Bayley Stejer
A collection of trip reports that chases away our fair-weather friends with the devastating reminder that summer is still 20 days away. Read on, dear friends, for sticky whirlpools, spring snowstorms, an untouched summit register, fruitful work, and the ongoing saga of variable, early season conditions in the Pacific Northwest.
Day Hike - Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 5/5
"Five adventurous Mountaineers traveled across the country to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee/North Carolina." -Linda Shewey
The Great Smokies aka a naturalist's dream. Read on for the exploration of a national park boasting fungi, ferns, falls, flowers, forests, firs, and above-average fun.
Day Hike - Mount Si - 5/8
"The group enjoyed the activity and it was a great workout for us." -Krithika Sankaranarayanan
Snacks! Slush! Morels! Need I say more? Tune in for a classic conditioning hike on the Mount Si Main trial.
Alpine Scramble - Mount Ellinor - 5/10
"These changing conditions offered plenty of opportunity to discuss avalanche danger, terrain traps, and overall route risk as a group." -Sherrie Trecker
A route described as exposed, steep, thin, and overall manageable. Read on for a five-star scramble of Mount Ellinor.
Basic Rock Climb - South Early Winter Spire - 5/11
"The 3 pitches of climbing are as advertised." -Apoorv Sharma
A successful climb and still, the summit register remains untouched. Read on for unpacked snow, slide activity, and top-notch rock along the South Early Winter Spire.
Sea Kayak - San Juan Islands - 5/11
"All paddlers performed to the best of their abilities with exceptional group dynamics." -Lisa Johnson
Highlights of this trip report include a gleeful group, a snoozing seal, sticky whirlpools, well-stocked vault toilets, warm sunshine, and absolutely zero complaints.
Alpine Scramble - Hurricane Hill - 5/18
"A beautiful tour of two river valleys, ascending the Little River to Hurricane Hill (with an unexpected snow storm on the summit), then gradually improving conditions as we descended to the Elwha River." -Dave Morgan
19 miles, 5500' elevation gain, 10 hours, and conditions ranging from heavy snowstorm to downright balmy. All in all, a great day on Hurricane Hill.
Stewardship - West Fork Humptulips River - 5/18
"Over the course of two days this amazing crew of Mountaineer volunteers opened more than a mile of trail for the enjoyment of hikers." -Ginger Sarver
Mountaineers were busy stewarding our trails this May! Read on for a taste of the fun, fabulous, and fruitful work accomplished along the Humptulips River trail.
Alpine Scramble - Foss Peak - 5/18
"It was nice to walk side by side, debriefing about the trip, and savoring the benefits of a women’s scramble trip with thoughtful discussion." -Louise Suhr
A group of women see a marmot, eat lunch, summit a peak, eat another lunch, get home safe, and wait patiently to do it again. Read on to savor the benefits of a women's scramble at Foss Peak.
Alpine Climb - Silver Star Mountain - 5/18
"The winter conditions encountered up high made it more challenging than a basic alpine climb, but we all know that conditions make all the difference." -Emma Agosta
Pleasantly surprised by improving conditions, this group landed upon their new motto: sometimes you don't know before you go. Read on for spectacular views from Silver Star Mountain.
Alpine Climb - Eldorado Peak - 5/19
"Despite not getting as far into the climb as we hoped, we enjoyed the opportunity to scout the route and the solitude of being the only ones in the basin." -Kate Goldenring
A scouting climb of precarious foot placement, whiteout conditions, persistent postholing, and growing regret of the unused snowshoes left in the car.
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