Mount Washington

 

I am late only for a second time but this time, I am at least less than a week off.

This is Mount Washington over looking the Snoqualmie Valley on the south side. Many people go for the North end hikes like Little Si, Big Si, Mailbox Peak and what not but I wanted to change it up. In my reading, I found this this and ultimately decided to go for broke.

A few Minor issues, were merely finding the trail and hoping it wasn't to out of the way.

The trail starts after your first right into Olallie state park. The parking lot isn't anything special besides dirt, a couple signs and a initial trail. Its from the trail that you begin. It's small. Very small. You then pop out on to what is like a forest service road. A fork in the road is then met and you continue straight. As you keep going you'll pass a sign saying John Wayne Pioneer Trail. About a hundred yards after, you'll come across a "Trail". This is the actual trail. If it looks like it than it probably is and with that the UP begins.

Not much of a trail...

Now we're getting some where

Small view

This isn't to particularly hard. You'll be greeted occasionally by interesting sheer rock faces and some views although not much. I had some problems when asked how high up we were because I couldn't get a good look at other mountains to guesstimate.

At about a mile you'll come to a rock face with an opening in the bottom. Attached to the rocks are many hooks which I assume is used for rock climbing
although why they're at a point in which people would be upside, I don't know but exploring the mini cave was a fun side trip as I got to tell my girlfriend(who was occupying me again) about erosion processes and the likely formation of the rock(being an avid person of geology myself.)

 

Not sure why you would hang your self upside down but OK...

 

 

After leaving the little side trip, the up factor kept going. I, in all honesty, was a little worried that I had put us on the wrong trail, due to there not being any signs about it. We reached a clearing at about 2,500 feet and took a small break. Observing the East side of Rattlesnake Mountain, I failed to realize we were in the exact spot we needed to be in. What we had came to was the Owl Lookout spot. Back in the day, the local Mountaineers would do evening hikes to the location to observe owls flying about above the land. Now it is more of a location for the unhearty to turn around but I wasn't gonna let the break deter me any so we forged on. As we kept going up, we reached a small plateau in which I found a sign pointing to Mount WA. I breathed a sigh of relief as I knew we were in the right spot. We took the right and kept on. We had to hop across a creek not once but twice both were pretty full due to the snow around. Now there wasn't a lot but it was ice which made the going slow.

Looking out from "Owl Point"

and so it begins...

 

We arrived at a small pong and had another breather. I was looking for a small rock pile while my girlfriend snapped a few pictures lucky for us, it was sticking out of the snow and we continued down that direction and up still.

Cute little pond

THANK YOU

 

 As you go, you wrap around the dark side of a valley, still trudging in snow and pretty much stay in the snow the rest of the way. As we turned a corner and faced north, I caught sight of the little seen Glacier Peak and some snow.

 

McClellan Butte

Sun+Snow=BRIGHT


Coming around a bend again you get an awesome view of the Snoqualmie Valley. Now fooled by me, my girlfriend thought we were done but ho-ho ho little did she know. I turned and pointed up and she saw the true summit just a few hundred feet above. With a heavy sigh she set off ahead of me.

Hmmm Are these climbable?

Summits up there, now push!

Well we got onto a service road and continued on. We came to another open space and was greeted with a no trespassing sign. This I knew was going to be here because the backside of the mountain is on the north side of the little seen Cedar River Watershed. Thankfully, rather than shoot up a steep gulch, we went down the road. I had contacted a man at the Seattle Public Utility's the day before and found that so long as you don't go bombing down to the lake. So we got to another opening and I snapped a few pictures of the rarely seen lakes

Masonry pool

Miss Tahoma Showing off

 

 

and we began an up hill push to the end

　

Now the thing about this hike is that you don't realize you're at the summit until you're there but let me just say. Hot damn it was worth it.

　

To be honest.. This is the only view that matters(lots of trees at the summit)

　

Now funny story about the flag. The night before the Seattle Seahawks had won the NFC Championship and I thought that for the heck of it... Why not claim Mount WASHINGTON for the 12th man? Well that's exactly what I did. In fact this picture has even now is to be featured on Q-13 Fox News this morning in sending it into my favorite weather women.

So we finished with an U-RAH

 

What a hike it was.

I found it incredibly amazing to gain a different view on the valley so commonly hiked and especially since the climb wasn't to terribly hard. I think on the way back we saw maybe 4 hiking party's of about 20 or so people. It is defiantly a nice escape from Si or Mailbox and will defiantly be done by me again.

74,415 feet left

Poo-Poo point

So I am a tad bit late on this one but I suppose better late than never (Hiked on 1/3/2014)

The first hike I did of 2014 was a very small "mountain" named Poo-Poo Point. It lays at the west edge of the Tiger Mountain Forest. Which ironically, I've lived in Washington for awhile and I have actually never done the classic Tiger Mountain. Poo-Poo Point on the other hand is a small hike that isn't to terrible hard but will make you work a bit to get a view.

The first step of 2014

You start out at a parking lot off a busy road leading from Maple Valley/Hobart to Issaquah. The funny part about it is that the parking lot is apart of a spot for hang gliders to land. In fact that what Poo-Poo is, a Hand glider launch point. The day that my girlfriend and I were there, it was quiet foggy. That seemed to be the trend with the hike considering it was a year before when I did it the first time. You cross the Landing Zone after seeing many signs warning to look up. The trail is pretty basic but surprisingly for as much as it is traveled, the trail does have some pretty rough spots. This makes for an interesting time because you are occasionally climbing over roots and rocks that would not be expected on a pretty well used hike. We continued onward climbing up and up and finally broke through the fog. Getting some what of a view. We got to a point in which I finally gave my partner a break. Knowing my goal of 80,000 vertical feet gained through 2014, I am one to push myself and the ones who are coming along. At the same time, I realized I was quiet out of shape, taking the holidays off to not worry much about hiking.

Getting above the fog

 

Kris siting back

 



We kept going up and the trail opens up a bit more. I believe it maybe the cedar trees causing this. I'm not biologist so don't ask... You keep going until you smash through the trees and open into a clear cut. At first it's kinda shocking because it's unexpected but then you begin to climb up to the top and find that it is likely used for paragliding jump spot. A smaller white sign is on the ground giving you a number and business name if you are curious about hurling yourself off a mountain, since it wasn't my cup of tea, we continued on. After another small jaunt through the woods, you begin to go up and up and up and finally break through trees. There seems to almost be a light at the end of the trees but it really the actual summit. As you come through the trees, you look north and are able to see the town of Issaquah and lake Sammamish, to the south is a iffy view of Maple Valley and possible northern reaches of Kent/Auburn and across the way is Cougar Mountain.

The summit view

Weather station

Looking on

Another significant part, at least to me is the presence of two very "official" looking devices on the top end of the hill. The tall tower is a weather monitoring device. It's most like for the people who jump off the mountains. The second and more curious device is a solar panel and small capped object on a tripod. This is what basically is GPS station. There is a scientific name for it but most people wouldn't understand. The metal rods go down into the earth about 30 feet and that about it. The device is really cool though because it measures the movement of earths tectonics plates by the thousandths. I believe that the device was placed there by Central Washington University and the University of Washington.

The set up

To go back mealy retrace your steps. On a clear day, on the first summit, there is a slight view of Mount Rainer, or as I better call it by its real name Tahoma. Today wasn't the case but it was a good hike none the less. Nothing to serious and a good way to start my year off. Would be something to do on an unbusy day of the week or a rainy day. We saw 4 people besides us the entire day. In my opinion a simple hike for a simple day.

That leaves 78,225 feet left

Guess whos back?

Everyone to everyone.

So this maybe "just another blog" but I find the prospect of sharing my adventures with the world to be an almost desirable thing to do.

A lot of people may not even go out in the way I do. I have many major goals for my hiking, which is what this blog is and will be for that. I'll include my travels as well a set of rules that my fellow hikers and I learn about during our time in nature. I hope to eventually make this a book eventually and who knows where it'll end up at.

And this time.. I'll be bringing some friends

 

 

 

 

For all of you from me, I hope you enjoy

"To see the world, Things dangerous to come to, to see each other and to feel. That is the meaning of life"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxpTx0VDBKw

Sliping the slide on a hot day

So what's is better to beat the heat then hikes?


Well sitting pool side for one but Saturday, I decided to head up to a old favorite that Noah and I did last year with a couple of my friends.

Franklin falls is pretty much a hidden jewel. It rest quite literately under I-90

Franklin Falls it self

That bridge is I-90

 

Passing over the highway, you'd never even know that it was there.

 

We actually cheated on this one as well. The trail really begins at the Denny Creek campground but because we're sneaky, I know of a location about 1/2 way up the trail where the trail almost bisects the roadway. So starting out was/makes it generally easy.

 

If you're gonna do this hike, watch out for the massive amount of Devils Club (or Devils Walking Stick as I have seen). Devils Club is a real nasty plant that looks pretty innocent but the underside has spikes on it that are not so forgiving.

 

 

One of the many plants. If you look at the stem, you'll see why they're not something to mess with.

 

Any who, we finished that hike in about 40 minutes. about 10 there, 20 or so at the falls and 10 to make it back. By this time, we all could feel the temperature and humidity going up and so we decided on our second option, go to the Denny Creek water slides and so we took off.

 

Meandering down the road and turning into the Denny Creek campground, we found parking in the madness and started to our destination but not with out pictures at the Denny Creek Bridge.

Looking at the water above the bridge

So this isn't where the slides are I'd image

 

 

So walking up the road about a 1/4 of a mile and you hit the actual trail and then it begins. The trail it self isn't really to technical and is very family friendly. I saw many family's with young ones walking along the trail.

 

About 3/4ths of a mile in, you hit a foot bridge over the creek again. Nothing to spectacular.

 

Lot's of moving water

Tony and Sam

The Girls taking a break

 

 

There is no real length to the actual water slides, the route is actually made to go to high country lakes. I would say to get the slides, it's about 1.5 miles and to actually get to them, there is a bit of a creek crossing. Before that comes though, you come to something pretty cool/unexpected.

 

I-90 east goes right over the trail

We think this tree got blasted by lightning

 

After the overpass and tree, you pretty much slog up wards for not to much time before you begin dropping back down and finally reach the slides.

 

Now before I show you pictures, these aren't like water park slides, these are slabs of granite that have the creek flow over them at such a rate that when you sit down in a shoot, they carry you into the pool at the bottom. Sadly I didn't get any video or pictures but I was having to much fun in the actual slides themselves to do so.

 

So on the right side of this photo is where you slide down, doesn't look like much but it gets you going and shoots you into the pool at the bottom

Pretty water fall just up the trail.

 

So we pretty much played in them for a good hour or so before we decided to head out. Going back was easy.

 

 

So all in all, 2 really easy hikes. Both can be done with little kids, and are enjoyable for adults a like. Keep an eye on each other because the water is snow melt and is COLD! but as soon as you get use to it, it's only a little numbing.

 

Check us on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/HikingInTheHills

Obviously on the blog and also remember to

 

Keep Calm and Climb on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tahtlum peak

Someone once told me a "motivational quote" that goes like this

"Work hard, Keep your head in the game and if someone gets in your way... Tell them you don't give a DAMN"


Well that had to get me through this hike.

As some may know, we had been planning on doing Mount St. Helen's on Sunday but the weather effected that plan and we decided against becoming charcoal. Our next idea was Camp Muir at the 10,000 foot level on Mount Rainer. When looking at the Crevasses on the mountain  we said no. The counter option was 3 main peaks just off of Chinook Pass. A few weren't name but what I could pick up, they were Naches Peak, Tahtlum Peak and the last one being an unnamed peak that apparently has only been climbed about 3 times and with good reason.

We arrived at Chinook Pass at about 11:30 AM. It was an absolute beautiful day for a hike and there was surely snow in the hills. Me being me, I have never used an Ice Axe before but I would learn how to real fast!

The "Unnamed" Mountain off in the distance

Naches Peak

The Center pointy one is the one we actually got to

 

Hiking party before

 

We began through all that snow. If you can't tell.. Even at 5,430 feet there is still a ton of snow and yet, we didn't have to use Crampons but surely the ice axe. If you've never used one, the process is actually very simple.

 

Using it as almost a trekking pole while walking against a mountain side you dig the spike in while holding the top of it(which includes the pick and Adze)(Pick pointed backwards) and kick step (make your self steps in the ice) along your way. I've included a few diagrams for reference.

Ice pick Diagram

How to correctly walk on a hill side.

 

 

Now getting a description of how to do it, but let me show you what we were walking on.

 

Yea... We walked by that

We came along that ridge and you can see the road below

 

 

Believe it or not, the kick stepping was a lot of fun. Sketchy at times but fun in general.

 

At this point, we had realized that we had forgot one very important thing... We forgot sunscreen. Thankfully, we met 3 skiers who lucky had some sunscreen and shared it liberally with us even though we were already burning on the bright snow.

 

After talking with the skiers and finding that they had been in that back area about 80 time in the past 30 years or so, we headed off on our hike. We began to gain elevation again which was a problem because we found our self's summiting a smaller peak. In all attempts to find a Glissading route down, we ended up having to rock climb down.

 

Before I continue, Glissading is something that not man people know. The "Dictionary" definition of"Glissading is to slide in a standing or squatting position down a snow-covered slope without the aid of skis". My definition is as simple as extreme sledding. Basically, you sit on the snow, and slide down using the ice axe as stopping mechanism by simply leaning on it.

My glissade route and Marie's off to the side

 

Climbing down rocks and such we came to a very strak realization.. We had to go up a huge mountain and the ridge we were to have used wouldn't allow us to go to our original destination. The only thing that made sense was find the least sketchiest route.

We're headed to the closest one after seeing the amount of snow along the ridge line

Annnnnnd Up we go

 

 

And so the upward slog begin. Through the snow which I equated it to the last slog of Mount St. Helen's, with out the sand. I myself got about half way up and began to have problems. The vertical climb was getting to me and that normal for anyone really. The last 300 to 400 feet are the hardest because of the fact that it is so close and so far away. I had to take a break and kept fighting with myself if I could do it or not. Then, with hearing that the other 2 in my hiking party had been just at the summit and I lit some serious fire under my ass to get to the top.

 

And finally after slogging, this is what I was rewarded with

Waaaay off in the distance, is Mount St. Helen's

Little sideways but Vertigo Sucks

Mount Rainer in hiding

 

We only stayed briefly because of the on set of the clouds. We took the low route across the valley below us to try and save some time by Glissading. We only had a few upwards climb this time but thankfully, we only had one or two. We finally got back to truck.

 

All and all, I may have been a bit sadden by not climbing Mount St. Helen's but at the same time, I was introduced to many new level Mountaineering skills that I can hopefully use more often than not.

 

As for Tahtlum peak, well, she tried to shake me but in no way did I give up. If you're up for a good trail finding way and are willing to kick your self all the way to the top than this one is for you in full.

 

Hope all of you enjoyed this post as always. I also have a new rule for you all which will be posted on the rule page in bit but until than remember

 

Keep Calm and Climb on

 

Laws of the land

So when we take our long walks in the woods, we've noticed a few things that have become almost "absolute" laws for us. This is a post that will be continuously updated when we make new laws but for now, we have 3 main laws to lay down.


1.) Tripping on a garter snake is the worst way to die.

This is very simple. Image if you will, walking along a trail. With out any notice what so ever, a garter snake slitter across the trail, trips you and you happen to fall into the ravine, of the cliff or long drop to the side. We've both agreed that it would be the absolute worst way to die and weirdest thing to find on an obituary.

The common culprit.

2.) Girls always are going up when we are going down.

I don't know if they are timing it or what be but every hike we do, there is always girls coming up as we go down. Never going down as we go up.

You don't get a picture

3.) Lake Serene is a must.

Dubbed the "hike to heaven" by us and for a good reason. As in our first blog, the hike is pretty much like going to heaven and that is self explanatory.

The lake it self

Mount Index high above.

 

 

 

4.) An Ice Axe is needed everywhere

 

 

Even during the summer time, I'd use an Ice Axe. They can be used for lifting, leverage, balance, saving you, bottle opener, trekking pole and a bunch of other useful stuff.

 

 

With every hike, we'll have new rules and such to add so don't expect this post to just be one and done.

 

Thanks for reading as always and remember

Keep Calm and Climb On