Tathalum Peak: 7/18/2014

4,810 feet gained

Well, about 2.5 mile(one way) Pacific Crest Trail completed. Then.. With extras off the side.

 

Tathalum is on the far right

 

 

Arriving atop Chinook Pass just barely outside Mount Rainier National Park, we began the day with absolutely stellar views of the American river valley. My cohorts had never been to the area (todays troops contained Kristen Bader and Dylan Bucknell). Looking at the area, they really didn’t understand what was to come… I on the other hand.. Did..

 

 

 

 

They'd find out soon enough 

 

 

Fairly cool chopping

 

We started by crossing highway 410, across a unique bridge. It had been hand cut and was really cool. We found that this was actually the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). From the crossing, it was a trek through Narnia. We were lead through the occasional snow/water trap (more on this later). We eventually came along a small lake/pond. Has no name as I am aware of but none the less, makes for some pretty pictures. We decided to go down and find out what the temperature was… Cold.

unnamed lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dylan getting in the way

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



Up.... From... Here

 

 

 

                                           Restarting on the trail above us, the valley began to close up against the ridges ahead of us. We crested a small saddle and found ourselves staring at Dewey lake and the top of Mount Adams. To our backs, Tahoma was slowly showing her southern face. We then found ourselves a top a small rock face with the only way being down. Not the fan of rock climbing that I am, I lowered myself slowly, very.. very.. slowly and we were on our ways again. We had then arrived at the base of Tathalum and the fun began.

 

 

 

 

About here was where they began to hate me

 

 



UP FROM HERE. With a shining Tahoma at our back and dirt to surf UP, we pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed. We tried to stay on the less wind expose side but it ultimately brought us out into wind side and walked a steep but short incline up a small ridge. By doing this, we had gone up, down, up, down then up again and finally had made the summit at  6,567 feet above sea level. Obviously no comparison to the mountain standing behind us but still very respectable in my opinion.

SUMMIT

GORGOUS TAHOMA

 

Best of the day

 

We regained strength for about 20 minutes before trudging back down the talus sloped wind side. When we arrived at the base we decided to circumnavigate the rock wall and got some more incline. When we miraculously found the trail again. In doing so, we followed it about 1.5 miles home. Now earlier I mentioned the snow traps. Well Dylan decided to fall not once, not twice, not three times but four times while trying to across. Each time was jarring to him but was ultimately funny. Moral of the story…. When crossing snow… Go slow

From here… We have 4 more to go. Mailbox, Granite, Washington and Denny.

80,000 is coming...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Taylor Mountain Holder Ridge: 7-17-2014

So this is a way to easy hike that I have done a lot so not much to type...  Here is a past one in which I was a bit more detailed...
Most recent
http://walkinginthehills.blogspot.com/2014/03/taylor-mountain.html

Pratt Lake- 7/13/14

3159 gained

Straight

Back in Washington for my hikes now

 

When people talk about their favorite personal definition of  “the perfect hike”, the answer is always different. Some say the longer the better, some say steeper is better and some are just happy to be in the woods. For me, it’s fairly simple. A decent sized round trip to which I am challenged but I don’t get thrust to my limit 

 

Pratt lake is exactly that.

 

I found myself hiking with Kristen Bader and Nathan Resick. Kris is the normal stand in but Nathan was a new for me. We met at the trailhead at 9:00 Am and began moving up, up and away along the trail. The first 1.3 miles of the trail is pretty easy. I noted the lack of water and mind you, last time I was here… There was about 10 feet of snow… At 1.3 miles you pass the junction with the Granite Mountain trail. That trail turns into an ass kicker real fast, as I have experienced before and will in just a few weeks. From there on the trail is pretty mellow as you head to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. You round a bend and feel some good cool air, on a 80 degree day, it was mercy.

 

We took a break at 3.3 miles at the junction for Ollie and Talapus lake. This world was very different without 10 feet of snow and ice. I was surely thankful for that as we set off from the junction at a steady pace for another mile or so. The trail took us up to a saddle crest at 4,200 feet. Now funny, most things I have read say to stop here. Weeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll screw that, I am going to the lake because I am not a wussy and there is a trail.  So began DOWN which was not going to be fun coming back…

 

We crossed 2 separate rock fields that seemed fairly old. We had absolutely stellar views of Keleten Peak(on my hit list) and the lake valley below. After crossing through a marshy area(thankfully not many bugs), we reached the lake. We decided to descend to the shores as Nathan wanted to fish and I wanted swim.  Nathan found his spot and I rock hopped about for about 10 minutes until I found a naturally deep spot and rocky out crop. So what happened next…. Well… You can tell..

 

A bit cold initially but Kris and I decided to play with my camera and tried to get me mid-jump and being successful, we decide to head home. We were a bit slow going up the hill but I need to learn to not move so fast…

 

We crested the saddle and uneventfully sauntered back to the parking lot. I must say, it was a near perfect hike. A well challenge, no injuries, insightful conversations and a new hiking friend and another hike off the list. Drawing me ever closer to 80,000 feet gained.

 

Kleeten in the middle

 

dat lake

Must... Climb

 

My favorite

 

Snyder Lake- 6/30/2014

2,547 feet gained

LETS GO

Another easy gain hike. Well.. Easy for me..

The trailhead is a wee bit confusing. It starts at the Sperry creek trailhead which is the trailhead for the Gunsight Pass Trail next to Avalanche Creek.. Confused? Well I’m gonna walk along the Gunsight pass trail for about 1.7 miles till you split to the Snyder lake trail…

The amount of trails is to dang high…

As the trail starts, you may notice a funny smell as you notice a horse barn on the left. I considered renting one but figured eh… Hiking. The part afterwards is a fairly good workout. Long sections of UP with good sections of rest before more up. There are few views here and there and what not. They mostly came from landslides areas along the creek.

You’ll find the intersection at 1.7 miles is the cut off for another trail which is your trailhead. A little sign tried to direct me to other, longer hikes, but sadly I didn’t have the time. Following said trail up and up. It surely mellows out. Lots of tiny stream crossings (excluding one) and lots of bear grass. Almost to me.. At any rate, I didn’t break into a sweat. After coming through the main creek you come in a rockfall and easily cross. It crosses back into the trees fast and then… Wow..

A jaw dropping monolithic drainage basin for the lake reaches out and slaps you in the face with its views. I attempted to not trip over my jaw as I continued further. Mountains towered over me, spilling their cascading falls across granite sides, all coming from the massive winter snow pack that existed in the area long before I showed up.

You go up and over a small plateau and find the small lake. I strolled around its shores, exploring the hidden campsites and clear waters. When I had enough of that, I turned and went atop the plateau. Sitting on a slab, I found I can’t sit cris-cross anymore because my knees hurt like heck. Probably should have that looked at…

I took off back down and the amount of people increased greatly. I was very grateful to have started early as I did because NOBODY was on the trail. All and all, a very respectable hike that brought me to 57,076 feet gained out of 80,000 feet. Upon returning… It’ll be Taylor Mountain, Tathalum Peak, Mailbox Peak, Granite Mountain and the grand papi… Denny Mountain…

That name brings dejection and failure(In my defense, I was sick…) That’s what will send me over 80K and into a whole new level of hiking. I strongly believe that getting this goal will send me into a new level of hiking and more and more of what I love. 

Could be fun

 

Looking down a wash out

 

Little Chipmunk friend

 

TURN

 

More bear grass

 

Rockfall

 

About... here... is where my jaw dropped

 

Enough said

 

Stay classy..

 

HA GOT A BRIDGE picture

 

Outhouse

 

For hanging food

 

Those water falls

Huckleberry Ridge- 6/28/2014

3,125 feet gained

A new can of fun

In knowing the risk of bears in Glacier National Park, I had another first. Packing a holstered can of bear mace.

Although not necessarily hard, the challenge of thinking of the possibility for bears along the trail does get you going on a trail such as this. After diverging up one road then back down, up another, back down it and then BACK up the first one, I started on the trail head alone. There isn’t much to this lower portion due to it being so, almost painfully slow and flat. The trail traverses through bear grass patches upon bear grass patches. As the up began going, I caught up to a small group from Minnesota. They were moving MUCH slower than the normal “Zach speed” but I figured safety in numbers on this trail/area was likely the best idea so I slowed it down. There really isn’t much to say here. The trail goes in and out of avalanche shots and then comes into a open field which is likely awash with bears during the nicer portions of the year.

We crested a saddle as the skies decided it was time for a shower. Atop there was a turn to which the trail lead us. The issue was as slab of snow blocked the trail and it also oh so happened that to be that it easily looked like you could both ways. Well we took the wrong turn and went to the south to a small peak. Not to big of an issue so we went back the way we came. We found the trail and ushed up a bit but eventually, Stan, Dory and Mike decided it was to much for them. I on the other hand, pushed further. In fact, so far, that I was with in sight of the top but was stopped. About halfway in between me and summit, i noted something moving. Upon a closer look, I realized it was a Grizzly bear. Not one to risk my life to stare at clouds, I spun around and took off without informing the bear I was there.

I made it back below the saddle and the skies decided to get to give me another cold shower. I found Stan, Dory and Mike about a 1/4th the way back to the trailhead. We all sauntered back to the trailhead, thankfully, uneventful.

Away we go

Not much here

Avalanche chut

Friendly partners

Opps... Wrong turn

SNOW

Thank you skies for a shower

Can image the amount of wild berries

 

Artist Paint Pots-6/23/14

250 feet gained

 

 

A simple off the road attraction in Yellowstone. The steam vents around here are further examples of the alive volcano around you here. The vents are dyed their rich colors due to minerals AND the microorganisms again as they bubble and vent. If you're like me... You stick you hand AND phone in one to find out the temperature... Each has a unique smell too. For instance, a mud pot smelled to me, like Mac and cheese. Strange as it is... I'm glad that isn't what Kraft uses in there sauces...