Zag for Life
Steamboat Rock last Saturday
We camped at Banks Lake last weekend with family. A bunch of us including my wife did this hike. It was a lot steeper than I thought with only 650 feet of elevation gain so a few of the people had trouble going up and coming down. The hike was pretty awesome with lots of great views on top.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
O3...If you get up there in the winter or early spring there are a lot of deer there.....There is a book named " Forgotten Trails " that identifies the trails used to explore and settle the area in the early 1800s.....hard to imagine but Coulee City was a hub for the pioneers and the railroad.....next time you are hiking in the area consider Northrup Canyon.....best done in the early spring before the heat and snakes....lots of birds, especially Bald Eagles.....there is a seasonal closure to protect the Eagles....a real pine forest in Grant County with some old homesteads and even a lake....
Zag for Life
Yeah I saw a large herd of mulies up on Steamboat Rock. There's also rattlers up there. I heard one under a pile of small rocks, couldn't quite see it. I think not getting a good visual of it freaked me out more than if I could see where it was.
Did you find that big boulder that is frost fractured and kind of looks like a blooming onion?
Zag for Life
I was there with my dad and he kept talking about the canyon too. I will have to check it out next spring on one of my many trips between my house and Spokane.Originally Posted by bartruff1
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
No, that sounds really cool. I wish I had seen it.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
If you go in the spring.....consider planting a tree....a seedling pine tree might be best.....some of us have been planting trees there for a decade or more.
Zag for Life
I've been staying inside hiding from the heat and sun for several weeks. A forecast calling for cooler and cloudy lured me out. Went above the Monte Cristo townsite to the overlook of Twin Lakes. Damn those lakes are gorgeous! Had some partial views of surrounding peaks before the cloud layer slammed down. Then I got DOUSED on the way down, and I actually didn't mind one bit. I forgot what rain feels like.
Some tidbits from today:
--A tree does make a sound when it falls. A loud one. I couldn't it see it because of other trees in the way, but it was plenty close enough.
--I gorged myself on berries all throughout the hike, 6 different types, that has to be a one day record for me.
--Encountered another hiker who looked familiar, debated whether to say something or not, turns out I was correct and she is a very recent former star basketball player for the Stanford women's team. From the South Sound area. Related to a couple of former Zags (dad and uncle). Not sure but looking at pictures online I think it was her non-identical twin sister and older brother with her.
Zag for Life
This fire haze sucks! I thought it was supposed to be better today, but it wasn't. Out on the Mt. Baker Highway again, Excelsior Pass/Peak then east along the High Divide to Welcome Pass and back. About 18 miles. Nice meadows, couldn't see a damn thing because the sky was so scuzzy. Mountains everywhere out there but they were hiding. Bears have been eating berries, little piles of purple poo all over the trail. Some other hikers saw a fox, but I missed it. Got the crap scared out of me by a grouse again.
Zag for Life
Last Sunday, my daughter and I hiked up Mt Catherine. She is 10. It is hard to get her to go with me on a hike. I had to promise her we would go to the Commonwealth afterward if she came with me. It was a nice hike about the right length for her. About a quarter mile from the top she was done and wanted to turn around. I talked her into continuing the hike and she was happy to make it to the top. I hope the reward of making the top of a mountain is something that will motivate her to keep coming with me. We were going to go hiking today, but I think it's too smoky again.
This is the last section and you can use the cables to climb it. She had fun with this part.
We ate lots of berries on the hike.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
I changed my mind about an hour after my last post and decided to go for a hike today. I checked the air quality at Enumclaw and it looked good according to the internet. Even though the air sucked at my house I was hopeful it would be better if I headed toward Chinook Pass. I was wrong, but since I came all the way out there I decided to go for a hike anyway. I hiked on the PCT to Sourdough Gap. You hit Sheep Lake after about 2 miles and there were probably 10 people hanging out at the lake or playing in the lake. There is camp sites there too. I think this might be my daughter's first backpacking trip. I continued on to Sourdough Gap. I love hiking on the PCT. In general, the trails are so nice and well taken care of and the accent is usually gradual and easy.When I got to the Gap there was an older couple there with some kind of Scandinavian accent. Their granddaughter had run ahead to see if she could get a view of Rainier further on the trail. When she came back she said she couldn't see anything. I had noticed a trail heading up just before the Gap and decided to take it. I could see Chinook Peak in that general direction. The trail led me to what seemed like a peak, but it was not identified on my gps. I got up there and looked over the other side and it was straight drop down. I came back down and headed in the direction of Chinook Peak. I ran out of safe approach so I turned around and headed back down. At the lake again, I had brought a chair in my backpack, a book, and a beer. I enjoyed all three for a while before heading back to the car. I didn't really accomplish much and wasn't able to see much because of the smoke, but I really enjoyed this hike a lot. It wasn't too hard and wasn't too easy. I saw a lot of people, but they were all super cool. I spent some time relaxing. It was a great day.
Sourdough Gap
This is Sheep Lake. Sourdough Gap is the low spot on the right. I climbed to the high point in the middle of the picture. I think Chinook Peak is on the left side of the picture.
Chinook Peak from where I decided I couldn't make it using this approach. Doing research now, I see that I was coming at it from the opposite side that people climb it from.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
Hiked up Hurricane Ridge day before yesterday in Olympic National Forest outside Port Angeles....Smokey
1600 fires reported in British Columbia
Zag for Life
The smoke sucks. I think we just have to plan on having 2-3 weeks of smoke every summer now.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
I looked up the smoke map and saw that there wasn't as much smoke north of Seattle so I decided to hike Mt Pilchuck. Instead of smoke there was lots of fog. It was a good day training for big hike I have next week attempting to climb Mt Prophet.
This is looking down from the lookout, still some snow down there.
Summit beer
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
Small world 03....
I was in the same place on the 19th.....there were so many people at the Chinook Pass PCT that both parking lots were full and people were parking on the road shoulders and there were about 30 people lined up to use the toilet at Tipso Lake.....
So I went down to Morse Creek and used the trailhead to Bear Pass....most people were hiking the Naches Peak Loop ...the Norse Peak Fire got pretty close to Chrystal Mt. Ski Area....
Went to Rainer the next day and then to Pacific Beach for some cool clean fresh air for a few days then over White Pass …..but the fire in the North Fork had pretty much closed most of the trails....
This is about 5 years of very unhealthy smoke in Wenatchee....next year I intend to spend August at the beach...
Zag for Life
Gothic Basin today (8/26). No smoke/haze, but plenty of clouds/fog. And rain. Mostly drizzle but a bit stronger at times. Not ideal conditions, but I love it up there, had fun anyway. Foggy Lake lived up to it's name, couldn't see a hint of either Del Campo or Gothic Peak across the other side of the lake, couldn't even see the far shore. It was calm down lower but windy up at Foggy, and cold. Didn't hang out long. Would've liked to stay longer but my hiking buddy was cold and wanted to head down. Couldn't believe how many backpackers were heading downhill this morning while we were heading up. The basin must've been crowded Saturday night. Some flowers still hanging in, some blueberries and huckleberries. One particularly nice spot along the outlet creek from Foggy there was a carpet of bright green moss and both pink and yellow monkey flowers. Gorgeous little flower garden.
Zag for Life
I got there kind of later in the day. It was still crowded, but not that bad. I was able to pull into a spot right by the trailhead. Beach is a great idea when it gets smoky. I think I need to come up with a strategy for avoiding the smoke next year too.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
some local trails for your daughter try Dash Point State Park dense forest with easy trails
most only go for the shoreline but the trails are great for daily walks if you live close like my sister in law
....https://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCe...h-Point-Trails
Zag for Life
Good idea. I haven't been there in a few years and kind of forgot.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
Went backpacking (first time this year, way overdue) up the West Fork Foss River this week. Camped 2 nights at Big Heart Lake. I've been "relatively" close to Chetwoot Lake before. Very close on a map, but that's kind of meaningless in terrain like that. Finally got there on Wednesday. It's gorgeous. Also hit Pt. 6245 aka Tourmaline Peak on the way back to camp. Sky was slightly hazy at times but so much better than it was recently. Rained overnight on Wednesday but I stayed dry while I was hiking. I tried posting a trip report on another forum but it disappeared into the ether. If I manage to get a TR posted I'll link it here so you can see some pictures. Alpine Lakes Wilderness was great as usual.
Zag for Life
On Friday morning, we parked at the Ross Lake Dam trailhead. We hiked down toward the dam and called for a boat. The boat picked us up and we headed up the lake. The boat dropped us off at a dock at Big Beaver Creek. We dropped off a small cooler with beer in it at a bear box near the dock and headed out on the trail. The hike from the dock to the camp was about 10.5 miles. It was a long day, but not much elevation gain. We set up camp and spent some time scouting our route up the mountain. There were not many promising places to start. The next day we went to the right of the creek as many of the guides say to do, but it was way too thick to get through and we were turned back. It had looked better to the left of the creek so we headed up that way. It was thick, but passable. We got to a point where we could get across the creek and get back on the right track. It was kind of clear here, but it got thick again real quick. We fought through more brush and continued our climb. The climb itself through this brush was very steep and the ground was soft from decomposing trees. It was super difficult. We kept thinking if we just get a little higher we will be done with the thick brush. It just kept going and going. After about 4 hours, we had only made it a little over 2,000 feet and still had nearly 3,000 feet to go. We made the decision at this point to turn around and head back. We found a clearing where we could enjoy a view of Luna Peak and eat our lunch. Heading downhill was not any easier. The steepness of the terrain was even more apparent and it was a little scary heading down through the soft dirt and thick brush. I had so many cuts and scrapes on my legs and arms it was painful to sleep that night. The next day we headed back to the dock. We moved quickly the last 3-4 miles knowing we had beer back at the dock. We had scheduled a boat for 4:30 and got back at 1:30. When we got there the cooler was gone and so was my sister's change of clothes and swimsuit (which she had left next to the cooler). I have no idea who would pay $140 for a round trip boat ride only to steal from other people. That was a long 3 hour wait with no beer. The boat came as scheduled and we hiked up the steep one mile hill back to the parking lot. There were some negative parts of this trip, but overall, I had a great time.
If you look close my sister is in the next two pictures.
Luna Peak
Boat taking us back to civilization.
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
Sounds like a nice trip. Did you have any views from Tourmaline Peak or was it rainy and cloudy that day?
Bring back the OCC
Zag for Life
Good views from Tourmaline. Slightly hazy but not bad. Big Heart and Angeline Lakes directly below. Many peaks, Big Chief, Overcoat and Chimney, I think Lemah. Daniel and Hinman. Big Snow. Off to the south some stuff near Snoqualmie Pass. To the north was more cloudy, could barely see Glacier Peak and Monte Cristo area. Right next door is Camp Robber and a series of peaks along a ridge leading back over toward Little Heart and Copper Lakes, where the tail goes, I believe terminating in Malachite Peak.
Zag for Life
That is so lame somebody stole your stuff out of the bear box, I'm really sorry to hear that. I can kind of understand some a-hole pilfering some beer, but taking the whole ice chest and your change of clothes is just unbelievable.
The brush bashing doesn't sound like much fun. Nice view of Luna for your efforts anyway!
Zag for Life
Pics or it didn't happen, right? So here's some shots from Big Heart, Chetwoot and Tourmaline:
http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8028108
Also my buddy wanted to do something at Sunrise before it closes for the season, so on Saturday we did Skyscraper Mtn. We got a fairly early start and avoided most of the crowds (we hit that on the way back). It was a bit crispy, 38 degrees at 8 a.m.! Warmed up quickly though. A bit foggy off and on but generally nice. Decent critter sightings, the usual varmints--pikas, chipmunks, golden mantled ground squirrels, marmots. Even saw a brief scuffle between 2 marmots. Also there were goats browsing and ambling back and forth on the slope below Skyscraper.
Zag for Life
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
