Trevor Dickie
Fall is here, which means lots of transitions between t-shirts and raincoats - don't forget your layers, folks! Although our Washington weather can be fickle at this time of year, when you get a crisp autumn day perfect for an outdoor adventure, it's well worth it. We hope you're able to get out there and enjoy the season before it's time to start strapping on skis, snowshoes, and snowboards.
This month, we feature one report each from alpine climbing, scrambling, sea kayaking, backpacking, and day hiking.
You can find recommendations on how to write a solid report here. The following reports are listed chronologically.
scramble - tomyhoi peak/southeast route 9/1
“There is a boot path that comes and goes all the way to the snow field. Snow crossing was one inch of slush on top of solid ice. Some [of us] wore crampons, a few of us... did not... From the false summit you descend to the notch and then go up the gully/chimney, looks hard, but is easy to follow once you are there. ”
Tom Girard’s report has some nice information on how to follow the route. Conditions are probably quite different since the time of his report, but it's still a good resource if you are considering the scramble.
climb - black peak/south ridge 9/4
“This climb was part of the Intense Basic 2018 Labor Day Weekend Extravaganza. Nobody in the party had climbed Black Peak before, so we didn't know what to expect. Various trip reports ranged from a leisurely 8.5 hour day hike to a two day overnighter with a multitude of climbing skills required.”
There's nothing better than a trip with a surprise or two up its sleeve. You can always blame the lack of route info if you have to bail mid-route. Or like this group, you can summit and call it an easy day! A great write-up from Sherrie Trecker, with a bit of beta and some high praise for the route.
kayak - tacoma narrows 9/9
“Mallards were wandering onshore and swimming along it on the right side and some bikers pedaling by on the other hollered hello as we turned the corner into the deepening water. The lovely trees in the little valley south of the creek are already starting to show their fall colors.”
Lisa Johnson has another kayak report from a great trip report on this month’s list. It also features this wonderful shot by Jeff Evans. Lisa’s report is detailed, with plenty of imagery. It sounds (and looks) like the trip had some fantastic views of the bridge and wildlife.
backpack - lake stuart 9/16
“We arrived midday on Saturday, 9/15/18, under cloudy gray skies with rain in the forecast, and yet the trailhead parking lot for the Lake Stuart trail was full - and literally dozens of cars were parked along the road! We had an overnight permit for the Stuart Zone and had expected congestion, but this was astonishing.”
A full parking lot in the Cascades on a Saturday? Unfortunately that can happen even when the forecast isn't great… That's the blessing and curse of living near so many amazing wild places. Gabrielle’s report is a great write-up on how their excursion went. A positive attitude makes all the difference when the weather isn’t so positive.
hike - mount baldy 9/17
“The trip was just shy of 8 miles and 3000 feet of elevation gain. Trip participants mentioned that a good level of fitness (a few had participated in The Mountaineers' Conditioning Hiking Series course over the summer) helped with the steep section. Cool and sunny temps (high of 60) helped also, as the steep section is very exposed.”
The perfect fall day - not too hot, not too cold, just right. And we're glad to hear about the positive impact our Conditioning Hiking Series can have when dealing with tough trail sections! A great example of a day hiking trip report from Danielle Graham.
Last month's Top 10 is also online for you to check out. If you have a trip report you've really enjoyed, or wrote one yourself that you are quite proud of, send them our way at info@mountaineers.org. We may be featuring the best of the best in an upcoming edition of Mountaineer magazine!
