excited to hear the predicted heavy snows in the mountains and hoped to see it first hand. As I made my way over Snoqualmie Pass it was really coming down and the plows were out in full force, so far so good. As I made my way to 97 the weather was clear, this was a surprise to me. I was hoping to use the Mission Ridge Trail to summit the ridge high point which is included in the Back Court 100. Since I had never been in Cashmere before it took an extra minute to locate the Mission Creek Road. Once on the road I was startled to find the multitude of broken down cars and trailers that litter a portion of the road. There was a man surrounded by 7 small dogs that looked scary enough for me to consider turning around and going home. To make matters worse I wasn't able to find the trailhead that I was looking for. I soon realized after backtracking a few times that the road is closed just past the junk piles which doesn't allow access to my trailhead. After thankfully passing Mr Mass Murder for the third time safetly I was forced to use the Sand Creek trailhead which thankfully separated by a few miles uphill from my source of uneasiness. I parked frequently looking over my shoulder as I suited up. My only consolation that somenone looking like that would never get away with anything that I was imaging. There was a trail going to my intended target but adding another 10 miles roundtrip on top of the 12 miles I was already planning I knew I had to make a change. There was a branch trail going to Red Hill, a named summit! Seemed like a worthy backup plan. The trail is graded for mountain bike riders and is lacking in steepness. Portions of the trail are muddy and extremely slick, but I managed to stay upright for the entire day. Since the grade was so easy it seemed like an eternity before I reached the first junction at 4.2 miles. Since I had no map I was unclear which direction to proceed. I hung a left, North, and climbed to a nice viewing spot that I assumed was Red Hill. My altimeter didn't match the right elevation so I checked it with my GPS. I was dismayed to find my perch to be lower than Red Hill's summit. I was able to get a cell signal which I was able to confirm that I was not on Red Hill. I backtracked to the junction and continued South and crested another higher point. I still felt 100 feet short but the next bump was quite a ways off and I didn't want continue any further without knowing for sure where I was. The way back seemed endless but I made it back to my car still in the shape I left it. I thankully passed by the junk yard for the last time without incident.




Approx 11miles 2400ft of climb 4:15 car to car.

Bear and Deer Lakes 10.05.09

After missing last week I was overjoyed to see a nice weather forecast for this week. After struggling to get out of the house and being stuck behind a street line painting truck I staggered into the Dorothy parking lot. After seeing the sign that the bridge was out over the inlet I was starting to feel like any summit was not in the cards. I pushed on and made outstanding time to the inlet and crossed without getting my feet wet. The climb to the saddle above Bear Lake also went much quicker than expected. I had hoped to leave the trail below the saddle and head South to Little Bulger 5111' but the North Side of the ridge was drenched and immensely slippery. I decided to continue on to the trail to the campsites between Bear and Deer. I was surprised that there was a work crew camped at the first two sites. It looked like they are either staying for quite some time or have been there for awhile judging by the amount of stuff laying around. I continued past the sites and crossed the creek linking the two lakes. I considered just hanging out in the glorious sun. But soon my itch to keep moving overwhelmed me. I found a decent path continuing on along Deer's shoreline. The path ended in a nice secluded campsite. I decided to see how it would go if I kept on towards the day's goal. I crested a ridge between the two lakes and spied a nice open meadowy area below that I quickly dropped to. The way from there looked like it would go but I bet it would be much easier with all the brush covered in snow. I decided now it would be shorter to just continue with the circumnavigation of the lake instead of returning the way I had come. I crested another small ridge and dropped to another more open area that was in full sun. I dropped pack and enjoyed a sun filled lunch. This area being more open looked like it would be easier to access the rockslides that grant acess to the upper slopes. I decided to climb towards the ridgeline and traverse back to the trail which went fairly easily. Back on trail I pounded out the mileage in the waning sun back to the car. It was nice to steal another sunny day and I now have a much better idea of reaching Little Bulger from the North.




Approx 10 miles 2300' of climb 5:45 Car to Car

Tonga Ridge 9.22.10

After last week's goose egg in the area I was eager to make it BACK. Last week's effort was cut short because of some substantial back pain. After giving it a day to heal with no results I went to the ER before my drive to Southern Oregon. Other than getting "you are getting old" there wasn't much of a diagnosis. I was given an embarrassing amount of pills to help with the situation.




After having long drive to Oregon I had the pleasure of spending a second day in the ER. This time it was my youngest daughter who I had tried to pick up but her hand slipped out of my hand leaving her hanging by one arm. I heard a nice pop and she was in some serious pain. Needless to say I was upset to cause my daughter so much pain. Thankfully the fix was quick and easy and the little one had no residual pain and soon forgot all about it. Thankfully the rest of the trip went well and we had a wonderful time.





My back was making slow progress but was getting better. I had one day left of my vacation and with the perfect weather I thought I would at least give it a go. I took too long getting out of the house and I didn't reach the end of the Tonga Ridge Road until 12:30. I quickly made it area I had scoped out last week. The plan for today was to go to Mary and Judy Lakes but with the back feeling fine I thought I would add a summit. The first part was somewhat brushy but not at all troublesome. I found plenty of small trails that I followed until I reached the open slopes below my goal of the high point of Tonga Ridge 5596'. I could see what I thought was the summit far to the East so I traversed the heathery slopes and easily made my way to the top. I believe the true summit is actually North of the rocky point through some trees. Just to be sure I touched every and anything that might be taller. I lounged in the nice warm sun in sheltered spot out of the stiff breeze. For the descent I ran the ridge West to avoid as much traversing as possible and easily made my way back to the Tonga Ridge trail.



Approx 5.5miles 2000' of climb 3 hours car to car

Ptarmagin Lakes 9.14.09

Since I have some extra time I thought a nice overnighter was in order. While I was out I thought I could do some crossing out on some lists. I had been to Ptarmagin and Terrace Lakes back in my lake bagging days and thought some of the area peaks needed to be climbed. Sunday night left me with a serious head cold making my head fell like an orange on a toothpick. I hoped a good night's sleep would cure that. When I woke in the morning I felt even worse. Not wanting to spend my first day of vacation lounging around the house I forced myself out the door. The dreary weather evaportated into to some nice sunny weather burning away some of my cold in the process. I couldnt't decided which route to use and since I hadn't been on the portion of the Tonga Ridge Trail that head West from the end of the road I decided that was reason enough. After packing up I made my way up the good trail to the meadows above. When I reached the point where the trail starts to drop I stopped to survey the terrian and decided this would be a good spot on the way out to tackle The Tonga Ridge High point. I soon was in a flat area made my way through the campsite and the trail heading South. As I made my way to Fisher Lake I kept thinking to myself that it wasn't the way I had remembered the trail. I remember a rough rocky muddy and rotty trail and this wasn't much of any of those. Since it was going the direction I wanted to go I didn't give it much thought. I quickly made my way past


Fisher Lake and passed a small tent at the outlet. I crossed the outlet and followed the Fisherman's trail to Lower Ptarmagin. The trail is good but does require some focus. I slowly made my way along the West shore boulderfield mindful of the loose rocks. As I made my way up Upper Ptarmagin I thought about what I would do if the only campsite was taken. Which of course it was, undaunted I pressed on with the intent of camping at Terrace Lakes. As I made my way I found a SMALL area that would suit my bivy sack. I did some minor landscaping and set up camp. I lounged awhile and noticed that my back was becoming increasingly more pained. Puzzled since I hadn't done anything that would induce such a reaction, I thought it would pass. I scouted the way for the next day and it was just as I had remembered, easy. I went back to camp and relaxed. The night went well, although the dogs awoke me a couple of times in the night, once to run out something and once when the beagle decided that he was going to burrow into my sleeping bag no matter what. During the night I was jolted out of sleep by some sort of call that I hadn't heard before. I am guessing it was an owl even though it didn't sound like any owl I had ever heard. I have to admit I was a bit unnerved but as the call stopped I drifted back to sleep. When I awoke I was barely able to stand and it took me quite some time before I was even mobile. I was somewhat confident that my malady would subside once I started walking but I didn't want to find out I was wrong being even farther away from the car. I packed up and made my way back to the trail. As I reached the campsite the campers were gone giving me some thought to hanging out. I decided I better see how my back was going to go before do anything. After reaching the lower lake I decided that since I brought my fly rod I should probably use it. I managed 3 fat feisty Cutthroat's in the short time I fished. The last one I was sight fishing and involved a left handed sidearm cast that I had never tried before. I managed to put the fly right where I wanted and true to form the nice 15" Cutt hit it and provided a more than adequate fight. I repacked and was on my way home. The trail out was much more the way I remember it on the way out and I soon realized that there are two branches of the Fisher Lake trail and by far the East version is the nicer of the two. Since my back was still giving me issues I nixed any ideas of any further climbing and quickly made my way back to the car.

SE Wright Mountain 9.4.09

Not looking for an overly challenging day I thought something benign was in order. When I woke to glorious sunshine I knew I had made the right choice. I parked at the very popular Snow Lakes Trailhead and leashed the Shepard. I knew that seeing many people meant seeing many dogs and I liked my chances better with the larger dog leashed. Thankfully the beagle's new found freedom didn't translate into him taking flight. Not really pushing the issue I made descent time to Gem Lake. Since I had already climbed Wright Mt. I thought the sister summit would be worthy. Since some non conforming summits had been added to the Home Court 100 page on Peakbagger.com it at least gave me something to cross off. I used the trail that heads to the privy and left it before actually seeing it. I crested a small knoll and dropped to a meadowy area dotted with a couple small tarns. From there it was a short boulder field to the summit. While the view to the North are blocked by Wright Mt. the views elsewhere are something to behold. With the clear sunny weather paired with the fresh snow on the higher summits made for some dramatic sights. I stayed on the summit just soaking both the warm sun and great views. For the descent I followed my uptrack to the meadowy area where I entered a nice gully that dropped me onto a loose talus field directly above the trail. The drop was somewhat loose but went well and soon I was on the trail. There were many people to negotiate as I made my way to the car but I managed to make great time.






Approx 10 miles 2500' of climb 5:30 car to car

North Guye, Cave Ridge 9.1.09

With the expectation to be at work late on my day off for inventory my expectations were pared back for this day. I was able to scoot out much earlier than expected with my new found skill of delegagting. In the past the adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" has come into play heavily. We shall see. Too bad for me my caffeine regimen was set up for a much longer night and I wasn't able to go straight to bed. I slept reasonably well and futzed around the house before finally hitting the road. There were the usual larger amount of cars at the Snow Lake Trailhead which didn't concern me since I didn't think too many were heading my way. The trail was still where it was the last time I was there and it is still easy to follow albeit steepish. It sure but my fitness level under scrutiny and showed I am woefully below my usual standards. Undaunted I pushed on stopping long enough to let a party of five descend. Soon I reached the junction for Guye Saddle and I was on new ground. The trail grade backs off as it makes it to the saddle. Upon reaching the saddle I was surprised it was a 4 way intersection and not the 3 way I was hoping for. I decided to go for Guye first and I thankfully reached a small pond for the dogs to drink and cool off. The beagle who is only7 seems to be having more issues each time out. I am starting to think I may have to leave him home. The scramble to the summit goes easily and I was surprised the amount of exposure to the West. It's a long way down to the car below. The 3 summits are much closer together than what I expected, and I was unable to determine which was the highest. I spied the gully that opens up the route to the two other summits but after doing a Google Search on which summit was the highest I decided that the South Summit would be better attempted with a partner. I have to admit having the technology to access the unlimited info of the internet gave me one more reason not to continue, just what I need. I snapped a few pictures through the hazy skies, before making my way back to the pond. After the dog's again drank their fill I continued North. The path was good and soon I was at another junction. I took the right fork which I had hoped went to the Cave Ridge High Point 5270'. The trail was good and soon I found myself on the summit. The views were just as hazy so I didn't stay long. On my way up Guye I decided to alter my exit strategy and continue East into Commonwealth Basin. Since I was able to get a hold of my wife to let her know I felt like it would be a good way to avoid the knee crunching descent to my car. I half expected the trail to peter out but it stays mostly well defined all the way to the Crossing of Commonwealth Creek. Now it was just easy trail to the PCT parking lot and the 1.5 mile road walk back to the car.




Approx 8 miles 2700' of climb 4:45 car to car

Bentrim Hill 8.25.09

I have never viewed life as a race and as such I am not in a big hurry to finish the Back Court 100. I do however like to take the time to savor a meaningful summit. Bentrim Hill is nothing special and if wasn't such long ways to reach in Winter I would have saved it for some wintery day. I had hoped to stay West of the crest but when I awoke to a drizzly marine layer I knew a change was in order.




I had read R&R's great trip report but I didn't do a good job of transcribing the directions on to my used envelope. I parked where I thought I should but to be sure I took a reading with my GPS and was too far from my intended target. Unable to make much sense of the maze of roads on my map I was most confused. I decided to keep driving in the direction I needed to go and hope for the best. I soon came into some recognizable territory and in fact I ended up at the trailhead I had planned on using before reading R&R's report. I parked and didn't even bother in changing into my regular footwear on clothing. I put some liquid in my daypack and hit the Old Ellensburgh Trail. The trail is in good shape and is heavily used by horsemen so the going is quite dusty. I soon crested beneath Mount Lillian and began the descent to the Howard Creek Trail. As dry as it has been there is running water everywhere, which is a product of the many springs that dot the area. After reaching the intersection with the Grouse Springs Trail I resumed climbing. Soon I was in a nice meadowy area beneath the summit where I left the trail and made my way easily to Bentrim's summit. The views were nice to the West and East but there isn't much to see to the South and North is blocked by trees. There is an immense summit cairn where I wasn't able to find a register. For the descent I chose to drop in a much more direct line to my trail below. I tried to head in Southern direction to make sure I didn't over run my trail. There were numerous game trail that looked like they were manmade. I again reached a meadowy area and I felt like I was North of my trail I started to worry that I had come down too far offline. Thankfully the trail finally emerged right on a spot where I had seen some recent flagging. I thought it odd since it was the only flagging I had seen and coming out in that exact spot game me reason to chuckle. I soon recrossed Howard Creek and began climbing my way back up to the car. I am curious why there is so much deadfall just above Haney Meadows. There are no avalanche slopes to provide that level of destruction. I can only surmise that there was some huge wind event or that the forest was purposely thinned.



Approx 7 miles 2000ft of climb 3 hours car to car

Paddy Go North 8.18.09

All week my intent was to head to Chetwoot Lake and bag a couple area peaks. This Summer has been sporadic on the hiking front and I needed a long day to help catch up. As things go for me I had morning oblibgations I couldn't get out of. Disappointed on not having the time for the monster day I had planned I lost all motivation. I struggled to find a back up plan that would utilize the remaining time I had. The goal was to summit Sherpani Peak or as I would rather call it "coffin top" . On the way out I wanted to go over Paddy Go North crossing two peaks off my list and saving a little dignity for the day. I made good time to the PGEP trail and was dismayed that it was about 20 degrees hotter than what I was expecting. To make matters worse I left my sunscreen in my fishing vest. Since I don't have any hair to block the sun's rays this can be concerning to me. Since I had a hat all wasn't lost. I wanted to avoid my ears getting crispy as they sometimes do, so I improvised and soaked my t-shirt in the creek and put it over my hat to add some extra protection. Form doesn't always follow function so I was glad I didn't cross paths with anyone on this day. There was enough wind to keep me from overheating from the Mid 90 degree temps. The Beagle who is black was taking the brunt of the heat and I was forced to stop at nearly every shady spot along the way to keep him out of the red zone. I had a ton of fluids with me but most weren't ideal for the dogs. I forced them to drink heavily at the first two creek crossing. I decided instead of leaving the trail at 5800' as I had planned to continue on to the pass and head South to Sprite Lake to give the dogs some cool water to drink. The dogs both lounged in the water to beat the heat. I actually stayed nearly 30 minutes which for me is unusual. I didn't have to be back early so I wasn't in a rush. I decided that PGN was still in the cards. It is apparent that I wasn't going to summit via the East as PGN has an impressive East face. On the way up I had spied a route from the South that I thought would go. I went up the gully that is the fault line between the two distinct types of rocks that dominate the area. I had one small section that involved some gymnastics but reaching the ridge was easier than expected. I headed North tending to the West side to a nice ledge that took me around some larger outcroppings. One on the West side the grade lessened as I traversed to find a manageable way to the summit. I dropped pack and zigzagged my way up. I would say that the route was less than class 3 but certainly more than class 2 scrambling. I wasn't able to find any summit register which was somewhat of a surprise. I carefully downclimbed my way back to the pack and was able to make good time back to the trail.






Approx 9 miles 3500' of climb 6 hours car to car

Tonga Ridge 8.4.09

****WARNING NO USEFUL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT**




I had hoped to make a try for Shroud Mt. but with the wife nursing a unpleasant cold I thought it best to get the kids started and let another summer day slip away. After the wife showed signs of recovering my need to get out over rode my sense of duty. With the later start I knew Shroud was out so I thought something shorter was in order. I thought the Highpoint of Tonga Ridge would be perfect. The highpoint is just over the end of the Tonga Ridge road and SE of the more popular Mt Sawer. I have never read any reports for this peak so I thought I would go blindly. The plan was to use the logging clearly marked just East of Sawyer Creek and put me in close proximity of the summit. After coming to a logging road in pristine shape I made my way up. It wasn't the road I intended but it was in such good shape I thought it best to investigate. I was able to ride it quite high on the ridge and park. After walking a short ways I stumbled on a car parked which I thought may have been abandoned. The things inside looked fresh so I kept moving in the direction of my intended target. I broke out the GPS because the terrain was confusing to me. I was less than two miles out and less than 1000' below the summit but I was sure that there must be a better way. I walked back to the car to find my logging road. I was unable to find this road and ended up making my way all the to the end of the road and turned around. After wasting so much time I just did some exploring on the way out. After looking at my maps closer when I returned home I am just as confused.

Red Top Mt 7.25.09

I had tried to ski this peak this winter from the Mineral Springs Campground and had to turn around just passed the Red Top Campground. I wasn't bothered by not making the summit because I knew it would give a good excuse the bring the family back. After missing my family for the last two weeks while they were out of town, I surely didn't want to forgo another day tromping up some obscure peak by myself. I thought with the nice weather it was a perfect day to have a family picnic. After a few stops we were off. Both the kids seemed giddy with the possibilities of bagging another peak. I hope their exuberance for their father's passion continues. We made good time to the Mineral Springs turnoff and made our way up the good road. There is some active logging so caution should observed. Soon we were parked near a nice shady picnic bench to have a nice lunch. After lunch we packed up the car and started the short walk to the Red Mt. Lookout Trail. The trail is marked as .5 miles but I am quite sure it is only half that. The trail is somewhat steep in spots and is loose especially for little feet. The lookout was manned and Don was more than happy to show the wife and oldest around. I stayed below with the little on stowed safely in her backpack. There are some substantial drops near the summit it was a little tense for me to have the kids untethered. After some quick pictures we made our way back to the car. The second plan for the day was to take a drive to Bentrim Hill to knock another peak off my list. After driving on a rapidly degrading road that I "hoped" was the right road I decided that I would save this hill for next year's picnic and use the standard approach.




.5 miles 400ft of climb 30 min car to car.

Bootjack 7.15.09

With an extra day off and the family still away I had a full day to devote to climbing. I had hoped to camp the night before so that I could get an early start and pair Bootjack with Highchair. After having to stay later than expected at work on Tuesday I decided that staying home and getting some rest and just doing one of the peaks would be the right move. I let myself get some extra sleep and was out the door before 0900. The weather was beautiful so I had high hopes for the day. I reached the washout on the Icicle Road and unloaded the mountain bike. I knew that I would have to ride the road instead of walking the 5 miles to the BlackJack Trail. I passed plenty of people coming out using mountain bikes as well. I was happy that the dogs managed to keep a good pace and didn't bother any of the people we passed along the way. I passed one couple who's only comment upon seeing me riding with my full pack " you sure are ambitious". It gave me a chuckle for sure. I reached the unsigned Blackjack Trail in 45 minutes and stashed the bike. The trail is well worn but a little brushy in the beginning. The tread is very nice and the grade is more than managable. There are some blowdowns along the way. In one stretch I made the mistake of taking the Beagle off the leash to make it easier for both of us to make it through. You would think by now I would KNOW better. Sure enough he was off like a shot, baying as he went. I know calling him or chasing after him is not worth the effort so I pressed on. I honestly thought I would never see him again. His baying sounded very strange, almost like a dying dogs last chase. I had never heard him sound so strange. I did call for him on each West side switchback to no avail. After about 1500' of climb I gave up and concentrated on the task at hand. I was quite pleased with the time I was making. The trail does climb quite a lot of elevation but it never is very steep. Finally the trail breaks out into a nice ghost forest with a nice meadowy groundcover that was fully in bloom. Once the trail drops into the basin I hung a right and started up the ridge. I had hoped for a bootrack but there was none. Thankfully once reaching the ridge proper there is a good trail to lead the way. From first glance Bootjack seems far away and more imposing than what I expected. But much sooner than I expected I reached the summit area for a short class 2 scramble to the summit. The summit is a very nice seat to gaze at the surrounding peaks. I will add some pictures later but truthfully they didn't come out as well as I had hoped. I did not find a register so I left one, sans a pencil. I had a nice leisurely lunch since I had made the summit a full hour sooner than what I had expected. I could see the route to Highchair and it was farther than what I had expected but looks fairly straightforward. I repacked and was off for the descent. After dropping off the scramble portion I could hear some serious panting coming from just over a rise. It was my wandering Beagle looking as whipped as I have ever seen him. I thankfully had brought nearly 1.5 liters of refreshment for me and was also carrying water for the dogs as well. I hadn't expected to find any water on this route so my pack was heavily weighted with water. I did my best to get the water down the Beagle. With leash firmly in hand we were off for the descent. The trail is made for a quick descent and made it back to my bike in a little more than an hour. If there wasn't any blowdowns I think I could have made it under an hour. It was back on the bike for the long ride out. The Beagle was unable to go too fast so I gave some thought to carrying him as I rode. The combination of my less than skillful riding with a full pack and carrying a Beagle doomed that notion. The Beagle really struggled but he kept moving and finally we made it to the car. It took more than 30 minutes longer for the bike ride portion of the trip. As it turned out it was another wonderful day in the hills. On a curious side note, I had read Randy's report from this week in which they saw a unusual snake, twice. I thought there was the biggest worm of all time stretched across the road only to realize it was actually a snake. I am fairly certain it is the same type that Randy took pictures of. What are the odds?




Approx 18 miles 4400' of climb 7:30 car to car

Chain Lakes 7.12-13.09

With the family away I thought I would take a rare opportunity to do an overnighter. Originally I had hoped to do a loop trip taking most of 4 days but with work again rearranging my schedule I was forced to change my plans. The upside I was going to leave a day earlier but the weather window looked like that would be a bad thing. I was very pessimistic of my chances for summitting the three Back Court peaks around Chain Lakes and one I haven't done around Steven's Pass on the way out. I felt like this was well within reach IF the weather was at least marginal. I left the house after getting home at 3am early Sunday morning. After topping off on coffee I was on my way. I felt pretty good until I was through Monroe and I started to fade fast. I pulled off just before Index and made my way a short ways up a logging road and pulled over and slept. I was able to sleep more or less for a couple hours. Feeling 100% better I was again under way. I pulled off HY 2 on the Mill Creek Road. I hadn't read any recent reports so I wasn't sure of the conditions of the road. It was just as remembered it from previous trips and soon I found myself at the shortcut trail that meets the PCT just before Lake Susan Jane. For those of you that are not familiar with this little known trail I did the best I could to show it on my map. There is a parking spot but it was taken so I had to park a little further up the road. I made some final adjustments and was off. I was happy that I was getting a fairly early start giving me plenty of time to achieve my goals. I was hit with a light rain shower just after passing Lake Susan Jane. I wasn't pleased with this knowing that further along my route the trail becomes brushy. I passed a solo hiker heading to Chain Lakes as well. I was surprised on the amount of snow above Lake Josephine. There was enough tread showing to make route finding a breeze. I passed another 3 at the Lake Josephine outlet who were looking for someplace drier to camp. I descended to the valley below and made my way along the soggy Icicle Creek Trail. Where there wasn't standing water there was a small creek to cross. After what seemed way too long I passed back to the East side of the creek and could start looking for the Chain Lakes trail. The trai is signed and I was thankful to start climbing. The trail is a reasonable grade and I was soon at the start of the long traverse. The sun had burned through and I was able to see to the South and by the time I made it to the first lake it was complete glorious sunshine! I was overjoyed. I hung out all my wet things and set up camp. Since it was just after Noon I felt like I had plenty of time to relax before the real work started. I wish I had set out right away I think I would have had some success. The area around Chain Lakes is scenic so I did my best to capture it. The last time I had been there it was so cloudy I couldn't see a thing.


As I made my way to Bulls Tooth I could see the clouds above me growing quickly and to the West I could see the clouds pushing through the gaps quickly


I didn't want to be out in the exposed with thundershowers and I hadn't covered all my gear so I had no choice to beat a hasty retreat. By the time I reached the camp it looked like this:


I quickly covered everything and turned my attention to fishing. There seems to be plenty of trout in the lakes and streams of the area. I had some fun catching these small ones. I grew weary of cold wet weather and turned in quite early. I was able to get some good sleep. I woke once and the I could see the stars. I was overjoyed to think I would have a second chance for the next day. I again awoke to lightning flashes but I couldn't hear any thunder making me think all hope was not lost. But as thing go sometimes the rain started and kept on for two hours. I was happy that my improptu shelter made of my tent's ground pad strung in the trees and on the other side staked to the ground kept me dry all night.


When light hit I couldn't see more than 30 feet so I went back to sleep with the hope that the sun would win it's battle with the clouds. At around nine I decided that things weren't going to change and I broke camp. I wasn't looking forward to the wet way home but I put my head down and trudged on. By the time I reached Lake Josephine the wind started howling and I was very thankful that I really didn't have too much farther to go. I passed a lone camper at Lake Susan Jane who was huddled next to a tree covered with a tarp. I am guessing he had someone drop him off and was marooned until he was to be picked up. After a short conversation I am sure he was well passed miserable. I thankfully reached the car and switched into some nice dry clothes.



Approx 14 miles 4400' of climb 7 hours walking

Solomon Peak aka Fish Eagle Peak 7.7.09

There has been some debate about the true name of this peak. I climbed 7095' and I will leave it at that. My chaotic schedule forced me to miss last week so even though this week a strong case to stay home could have been made, I pressed on. Selfish as it is sometimes I just need to get out. I made good time to the South Scatter Creek trailhead and was happy that the weather was perfect! Cool partly cloudy and breezy. The breeze kept the hordes of mosquitoes thankfully at bay. Lately I have been struggling with my mental state and fitness level but that was not in the cards for the day. I felt great and the legs were in good shape as well. For those of you that have navigational issues this trail is not reccommended. The first creek crossing has a particularly slippery looking rock that is indeed very slippery. In short order I was forced to wade the creek. I wasn't bothered since I am so used to walking in wet boots. I managed the second crossing without getting any wetter. Once in the marshy basin the trail becomes very hard to follow. I merely went the way that felt right and was rewarded each time with worn tread. Once passing a large avalanche debris field I took in the views and intended route.


I think most people press on to Fish Eagle Pass before heading towards the summit. I had read there was some class 3 scrambling on the ridge that I wanted to avoid. I decided the green slopes above me would be an easier time. Once I pushed through the small swath of annoying trees I reached the grassy slopes. In retrospect I would have been much better to continue a bit further before leaving the trail. I used this for the descent and was less annoying. The footing was good and I was able to rip unimpeded chunks of elevation. I was running short on time but with the rate I was going I felt like I could make up some time. I angled more towards the SE ridge and was able to find a nice gully going my way. There is much loose unstable rock in the gully so be forewarned about those of you with partners. I was able catch a nice rock in the shin and managed to mainline the beagle with a smaller rock. I popped out on the ridge a mere few feet from the summit. I eagerly signed the register seeing alot of familiar names. The views were nice for most of the local peaks and somewhat obscured for peaks further out.


I didn't have much time to linger so I just freewheeled the descent. I tended more more easterly and found it easier than my ascent line. I was able to find the trail with no issues and did fine trying to follow it back to the creek crossing. The last time I had used this trail by the time I had made my way down it was dark and I had descended too far forcing me to cross the creek lower and have to climb to regain the trail. Today was much the same only I didnt't climb high enough to rejoin the trail. I decided to just wing the descent and just keep traversing until I surely would cross the trail. The terrain is benign but is filled, at least for me, lots of hazards. I drove the area just above my right knee into a sharp protruding branch deep enough to cause myself considerable concern. Thankfully it wasn't a bleeder. Not more than 5 minutes later I shredded my right shin which I aggravated a few moments later leaving a substantial gash with a fun flap of skin just hanging there waiting to catch itself on the next branch. Growing weary of traversing I decided to start my descent. This is not recommended. I was forced down a nice toe betweent the two branches of Scatter Creek. Just when I thought I was going to have to climb back up to find a better situation I found some good tread. On my descent I had seen some flagging that was obvioulsy not the maintained trail I was happy to see it morph into some obvious tread. I followed this new trail and crossed Scatter Creek on the NORTH side and had to do an upleasant traverse to reach the North Scatter Creek Trail above me. I thankfully joined the trail and was just a mere 500' above the trailhead. The rest went without incident and I just waded the road crossing of Scatter Creek which is still high enough to give some cars some issue. I was very pleased to have a much better day but paired with the two worst injuries I have received climbing made it for a bittersweet day.




Approx 10 miles 3900' of climb 6 hours car to car

Rainy Lake 6.23.09

With a full day to devote to a climb and the weather cooperating I was looking forward all week to something longish. I was hoping to summit Preacher Mt. high above the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. I was dismayed to see the road closed sign still up. I knew it was open on the weekend but I was worried that it may have been closed during the week for further road work. I thankfully passed an open gate and had no issues reaching the massive Middle Fork parking lot. I had been to Rainy Lake many years ago so I had a rough idea of the route. I had read 1k's recent report so I knew the crossing of Rainy Creek had changed. I had no issues getting across, it is important to know the crossing is upstream from the convulence with the Middle Fork. The area is braided so many of the channels can be stepped over. Once across I was concerned about finding the trail right away which was a non issue because the trail parallels the creek for the first few hundred feet. The trai itself was easy to follow until it reaches an area of substantial blowdowns but it is so heavily flagged that the lack of tread was no issue. Of late I have been struggling with both my mental state and fitness level and today was even worse. For the lower portions of the trail it felt as if I had my emergency brake firmly locked. With such a long ways to go I knew my pace jeapordized my goal for the day. I kept plugging away and found that once I reached the steeper finish my legs reacted well. I hadn't bothered to set my altimeter so I was surprised when the trail started to descend to the lake. It sure is nice when the surprise is on the side of lessening the amount of climb needed. The lake is still mostly frozen and seems much smaller that it appears on the map. I really didn't make much of attempt to try to talk myself into continuing. I had planned on crossing the outlet and using the subtle ridge to reach the more benign upper slopes. From my vantage point it appears the traverse to Little Rainy Lake is on easy snow slopes. From Little Rainy it appears to be an easy finish. I was intrigued with the snow filled gulley leading in a more direct line. I know some have used this for their approach but I couldn't quite see how the gulley ends. I guess with all the extra time I had I should have explored more. I had a leisurely lunch while batting the infestation of gnats. The descent took longer than I would have liked because it it quite slippery. About half way down I ran into 1K and we chatted for quite some time. It was sure nice to see someone from NWHikers. It is a truly a rare occurence for me. For the most part I enjoyed the Rainy Lake "trail". It does pass through some majestic trees. There are plenty of these monster trees down on the ground to contend with. For you history buffs there is a nice plaque on a rock near the campsites. I found it difficult to read what it said because it is in poor shape.




Approx 9 miles 3000' of climb 7 hours car to car

Chatter Creek 6.9.09

After missing last week I wanted to get out and do a little extra elevation. I had tried last year to do Grindstone but a late May snowstorm forced us to lay low in the basin below the frequent avalanches. I was hoping for a mostly snow free ascent to the basin and my guess was right. As is common knowledge at this point the Icicle Creek Road is closed just passed The Ida Campground. I was able to arrive just after 0800 giving me adequate time I hoped. The weather was partly sunny and very comfortable temperature wise. I was nearly eaten alive by mosquitoes along rushing Icicle Creek. I was hoping this wouldn't be a problem for the entire day which it was thankfully not. I wasn't sure how far it was to the Chatter Creek trail and I was dismayed it took my 30 minutes burning valuable time. The trail was in fine shape from the onset unlike myself who was struggling with motivational issues. My new position at work has added some extra hours and with my wife in the midst of her busy season, I didn't realize how much it has been taking out of me. Of course my aspirations haven't quite adjusted to this new regime. I was feeling quite overwhelmed with the enormity of the day I had planned. I forced myself to plod on resisting the urge to just lay in a nice sunny spot. I reached the Chatter Creek crossing at 4400' and happily made my way over the first portion over a well placed log. The second crossing was another story. I spent 20 minutes trying to find a suitable crossing. Finally I rearranged a few logs across a narrow portion to an island in the creek. This wasn't a suitable crossing for the Beagle so I brought back the Beagle toss. I don't make a habit of this but he seems to enjoy his short flights. I managed the crossing and jumped the other channel and thankfully rejoined the trail. The trail degrades pretty quickly after the crossing becoming very brushy saturated with running water. It is however pretty easy to follow even under patchy snow in the basin. Once in the basin the views open up.


After crossing an avalanche debris field I lost the trail. I just climbed above and traversed until I ran across the trail. The trail again gets serious about climbing but thankfully snow free. There are long stretches where the trail is overrun by running water. Once cresting I was able to see my first objective the small pass just West of 7112'. I wasn't crazy about the long traverse of the cirque to get to that point so I dropped pack. I clearly wasn't comfortable continuing with my plan, but my legs were feeling pretty good. I decided that the slopes East of me looked benign enough for me to reach the ridgeline 1200' above me. I kicked steps up the stable snow with a little more verve in my step without my bloated pack. I reached a small saddle between 6801' and a higher eastern point. I climbed both just for fun. The Eastern point came in at 6893' and had a unusual monolith near the crest which I didn't bother to climb. The view are wonderful of the Chiwaukums area but the lighting was less than desirable for the stunning view to the South.


The descent to my stowed belongings went very well and I wolfed down a quick lunch. The trail back to the creek crossing was tedious but went well. Instead of trying my method of crossing from the ascent I merely waded across without issue. Since the trail below the crossing is in such good shape I jogged portions which my legs seemed to love. Once I reached the road the mosquitoes doubled their effort to drain me dry. I pushed the pace and upon reaching the car I speed changed. Lucky for me the mosquitoes weren't fond of a moving car with the windows down.


Although today was another struggle for me mentally I was quite pleased with the end results. A day of varied conditions was punctuated by a massive thundershower just before Snoqualmie Pass. It was raining so hard that I was sure that my car wouldn't have any paint left.



Approx 12 miles 4400' of climb 8 hours car to car

Thompson point 5.26.09

Earlier in the week the weather looked stellar for the whole extended outlook. I decided with some nice weather it was prime time for a long day. As the week wore on I realized that my Tuesday was again going to be less than perfect weather wise. Stubborn as I am I decided to try to make it work anyway. I was hoping for a combo of Revolution Peak and the long ridge traverse to Russian Butte. I was able to get myself out of bed at 4:15 after getting very little sleep. I was surprised that it was already light enough to see and the weather was very warm and more importantly dry. Feeling like things might still work out I made my way to the Granite Creek Road. I had thrown out some emails about the rumored shortcut that connects the road from further up the MFR. I also considered taking the mountain bike but in the end I was content to just walk. I started off with great legs and made the bridge of Granite Creek in under an hour. The pitch increases after the bridge as did the cloud cover and precipitation. I added another couple layers to ward off the cold and wet. I hit snow just before the signed junction for Granite lakes. I was able to follow a previous track which the bonus of having the same stride length as myself. The snow was somewhat sloppy but not enough to make snowshoes mandatory. I kept pushing up the road until I was able to take the branch that heads more Easterly away from Point 5124. I had done this on a previous trip and resisted heading straight for the ridge. I remember a sticky point along the ridge that I wanted to avoid. The weather now had degraded further to a point that the only a view I had was the inside of the cloud. I started a long descending traverse to try to reach the end of the clearcut and enter the woods in an area with a reasonable pitch. The going was tedious but the snow held my steps which comforted me because of the rather steep slope. I was able to reach the forest and found a nice gulley to reach the ridgeline high above me. The snow in the forest was much firmer and since I had left my crampons in the car I was leery to ascend. I felt like that I wouldn't have too much trouble reaching the more benign slopes above. My concern was for the descent. It was apparent that there was no way I would make Russian Butte so a return visit would be in order. Instead of pushing the issue after some debate I decided a lower traverse to avoid the steeper portions. After nearing the road I decided that I would make my way up to the ridge to see if that might go for me. I crested to Point 5124 and had lunch. The weather became even worse and since I was wearing everything that I had brought and still was cold I decided to bag any further climbing. I descended to the cabin and then just free wheeled the descent to cut some distance. I was able to shave some distance and thankfully some time. I was happy to reach the snowless road below and made quick work of the long descent.




Approx 16 miles 4700' of climb 8:45 car to car

Cougar Mt, Long View Peak 05/25/09

With another sunny day on tap and having to watch the kids I thought another kid's hike was the perfect fit. After last week's Squak Mt trip going so well I thought a little exploring of Cougar Mt. was in order. We snagged the last available parking spot on The Wilderness Creek trailhead parking lot off of SR 900. The trail is in good shape and there is still decent flow in the creek. At the junction we took The Cliff Trail to the junction with the Wilderness Peak Spur. The Spur is short jaunt to the viewless summit. There was a summit register where I had the oldest look through while I took her picture. I almost cried watching her look through her first summit register. Both kids were very talkative to the countless people encountered on the trail today. Today's topic was "What color is your car". In the end Silver narrowly won out over blue. The parting words were the customary "Happy Hiking". After a quick snack we were off for the descent. We decided to mix it up and descend towards Shy Bear Pass. Shortly thereafter we reached an intersection with Long View Peak. I started along the way but decided that might be too much for the little legs. I couldn't have been more proud when the oldest talked me out of turning around because she wanted another summit. In short order we reached the summit where she performed her summit dance. We descended a short ways to some slight views of the valley below. We then made for the car. Another great day for my me and my little climbers.




Approx 5 miles 1300' of climb 4 hours car to car

4th Pass 05.19.09

Today was another in a run of days where things didn't quite go as planned. Because of the poor forecasted weather I had planned on doing Mailbox and traversing to Dirtybox. I didn't have much more than a half day because of some morning obligations so I knew that it would be short and sweet. When I left the house the weather was cloudy with some sun breaks making me think I might avoid the worst of the weather. When I reached North Bend It was pouring with no relief in sight. I called home to say I would be late and struggled with a backup plan. I really didn't want to get soaked which ended up dripping in irony. I hoped again to be bailed out by the Teanaway effect which again worked to some extent. I decided to try for Devil's Head which is North of Bean Peak and just North of Volcanic Neck. I hoped to use the basin below Bean and cross just East of Bean and then come out via the Beverly Creek Trail. There was two cars at the trailhead with one twosome just finishing suiting up. I chatted briefly with them while I was getting ready. They planned an overnighter with out much of a destination in mind. I reached Bean Creek and headed up to the first crossing. I passed the twosome having some trouble finding a reasonable spot to cross. The water was much higher than last week and I began to wonder if crossing the torrent was going to go. I reached the crossing and realized that I was going to get my feet wet. I crossed with little issue as did the Shepard. I instructed the Beagle to stay put which he only partly obeyed. He made his way half way across and was perched on a rock. I dropped pack and turned in time to see him slip off the rock and being sucked downstream. I dropped everything and sprinted after him. He managed to right himself on a small log jam. I was able to reach him but I was unable to balance myself without my poles and promptly fell in myself. So much for looking for a drier day. I recrossed the creek and retrieved my belongings and made my way across one more time. I decided that maybe this day wasn't meant to be. I dropped to the Beverly Creek trail crossing of Bean Creek and before I really decided what I was going to do I scooped up the Beagle like a football and ploughed through the water to the other side. I pushed the pace up the trail and hit consistent snow shortly thereafter. I resisted on putting on snowshoes and was rewarded with some deep postholes now and again. I decided to leave the trail at 4900' in a more direct line for my goal. I crossed some avy debris but the snow was stable and there was no need for snowshoes. I reached a wonderful small basin and switched to snowshoes. I climbed to nearly the ridgeline before traversing towards the pass East of Bill's Peak. I could see in the snowy mist Volcanic Neck and Devil's Head. I didn't think I had enough daylight to make the summit and out before dark. There was no way I was going to try to make another creek crossing in the dark. I decided to drop via the trail and made good time on the way out. I reached Bean Creek for my 6th crossing of the day. I again scooped up the Beagle and made my across the raging creek. I was able to manage the water but if there was much more I think the crossing may not be possible. With as much traffic as this trail sees I am surprised that a bridge is not in place.






Approx 7 miles 2400' of climb 4 hours car to car.

Squak Mt 5.18.09

Monday's have been my day to watch the kids so I thought with some warmer weather a day out would be in order. I have taken my oldest many times to Squak Mt. and worked at building up her stamina to make it to the summit. Today was the day for our first try. I was unsure if she was capable at 3 and half I thought my desires might be too much. So I loaded the baby backpack with lunch and the little one and we were off. It was a little cool and mostly cloudy for the majority of the ascent. I decided to try to take the most direct line to the summit. Usually we use the trail system for our Squak jaunts but for today I wanted to use the South Access Road. We had a great conversation along the way and the little one was very happy to be along for the ride. I started entertaining thoughts of success but I was still unsure. We passed a worker a short ways from the summit. His encouraging words were the perfect tonic for the last bit to the summit. Soon we rounded a corner and caught sight of the towers. This spurred the oldest to break out in a run. Soon we were at the summit for a well deserved lunch. For the descent we used the East Summit Trail to connect with Phil's Creek Trail and rejoined the South Access Road for the remainder of the descent. Needless to say I was very proud of my little girl. At her age I think that it is pretty stout accomplishment.




Approx 5.5 mile approx 1700ft of climb 4:00 to car to car.

Earl Peak 5.12.09

Well let's try this again,






I had hoped to do something on the Home Court 100 but with the terrible weather forecast I thought better of it. When the weather turns poor Teanaway is usually a safe bet. With the access opening up the problem was, what to do? I am running out of options so I thought I would clean up some of my remaining victims on a loop trip.

I had the whole day so I was confident of success. Sleep came very fitfully so I let myself sleep an extra 2 hours thinking I would still have plenty of time. I managed to get out the door quickly and was dumbstruck by the "chains required" sign on I-90. WTF isn't it the middle of May? As I made my way up the pass the chains required was relaxed and I started to again feel hopeful. That was short lived when all traffic was stopped to clear an accident. There went another 30 minutes. Undaunted I pushed on. The North Fork Teanaway road is mostly free of snow to the Beverly Creek Trailhead. I would be wary of the many sneaky washouts that are not seen until it is too late. At the trailhead I was greeted with this scene:


I layered up and was off. The first crossing of Bean Creek went well and the area that the trail goes along the creek was well travelled making it less troublesome. The last time I was on this trail I had to break out the ice axe for this portion to ensure not falling steeply into the creek. Soon I was on solid snow that for the most part held my weight. Always with a nice surprise posthole once in a while. Once I reached the basin I needed to again cross Bean Creek. I found a reasonable spot to drop to the creek and only had a small issue with making it up the other side. Tanner was able to make it up on his own but the Beagle wasn't so fortunate. This ended up being the crux of the day. I had to lay on my stomach with my toes kicked in the slope as far as I could so that I could hang upside down just enough to get his collar and hoist him up. It was more than a little unnerving to hang there knowing if my plan didn't work I was going to fall head first into the frigid water. Once on the other side I put on the snow shoes and aimed for the open areas above me. The views opened up and I thankfully snapped some pictures.


I was able to see a nice snow filled gully going my way so I aimed for it. The gully was a reasonable pitch and the snow was stable and I was able to lose the snowshoes and just kick step my way up. After about 600' of climb I left the gully for a more direct line to my summit. The snow was much harder here and I contemplated swithching to crampons which I thankfully had remebered to bring. I reached the ridge around 6400' and was greeted with some blustery winds and blowing snow. It was fierce enough to give some thought of turning back. I decided to push on. I crested a false summit at 6800' and so Earl easily attainable in front of me. I thankfully reached the summit and wasn't able to find a summit register. I was too cold to fumble through my pack so I snapped some pictures with my phone:


From the summit the basin looked very attainable below me. I was almost seduced by the endless untracked snow of the basin but relented and returned. I had been worried about the steepish descent so I angled to the saddle where the summer trail passes and descended from there. The angle was much less severe and the snow was receptive for descending. Once I reached the gully I glissaded to it's bottom.

The weather settled for the rest of the way and I thankfully was able to soak up some sun. Although Earl is a popular summit it was much more difficult with the day's conditions. It seemed much more of a Winter's climb than a Spring one.




Approx 8 miles 3500' of climb 5:45 car to car

Lumiere Ridge 4.21.09

With Steven's Pass Ski area recently closing for the season I did my usual pilgrimage to the ski slopes. Since I have climbed all the peaks surrounding the ski runs I was going to have to get creative. I parked at the trailhead for the PCT and quickly changed to snowshoes. I could see that trying to follow the PCT was not going to work so I traversed to the ski runs and gave up some elevation and dropped to the ski run that would take my directly to the saddle between Big Chief and Cowboy. Not knowing how far I would stay on the runs I left the snowshoes on. I did see a few prints going my way. The sun was beating down on me and was quite warm as I easily made my way to the saddle. Once at the saddle I could see my objective a long ways off. I had plenty of concern about avalanche danger with the warm unbroken sun. I was surprised to see about 20 snowmobilers in the Mill Creek Basin. Since most of them were highmarking every available hillside without provoking any slides, I felt more comfortable. I quickly dropped in the basin below and followed the snowmobilers tracks as far as I could before I began a traverse at 4600'. I followed an old ski track which worked. I decided that the slope above me looked suspect so I dropped to around 4400' to give myself an extra cushion. I rejoined the snowmobilers track greatly increasing my speed. I met a big group at Lake Susan Jane. They were going up the steep gully just to the SW. I would have liked to use this gully because it was a more direct line. Not wanting to get run over or have any issues with the dogs I crossed over the frozen lake and followed roughly the PCT. In the gully I did see a couple small avalanches come slowly down the slope.Once in the basin above I dropped pack and pushed for the ridge. There were plenty of snowmobilers tracks to follow so the going was straightforward. I reached the ridge just South of the summit and started to make my way to the summit. The ridge was heavily corniced and they were full sun resulting in a steady stream of water coming off of them. This seemed to me a dangerous situation that didn't warrant continuing. I gave some thought to traversing underneath them and decided against that. I slow motion glissaded back to my pack. I had a quick bite and retraced my steps back. When I reached the point where I had decided to drop lower I was dismayed to find a larger avalanche that had crossed my path. Feeling lucky I pushed on to the dreaded climb out of the basin. I took off the snowshoes and booted the remainder. I was hoping to speed up the descent back to the car by glissading but wasn't able to get much speed up due to the soft snow and low angle descent.




Approx 8 miles 3100' of climb 5:30 car to car

Cascade Lookout 4.07.09

After changing plans last week mid stream I thought with only a half day for climbing a return visit was in order. I haven't been blessed with good weaher of late so with the stellar weather predicted I was eager to head out. I couldn't believe how warm it was already at 1030 so I gladly changed my lenses to the darkest I have and slathered up the sunblock. I however should have been paying closer attention to where and more importantly where I hadn't applied the sunscreen. In my haste I managed to miss my entire left calf which I am now paying the price for. I wasn't enthused with the long road walk to the first 4 way intersection so I decided to take a more direct approach. I was surprised that there was another car parked at the gate. I hoped I might cross paths but the best I could do was to see them above me for a short while. I think they were out for a mountain bike ride. I only went a short ways on the main line before taking the first right. I followed the good road until it split where I followed the left branch. This branch ends shortly and it was into the clearcut. The going wasn't too bad and soon I found myself on the road above me only a short ways to rejoin my route from last week. I figured I halved the mileage from last week saving much needed time. From there I followed my prints form last week and instead of leaving the road I stayed on it climbing steadily to point 3087'. The snow was very wet and heavy but I kept the legs churning. From 3087' I descended the road below and crossed Deep Creek. I dropped pack and headed up. The snow was a little firmer making for an easier than expected ascent. I topped out on point 3600' which provided some great views of Phelps, Goat, Mclain and both Dog and Morpheus mountains. The only thing that I couldn't see was the lookout that I had hoped to find. I had expected to be able to see it from this vantage. I now was running low on time and since the lookout was at a slightly higher elevation I descended to a road that climbed to the North. The road headed to a heavily treed area which in mind wouldn't make for a good location for a lookout. Thoroughly confused I followed the road until it started to descend. I left the road and wound my way through the densely treed area until I reached what seemed to me like the highest point of the surrounding area. I certainly didn't see a lookout in the maze of trees. With the end of my allotted time I headed back. On the way down I stopped for short time to look at the long single track of my ascent. I always enjoy the sight on the long unbroken track of my hard work. The descent seemed to drag on until I was able to take off the snowshoes. Once the snowshoes were off the pace seemed to quicken until I reached the clearcut. Here I slowed the pace to avoid any chance for a unpleasant fall.




Approx 12 miles 2800' of climb 6 hours car to car

Devil Slide 6 3.31.09

With the heavy snows in the mountains I knew getting over the passes would be dicey and with the heightened avy conditions I thought it best to stay low. I parked at the last yellow gate before the Wagner Bridge. The weather was frightful. It was blowing 30+mph with horizontal hail. I gave some thought about bagging the day. I waited 15 minutes and the weather calmed. I layered up and was off. I was hoping to walk the road until the 4 way intersection at around 1300'. The intent was to use the network of logging roads to reach the old Cascade Lookout. I had read a great report from Beave warning against heading North at the intersection. Apparently there is a major landslide on the Deep Creek Road that makes it impassable. I instead headed right and began climbing. There wasn't much snow so it went quickly. Just before 1800' I took the right junction and hit substantial snow. I also noticed that I could see the car in the distance. With the recent clearcut I banked the idea for the descent cutting off some serious mileage. The snow increased quickly so I put on snowshoes. The snow was deep and heavy greatly slowing progress. Since the going was so slow I decided to enter the forest where the snow was much more manageable. This worked great with the exception of realizing that I had forgotten my phone at home. This was a problem because I load my maps into the phone. So now I was flying with limited vision. After a few hundred feet of climb I reached another road. I followed to the right until I was dismayed to find a dead end. I retraced my steps to another junction where I headed North. The weather now had redoubled it's effort to make my day miserable. I could see high above me what appeared to be another road which I surmised could be helpful. I was confident that I could scale the steep clearcut but with the weather strengthening I decided that it wasn't prudent to continue. In retrospect I should just have waited another 15 minutes because the weather again improved. Since I could see Devil's Slide 6 to the West I decided to forgo my up route and just follow my new road to the Deep Creek Road. This went quickly and I soon found myself back at original 4-way intersection. Here I went West and soon crossed Deep Creek. Just after crossing Deep Creek there was a spur road heading North. At this intersection I jumped off road and made my way up the clearcut. The going was great for a clearcut making a quick ascent to the road above me. I followed the road and descended the saddle beneath DS 6. I was surprised to see a set of footprints in the deeper snow. From the saddle I again left the road for the clearcut and easily made it to the summit 2000' 560'P. The views were limited to the area bumps which I documented for future trips. For the descent I decided to follow the main road back to the valley below. The initial portion headed my direction but further down it switchbacked North which I had hoped to avoid. I left the road intending on using the clearcut to access the road that I was sure that was below me. Too bad for me that the road passed on the West side of Black Lake not the East Side that I thought I had remebered from an earlier trip. I soon realized that I was stymied so back up the clearcut I went. Thankfully I reached the road above me again. I reached another junction where I headed South. The road passes directly next to the lake where I spied some areas that would allow some fishing. The road deadends at the outlet stream. Thankfully I could see the continuation of the road on the other side so I forded the creek and was back on track. After climbing the road crests and heads back to the original 4 way intersection. I had to laugh to myself when I realized that during the day I had used all four branches of the intersection. I picked up the pace for the remainder and just beat the rain back to the car.




Approx 12 miles 2200' of climb 5:30 car to car

Tronsen Meadows 3.24.09

I had a tough time deciding this week what I wanted to do. I wasn't too enthused with the crappy West side snow so I decided to head East with the bonus of better weather. I am having a tough time to find climbs that I haven't done that afford reasonable Winter access. Earlier this year when I was on Mt. Lillian I could plainly see Bentrim Hill. So there it was, the goal for the day. I decided to forgo an early start to instead help with the kids and come home after dark. I wasn't able to sleep much last night which made me very sleepy. In fact I was so tired after passing Easton that I was forced to pull over and sleep for a half hour. Feeling much better I pressed on. The plan was to use the Tronsen Meadow's trail to access the Old Ellensburgh trail which I hoped would be somewhat easy to follow in nearly direct line to Bentrim Hill. This is one of those wonderful Backcourt peaks that can nearly be driven up during other times of the year. I always try to resist those urges and at least put some effort into making the summit. The road to the Tronsen Meadow's trail was well packed and the snowshoes stayed stowed on the pack. Once on the trail it was a nice trench until the trail and ski track diverge. Too bad for me I was on the trail less traveled. I was able to follow a faint track without too much trouble. Since I had been up the trail twice in the last 4 months I wasn't to concerned with the actual route. The snow was heavy enough to make the climb harder than previous attempts. My pace slowed to a snail's pace. I gave some thought to just bagging it before reaching at least the meadow's. My nap and slowed pace made the summit out of reach with the remaining daylight. I dropped pack and had lunch which boosted my energy level enough to make it to the flats above me. I was able to make it to the groomed snowmobile track and easily followed it to the Ellensburgh Trail. The trail itself is probably seldom travelled so it didn't look obvious under the snow. There was a packed snowmobile track leading in the general direction I was intending on going so I followed. The track led me to the meadows where there were some snowmobilers doing their thing. Not wanting to tangle the dogs with the sleds I retreated. I gave some thought of trying for some type of loop but my desire to have dinner with my family won out. I cut some distance on the way down by taking a more direct line. I happily made it home just as dinner was done!




Approx 10 miles 2000' of climb 4:30 car to car

Horse Lake Mt 3.17.09

Horse lake Mt is just West of Wenatchee and only holds interest because it ranks 99th on the backcourt 100. I had been sick last week but felt much better. I am still holding on quite a cough that I can't seem to shake. I felt with all the new snow and increased avy danger something less taxing was in order. I had some trouble finding Canyon 2 Road but my phone rescued me, you just have to love technology! The gravel road ends around 2300' where I parked. The road continues without snow but is very sloppy with mud. As I suited up I was pelted with a nice graupel shower that quickly passed, leaving bright sunshine. Just as I started I was wracked with a coughing fit. Frequently this makes me throw up which today was no diiferent. After collecting myself I was off. The road continued to be muddy for the first .75 miles until it switched to solid snow. There is a nice packed track so the goingbwas quick and easy. The bright sunshine felt good and spurred me on. Around the 1.5 mile mark I had another coughing episode with the same result. At approximately 3800' I left the road for a more direct line. Mostly it was easy going with the exception one short area that I forced to swim in the deep powder. Picking out the right highpoint was the hardest part of the finish. Soon I was on the true summit to christen it with another coughing fit. I quickly retraced my steps back to the car for the long drive home. It was another memorable day in the hills only marred by a serious head ache from my brain rattling in my head.




Approx 7 miles 2400' of climb 3:30 car to car