Granite Mountain on a sunny day in October!

Oct. 6, 2012. Granite Mtn.  8.6 mi RT, 3800 ft climb.  Trailhead ~8:00.  Lookout 10:00.  30 min break.  Down 12:00.

Pratt Lake Trailhead

It’s been an unusually dry and sunny fall in Washington, and with another beautiful day predicted this Saturday, it was time to get back into the mountains.  On the recommendation of Shannon, I decided to hike up to the fire lookout on Granite Mountain.  By leaving home at around 7:00 I could actually sleep in an hour or so – an added benefit for the weekend.  As I turned off I-90 on Asahel Curtis Rd (NF-055) and looked up to my left I could just make out the fire tower – my initial thought was ‘Is that really ~3800 ft up?’  I planned to take a picture from the spot when I got back down, but of course forgot – maybe another time.  I made it to the trailhead around 8:00am, and not surprisingly there were already ~10 cars in the parking lot.

The first mile of the trail is shared with the Pratt Lake trail which Jordan and I hiked a few years back.  For the first half mile a happy brown lab kept chasing back and forth with his folks behind me – finding a little water in the streams that still trickled across the trail despite our miniscule rainfall since July.  Though a climb, it’s  pretty easy going up to the junction with the Granite Mountain trail, but then the fun begins.  The trail starts out in the forest, making slow switchbacks up the slope – but holds a pretty stiff uphill line – so that it feels like you are climbing a foot with every step.

Waterfall in the avalanche chute on the way up the Granite Lake Trail.

After another half mile, the trail begins to skirt the edge of an overgrown slide / avalanche chute that begins above the tree line and drops all the way to the base near the trailhead.  Several hundred feet up the chute a stream dropped over the rock face, providing an early and unexpected waterfall return on this hiking investment (as an aside-if you click on the image you get a higher res picture…) Based on the trip description, I was anticipating a hike more like Mt. Si where the only real return is the burn in your legs and the view from the top.  A good morning was turning into a great morning.

The trail headed back into the woods, climbing rapidly, then skirted the chute and finally crossed the chute heading east.  The creek I saw from below must have come from an underground source, since it was nowhere to be found when I crossed the chute well above the waterfall.  I find mountain streams fascinating – in this case wondering what the source could be since we were well past melt – there was no snow – we’ve had just a trace of rain since July 19th, and there were no lakes above the waterfall.  I guess it will stay a mystery.  After crossing the chute, I continued to climb, eventually leaving the trees below and hiking up through an alpine meadow westward towards the lookout tower.  Along the way I passed a few groups of hikers, most of whom, like me, were soaked with sweat and breathing pretty hard.

Mt. Rainier from Granite Mountain. Smoke from fires in eastern WA caused the hazy conditions.

When I emerged from the trees and looked back to the south, Mt. Rainier made an appearance, hovering over the Cascade ranges with its usual majesty. One unfortunate consequence of the long dry spell has been the prolonged fire season.  From the moment I stepped out of the truck, the smell of smoke was strong, and as you can see, the haze extended for miles.  The trail continued uphill through the meadow, though the slope eased off, and it did not take long to reach the base of the massive pile of rock on which the tower was built.  On the way up, I crossed paths with 5 or 6 hikers heading down- the early birds – but my timing was perfect:  when I reached the top I had it to my self for the ~30 minutes I spent up there.

The Lookout Tower under the Moon – Granite Mountain.

King of the Mountain!

I found a comfortable spot, somewhat out of the wind on the west slope, ate my nutella bun, and a PB&J bun, drank some water and enjoyed being King of the Mountain. I found a nice stable spot at the base of the tower where I could set up my camera and get the all important -’I was here and I’m King’ photo. With the wind picking up and my extremeties starting to get cold I started back down. Almost immediately I met up with the lab and his folks, as well as the others I passed on the way up. After that I almost felt like I was running the gauntlet – It seemed like I passed another ~75 hikers making their way up. I was doubly happy – 1st to see so many folks out for a hike and enjoying the incredible gift we have in our corner of the world, and 2nd -because I started early and managed to have the top of the world to myself. I made my way down, greeting one after another with a happy smile and comments on how much I appreciated gravity. When I reached the trailhead, the 10 cars had somehow multiplied to what seemed like >100! I called home, and when Clara suggested lunch out at the Roosevelt Ale House, a great morning turned into a fantastic morning.

Rialto Beach – Olympic National Park

Sept 7-9, 2012 

For Clara and I, Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park is a favorite destination.  Since our first visit in the early 1990′s, we’ve made a nearly annual pilgrimage, camping at Mora and  walking the beach.  Word’s and pictures can’t really explain the allure, though I’ll try.  While it’s generally true that the attraction for place is personal, there are very few people who visit here, particularly on a stormy day, and leave indifferent.

While the beach is the ultimate destination, the drive over is enjoyable – the ferry to Kingston, the highway to Port Angeles, and skirting Lake Crescent en route to the campsite. On this trip from Seattle, I picked Clara up from work around 4 pm, and we headed down to the Edmonds / Kingston ferry dock. Typical of a warm Friday afternoon, we had a two sailing wait of ~90 minutes.  As we alternated between long stop and short go, I pulled out the camera and spent some quality time with the weeds and berries along side the road.

Line up for the ferry.

Morning Glory on the roadside.

Early dessert while waiting in line!

We finally boarded the ferry around 6pm, now anticipating that we would be setting up the tent in the dark. I have to confess that I have a real affinity for travel by ferry.  Having parked the truck on the upper deck, we were greeted by a cool marine breeze and sun sparkling on the waters of the sound as we made our way up to the passenger deck.   As we got underway, Mt Baker came into view to the north, the Olympics beckoned from the west and to the south, Mt. Rainier was hanging ghost like, suspended over Seattle.

Mt Baker

Mt. Rainier & Seattle

The trip is pretty short (45 minutes) and after we passed the eastbound ferry, and goofed around on deck for a little while, we headed back to the truck and before long were headed west to Port Gamble, then the Hood Canal bridge and finally Hwy 101 to the coast.

Ferry headed to Edmonds.

Mirror mirror…

Once en route, the trip to Port Angeles is ~ 50 miles, followed by ~70 miles to Rialto. Dusk was falling quickly, and by the time we reached Lake Crescent it was getting pretty dark. This is one of my favorite stretches along the way as the road hugs the shoreline, twisting and turning for ~10 miles. It’s particularly nice to drive when there is no traffic – some folks have trouble even reaching the speed limit when the road goes non-linear. We finally arrived at the Mora campsite around 9 pm, found a spot and proceeded to set up camp – trying hard not to disturb the neighbors. For car camping trips we still use our 15 year old canvas tent, fondly dubbed ‘Hotel deVos’ years ago when the kids would venture along with us. Thankfully I had completed a practice run the night before, and could identify which poles went where. There is definitely something satifsfying about a 10′x8′ tent that stands 7.5 feet tall! Not quite glamping (look it up!) but coming close.

After a great nights sleep, and a wonderful pancake and egg breakfast, we hopped on our bikes and rode the last few miles to the beach.  If you are looking for sand, warm water and waves lapping at your feet, you’ve come to the wrong place.  Rialto Beach is rugged, with rocky island outcroppings, crashing waves, logs strewn about, and stands of mostly dead trees,  stripped of  bark and whitened from years of salted spray, placed like silent sentries at the border between the sea and the green hillside.

Rialto – 2011

High tide islands off the beach at Rialto.

We slowly hiked our way north up the beach, stopping often to watch the waves and breath in the sea air. Over the course of an hour or two, we made our way up to Hole in the Wall. While we were posing the usual timed shot, a couple from Pennsylvania kindly offered to take our photo. I started to make my way to the hole in the wall, but turned back because of the incoming tide, and instead we climbed over the headland. Here we joined in the hunt for anemones and other sea life hidden in the tide pools.

Clara at Hole in the Wall.

Life is Good!

Critters in the tide pools.

While exploring life in the tide pools is entertaining, with each visit we spend hours sitting on the logs watching the birds. There is nothing more mesmerizing than watching the gulls and pelicans skimming the water and riding the waves. While it may be that they are fishing, I suspect that at least in part they are out enjoying life – the avian equivalent of surfing or body boarding. It’s incredible to watch a half dozen or more pelicans, flying in formation just above the curling crest of a wave as it’s crashing towards the shore. Last year I spent a long time trying to capture the perfect shot – included below. In reality, I recommend you make the trip and experience it yourself.

Rialto Surfers!

Riding the Waves!

You might have noticed that we really enjoy this place. In fact, we usually refer to it as our favorite place in the world. For a while, it seemed that it might be seeing it’s Twilight – look up the town of Forks if that doesn’t make sense – but that seems to have quieted down a little. I am sure that we’ll be back again next year, hopefully during a spring or fall storm, and that the waves will be crashing and the logs and rocks will be thrown about in new formations. But you can be sure we’ll find a place to sit, take in the salted air and be mesmerized all over again.

The surf at Rialto!

Forest Thrones II – 2012

Aug. 19-28, 2012.  PCT Section K – Rainy Pass to Stevens Pass

The all important sign!

Following up on a similar post from last years trek, this is a review of the comfort package available along the PCT.  I think its almost universally accepted that there is no greater convenience on the trail than not having to break out the trowel! A campsite that has the all important sign rates high on every hikers list. I definitely appreciate the work of the rangers and maintenance crews, and particularly their choice of location at Micah Creek.

The Forest Throne at Hide Away Camp:  Hidden behind a downed tree a few hundred feet from the camp, this is a typical forest seat.  Small box, comfy seat, deep pit and a view of the woods.  A nice touch for the first day on the trail.

Hide Away at Hide Away Camp.

View from the Hide Away Throne

Outhouse at High Bridge: The camp at High Bridge has all the trappings of a drive in campsite rather than a typical backwoods site. Not too surprising since it is on Stehekin River road. This includes a bear cache, picnic tables, an outbuilding and a standard outhouse. Since it has a closing door, was positioned just off the site, and there were others camped near by, I decided against taking a view shot from the open door. Suffice it to say, it would have been pretty boring anyways – the bear cache and a bulletin board.

Swamp Creek Forest Throne: The throne at Swamp Creek was pretty well hidden, as I walked by a few times before finally spotting it in the brush. Like at Hide Away, it was placed behind a large log – and had the typical forest view. It did have the best audio profile, since the creek was flowing just a few dozen feet over a knoll. You could spend some time sitting here, enjoying the huge cedars growing all around, hoping that the deer whose home you were invading, didn’t mind too much, wouldn’t come around to bother you while you were meditating.

Swamp Creek Throne

The view from the Swamp Creek throne.

Micah Creek Throne

Micah Creek Throne:  Of all the places to sit, this ranks as probably the best I’ve seen in all the hiking I’ve done.  Placed on a ridge above the camp, this was the most commodius of commodes.  The view was wide open, looking down on the valley and Milk Creek, and across to the mountain tops to the north. Early in the morning, with the sun rising in the east, the only thing missing was a newspaper!

View from Micah Lake throne

Somewhere in the woods: There are times when you can’t find a seat and so you break out the trowel in some remote spot.

Backup Throne Somewhere in the woods!

Day 10 – PCT K 2012: Grizzly Pass to Stevens Pass and Home.

Aug. 28, 2012:  Grizzly Pass (5230) to Stevens Pass (4063).  14 miles.  2879 ft descent, 1712 ft ascent.

Our last morning on the trail began around 5:45 – thanks Joe!  We all used up the last of our oatmeal, and had a great cup of coffee.  The significance of this – we managed to get to day 10 without running out of fuel!  We pulled on our packs, and quickly confirmed that we had made it to Grizzly Pass, since we could see the lake down to the west.  After a short climb, the trail followed a ridgeline heading east, the switch backed down to Lake Janus.  Civilization was definitely closing in, as we met quite a few families with kids anxious to catch some fish, and others out for an overnight trip from Stevens Pass.

After a short break at Lake Janus we headed south, climbing several hundred feet, then dropping down to Lake Valhalla.  We stopped off for our last lunch break, a big pot of Miso soup, and some lazing in the sunshine.  With the truck just five miles away, we started our final push to Stevens Pass – first a short climb, then a descent and finally a few miles of slow uphill to finish off the trip.

Lake Valhalla

In this last stretch we past an elderly couple – for sure in their 70′s – who had gone for a day hike to pick huckleberries – though the crop was lousy, I was inspired to hear that they made the round trip to Lake Valhalla – more than 11 miles with more than 1000 ft of climbing.  I’m only dreaming I can be that spry!

Three Happy Hikers!

After taking the requisite picture, and a few extras to document my grizzled condition, we hopped in the truck and drove down to the Cascadia Inn in Skykomish where we feasted on fresh greens, the daily special and some delicious ice tea.  Then it was a quick trip west on SR-2, looking forward to that hot shower and a comfy bed.

Life is good!

That guy needs a shave!

On to Skykomish

Is that stubble I see?

Day 9 – PCT K 2012: Lake Sally Ann to Grizzly Pass

Aug 27, 2012: Lake Sally Ann (5550) to Grizzly Pass. (5230). 14.6 miles.  3415 ft descent, 3095 ft ascent.

Sally Ann Sunrise

Rising even earlier this morning (some number starting with a 5) we again witnessed the alpenglow and with a clear view to the east we watched the sun rise.  I’d been nursing my camera battery for several days, but it finally gave out after a few sunrise shots.  After the usual oatmeal breakfast (though only 1 pack to conserve supplies) and some huckleberries and coffee we were off again, headed south.  Lake Sally Ann was remarkably still, reflecting the mountain backdrop in the morning sun.  It was a little surprising to hear the morning blasting from Hwy 2 construction, that signaled our approach to civilization. The trail tracked the contours below the ridge line, with a slow climb to the top, and offered great views to the east over Cady creek and to the ridges beyond. We topped out and crossed the ridge, now gaining views to the west, then descended ~1000 feet to cross Pass Creek.

Morning Reflections

After a short break, we began to climb up a series of long switch backs, then followed a traverse to the south, eventually crossing Saddle Gap. Continuing south we rolled along on a long traverse between 4800 and 5200 feet.  We met  a group of about a dozen hikers  travelling together - most seemed to be of retirement age – the young fellow bringing up the rear gave some valuable info on water conditions and places to look for water, and suggested a camp on Grizzly pass.  We continued on, again crossing the ridge and hiking down through a huge slide with immense boulders that seemed to be as large as homes.  In the grand scheme, this seemed more recent as the rocks were not covered with moss or lichens, and there was very little brush growing through the slide.  Over the course of the trail we passed through a number of slide areas covering the range of recent to fully overgrown – it gives pause to think about the landscape being constantly reshaped.

There are a lot of 4 man rocks out there Joe!

Along the way, we spotted a sign laid out in rocks – 2500 – indicating the mileage traveled from Mexico.  It’s pretty humbling to realize that many people have walked this far – a testament to our capability when we overcome the limits imposed by our minds!  We finished our descent to the trail to Pear lake, but failed to make the turn so that by the time we realized that the outlet creek was not directly accessible we had descended all the way to Wenatchee Pass.

The PCT is a long walk!

Following the suggestion of the hiker we met earlier, Ken and I backtracked a little then scrambled through the bush to find the creek.  My new climbing rope came in handy, as there was a ~30ft drop down to the water. We secured the rope on a tree and used it to scramble down – then pumped our bottles full, and made our way back to the pass.  As it was getting later in the day, we prepared supper – chicken noodle soup with and added pack of Uncle Bens rice and a Landjaeger.  Comfortably filled, we hit the trail again, steadily climbing ~1200 feet, transitioning from trees to alpine meadows on the ridge.

We continued further south reaching Grizzly Pass, where we set up camp.  To the east we looked across Heather Lake, and to the west numerous mountain ridges.  High clouds covered the sky, and though I drifted off to sleep, my compatriots talked about a little rain during the night.

Day 8 – PCT K 2012: Swelling Creek to Lake Sally Ann

Aug 26, 2012: Swelling Creek (5040) to Lake Sally Ann (5550).  13.1 miles.  2380 ft. descent, 2890 ft ascent.

Alpine meadow and the trail to Red Pass

With a 6 am wake up call from Joe, we were packed, finished breakfast and ready to go by 7:30 – about the earliest yet.  The first goal for the day was Red Pass, the highest point on the trip.  We climbed back out of the woods, passing several camps where folks were slowly waking – by this point in the trip we had morphed into the early birds!  With Glacier Mountain to the north east, and ever so slowly slipping to the north, we had covered quite some distance from that first view at Suiattle Pass.

Below Red Pass with Glacier in the background.

After stopping at a cairn for a picture on the way up, we continued on to Red Pass (~6400 ft), where we were greeted with the most stunning views of the trip.  This site is the true stereotype for a mountain pass – a ridge allowing passage through a mountain range.  From this narrow pass, Glacier Mountain and the North Cascades spread out before us.  Turning 180 degrees in the same spot, ridge upon ridge of the Cascade range formed our vista.  The haze from the fires burning around Cle Elum and Ellensburg obscured the view of Mt. Rainier, but even so, words and photo’s don’t do justice to the experience.  As usual, I would be more than happy to trek back with any takers.

Red Pass View

Heading through the meadows towards White Pass

All great things come to an end, and so we pulled on our packs and started down towards White Pass.  However, one positive led to the next as we soon found ripe huckleberries south of the pass.  The long downhill traverse was also pretty spectacular in it’s own right.  We crossed through what seemed like miles of steep alpine hillside with lupens, bear grass and other flowers, interspersed with patches of heather, stretching hundreds of feet above and below the trail.  Along the way, we surprised dozens of marmots sunning on rocks or nibbling on the vegetation.  We continued southeast, somewhat amused at the signpost with directions to White and Indian Pass.  By noon we reached Reflection Pond, where we met a yippy little dog named Chico and his owner – a woman in her 20′s out on her own for a 4 day trek in the mountains – reaffirming my earlier conviction that backpacking has become an equal opportunity recreation.

White Pass? Indian Pass?

We spent close to an hour at the pond, cooking up some chicken noodle soup, enjoying a cup of coffee and basking in the sun.  Hitting the trail again, we trekked south, mostly through open meadows or sparse forest, rising and falling for a few miles, then climbing several hundred feet to cross the ridge high above a camp on a creek draining into the Little Wenatchee river.  In typical fashion the creek wound its way through the meadow, twisting and turning and anything but linear.  We took a break in a clump of trees, and were soon treated to handfuls of blueberries thanks to Joe.

R&R at Reflection Pond

We continued south, still climbing and descending with the contours of the ridges, high above the Little Wenatchee until we reach Lake Sally Ann, a beautiful but popular tarn (there were three other groups camped here).  With all of the restoration work ongoing, we struggled to find a spot, and I’m still not sure if we were appropriately camped.  Once in place, I took advantage of the lake, which despite the snowdrifts along the shores, was remarkably warm.  Bathed and refreshed we prepare a couscous and berry berry dinner, complimented with our favorite sausage.  The temperature dropped as  night fell, and so I tucked into the bag and was in never never land in just a few minutes.

Fresh Water!

Predinner Bliss!

Camp at Lake Sally Ann

Day 7 – PCT K 2012: Micah Lake Outlet to Swelling Creek

Aug 25, 2012: Micah Lake Outlet (5320) to Swelling Creek (5040).  13.6 miles.  3425 ft. descent, 3145 ft ascent.

Micah Lake

The day started out with clear skies, and having risen early enough, we were treated to the morning alpenglow as the sun made its way up.  At moments like this there is only one thing to say – Life is good!  With our packs loaded and our bellies full we started up, first to Micah Lake, then on to Fireweed Pass.  Micah Lake is a quintessential alpine tarn, nestled in a cirque, with talus slopes rising above.  Though it was late August, there were just a few patches of open water on the periphery and at the outlet creek, the rest of the lake still a brilliant sheet of ice and snow, contrasting the blue skies.  Continuing to climb south, the area had that distinct alpine feeling – open meadows with a few scattered trees, strewn with rocks and boulders,  ridge lines just a few hundred feet above and Glacier Mountain hovering off to the east. In other words, my favorite kind of hike.

Fireweed Pass!

At Fireweed Pass (6000 ft), we doffed our packs and spent some time absorbing the sun and the views of Glacier and the Cascade vista, then started down, following a long traverse to the south east and then a series of switchbacks to reach Pumice Creek, where we took a break to pump some water and cool our heels.

Our constant companions in the alpine meadows and rocks.

Distant Glacier

Unfortunately I was a little vigorous pulling the hose from my pump and managed to rip the inlet connection off – now I was carrying two useless weights – an unusable can of isobutane and a broken pump.  On the positive side, it should help the weight loss plan! As we continued south, we followed the contours below Glacier Mountain for a few miles, climbing and descending as we crossed a number of creeks that carried glacier melt down to the rivers below.

Kennedy Creek

Following a ridge between Glacier and Kennedy creeks, the trail began to descend to the South towards Kennedy Creek – and what a descent.  We dropped ~1000 ft in less than half a mile – with some of the steepest switch backs I can remember – I’m glad I wasn’t in the boots of the hikers we passed heading up!   When we reached the bridge at the bottom, which was still functional despite having been split at the center, we dropped our packs and enjoyed a little R&R.  This area brought back memories for Joe, who had hiked up the creek on his way to Glacier Mtn. with a climbing group back in 1979.

Having crossed Kennedy Creek, we were back into the forest, trekking south on the relatively flat valley bottom along the White Chuck River.  We made quick progress chasing Joe, as we  crossed Chetwot, Baekos and a number of other unnamed creeks. Cleverly I managed to take my own route across one of them – resulting in an unplanned bath and my only injury of the trip – a bruised bottom.  Eventually we crossed the White Chuck and then began our final climb of the day, headed for a small camp site along Swelling Creek.

Camp at Swelling Creek

The Swelling Creek camp was on the edge of lush green, but marshy meadow, with the creek flowing along one side of the camp.  A young couple (maybe 18/19) shared the site – they had been hiking their way up the PCT from Cascade Locks, and were looking forward to making it up to Canada, though they were wondering how they were going to fare at a border crossing back into the US since one of them didn’t have a passport – “What can they do to me, I’m a US citizen”…   Oh to be young again

It was already getting dark as we lit the campfire and prepared a meal of creamy Linguini (thanks to our neighbors for some butter) with you guessed it… diced Landjaegers.  As a side comment – in the past we had taken 1 per person per day, and always finished the trip with some to spare – this time we only bought 10, and would finish the lot by the last day.  We also took some time to survey our food stores and found the inventory slightly on the thin side of being according to plan – if we made our timeline we would walk out with a few bars, some trail mix and some soup powder. Always looking on the bright side – I spun this as incentive to keep up with the time line plus some emergency rations.

LIFE IS GOOD!

On thinking back, this was my day for missteps and mishaps, and even so,  as I drifted off  to a great nights rest, I was thankful for another glorious day and reaffirmed as I said earlier, that life is good.