Issy Steckel
Unsurprisingly, August was a busy time for The Mountaineers community. From the looks of these trip reports, it’s clear that we are all reveling in the ongoing late summer weather that affords such tremendous outdoor opportunities here in the mountains and waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Before the smell of the air changes and the days begin to shorten, let’s take a moment to appreciate the magic of August adventures (minus the smoke and bugs). This month, we are featuring two scrambles, two climbs, two day hikes, a backpacking trip, a canyoneering trip, and a photography expedition. And those are just our favorites!
Click on the photos to read the full reports from the volunteers and members.
Alpine Scramble - Lee Peak - 8/1
"On the way down from Echo and Observation, we summited Lee Peak, because it was named on the USGS map, despite it not even having its own topo line to mark prominence. To our surprise, it also had a USGS marker at the summit. It added an extra 10 minutes to our trip and everyone thought it was epic! Overall it was a great trip with an excellent group of Mountaineers."
A nice report from Sherrie Trecker, depicting a trip with dedicated participants and great opportunity for route-finding practice!
Photography - Samish Overlook - 8/21
"Due to hazy conditions I drove up to the Samish Overlook for a sunset shot. Instead, I shot paragliders and this lone hand glider. My camera is ideal for high resolution landscapes or static subjects not for action sports. I was very pleased to see the results. I am just adding to the variety of shots the overlook offers. It was fun shooting the action at the overlook."
Be sure to also check out Sergio’s sunset shot! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.
Intermediate Canyon - Lake Creek – 8/21
"The views were incredible. There were moments when you could look upstream and see the last three or four waterfalls you just descended. Then you could turn downstream and see expansive views of the forest down to the river."
Lake Creek is a remote canyon on the north side of Baker Lake. Live vicariously through the photos in this epic trip report.
Day Hike - Mount Ellinor – 8/24
"This had been a scheduled Mountaineers hike today, but my participants cancelled. Rather than let a gorgeous day pass, I did a solo trek via the Upper Big Creek Trail counter-clockwise and logged 13 miles rt with 5,000' el gain."
In this trip report, Nancy Lloyd shares several photos of recent trail improvements that make the route safer and easier to follow.
Alpine Scramble - Guye Peak/North Route – 8/24
"Guye is an ideal shorter, after-work trip to help scrambling students do a low-consequence, low-exposure scramble. We were able to help two students earn their graduation scramble. Everyone did well, there were no issues, everyone seemed to have a good experience."
Congrats, scrambling students! Your hard work is paying off big time. Read about their successful graduation scramble here.
Day Hike - Cedar Butte (Olallie State Park) - 8/25
"We had a pleasant evening. No problems parking... We saw more cyclists than usual. But not otherwise crowded and we had the summit to ourselves for dinner."
Who else is a big fan of post-work hikes? There is no denying that the oxygen-rich air you breathe while scampering through the woods is good for your brain after a long day.
Backpack - Lily Basin, Snowgrass Flat, Cispus Basin - 8/25-8/27
"A group of six of us just completed a three-day 27-mile backpack that took us through the highlights of the Goat Rocks wilderness. It was a great trip and the really good news was that the wildfire smoke and haze was not an issue since the prevailing winds worked in our favor. The weather was not perfect for all three days but still not bad. All in all, a very fun trip in a spectacular area with a really nice group of committed and enthusiastic backpackers."
A little fog and rain can't stop this Mountaineers group from having a great trip through Goats Rock Wilderness.
climb - Stanley Burgner or Burgner Stanley Route - Prusik Peak - 8/28
"As with anyone who goes into the Enchantments, I got inspired to climb Prussik after doing a ski traverse back in April this year. With cooler temperatures and no bugs, Kyle and I went for a single day push of Stanley Burgner route on Prusik this Saturday."
Good route detail from Rio Hoshi in this report. Plus, it’s pretty neat to read about how his experience of this place changes depending on the season.
Alpine Scramble - Goat Island Mountain – 8/28
"A great one-day trip of ~10 miles and ~3500’ elevation gain. The views are so stunning on the descent that you periodically feel compelled to simply sit down and take it all in."
Sounds like an all-around perfect day in the mountains. Pro tip from this trip report: There are many game trails in this area, but these hikers found that it worked well to stay near the ridge crest until reaching the basin west of the Wonderland Trail. Don’t be tempted to veer too far off course.
Climb - Kautz Glacier / Comet Falls Approach - 8/28-8/29
"In a less unusual year, the late season might be an enjoyable time to visit the Kautz via this route, although doing it two days was definitely a challenge. Three days — one day to approach to a high camp, one day to climb, one day to hike out potentially — would be more pleasant."
This trip report provides thoughtful insight into the unusual nature of attempting this climb in late summer, along with some tips to improve the route for the next time around.
We love reading your trip reports! You can find recommendations for how to write a solid report here.
