Westlee Craig
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” - Charles Dickens
As the winter melts away and the flowers dare to bloom, we too must dare to "March" forward into the new year. Read on for our Top 10 Trip Reports for the month of March, filled with outings and adventures galore!
Day Hike - Little Mashel Falls, Mar 1
"Nestled in the foothills in the quaint town of Eatonville... early March is perfect for chasing the spectacular Little Mashel Falls." -Lisa Elliot
Did you know that the Mashel River is the largest tributary to the Nisqually and the most important tributary for anadromous fish? This hike offered fun trivia, stewardship opportunities, and breathtaking views of three waterfalls!
Bikepack - Lost Lake, Mar 3-4
"We were joined by our XC ski friends who wanted to test out an ungroomed terrain with an overnight pack..." -Emma Agosta
This winter outing was not only the first ever snow overnight bikepacking trip, but it was also the first ever joint trip of cross-country skiing and bikepacking! Read on to learn more about this super fun trip with super fun people.
Cross-country Ski - Lost Lake, Mar 3-4
"We had barely got our tents/hammocks set up when our biking buddies arrived." -Janette Powell
Want to learn more about the cross-country ski/bikepack trip collaboration? Well you're in luck! This whimsical cross-activity outing highlights lessons learned and memories shared between four members of two different modes of snow transport!
Sea Kayak - Hood Canal: Quilcene Bay to Toandos Peninsula, Mar 4
"Lots of wildlife and beautiful shorelines." -Will Greenough
Next, let's float down the Hood Canal with the members of this wintery sea kayak , where the snowy scenery and abundance of wildlife made for a very special paddle.
Day Hike - Poo Poo Point from High Point Trailhead, Mar 8
"A zig right and a zag left took us to the even steeper Upper Section Line Trail." -Nathan Goulding-Hotta
Pull on your hiking boots as we journey through an early morning loop hike with a steep approach! Reaching the summit at 11am, these Mountaineers enjoyed beautiful views and delicious, homemade corn bread.
Basic Snowshoe - Nordic Pass, Mar 11
"A delightful day tromping through fresh snow and quiet woods." -Mary Lou Biggs
At first, it seemed as though the weather would foil the snowshoers' planned outing, but luckily things improved day by day and it proved to be an awesome day in the snow! Everyone was well prepared, contributed to breaking trail and navigating, and worked well as a team.
Banff and Jasper Ice climbing, Mar 17-19
"The tourists clapped for Justin, but not me..." -Andrew Berget
Are you ready for three days of ice climbing in the Rockies?! Well, these Mountaineers were! The trail was full of tourists and the morning was cold, but that served as no deterrent as these members leaned in to the challenge and showed what spring break is all about: ice climbing in the sun!
Backcountry Ski/Snowboard - Mazama Ridge (Mount Rainier), Mar 18
"Fun day skiing on the Muir Snowfield with a great group of folks!" - Michael Nanney
Despite Friday's sun, the midweek snow formed a 10" deep layer with minimal sun crust, making this backcountry ski/snowboard up the Panorama Face very easy.
Stewardship - Snoqualmie Pass Nordic Center, Mar 18
"Fun bluebird day on the snow stewarding the Nordic Pass Trail!" -Louise Suhr
These Mountaineers enjoyed a gorgeous winter day of stewardship on the Nordic Pass Trail, with their mission for the day being no small feat! They were to navigate the route, install blue diamonds as needed on both the outbound and the return sides of the trail, and prune branches as needed to improve visibility. Thank you to a great crew who willingly came together for a very fun day of service to the Nordic Pass Trail!
Winter Scramble - Sourdough & Point 6308, Mar 26
"A great soul cleansing North Cascades day." -Dave Morgan
If you have a fear of heights or are prone to vertigo, this winter scramble may not be the trip for you... boasting ~5500’ of gain and ice axe self-belay snow conditions, these Mountaineers definitely put in the work for this 9.5 hour "mini vacation"!
