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| “I think we should turn around here, I am not feeling well at all” I said.
“Really it is so close?” replied Matt. “Ok a bit further and we will see what time it is and see how we are feeling then” We were running out of time and the sun was so intense I was feeling dizzy and nauseous. I couldn’t even walk strait and had not one once of energy left. I couldn’t get enough water. I knew I had to cool down and drink more. The sun was sucking all the water right out of me. Thursday and Friday I hooked up to climb Snowking with a dear friend Matt. I knew it would be a good peak for Matt because he hikes or climbs only a couple times of year. Class 2-3 was perfect for his level. We had done some good peaks and traverses in the Goat Rocks and he rides a bike everyday for transportation so I figured Snowking was not out of his comfort zone. This was one of those trips where I just could not stop being an idiot and making dumb ass decisions and mistakes. Here is what not to do if you want to summit. And I know better than to make stupid mistakes like these, but still did it anyways.... DUH  !
1. I forgot my thermorest and slept on my pack in the bivy sac with just a fleece liner, no bag (couldn’t help but think of how comfy Matt was in his tent on his thermorest with his sleeping bag. Grrrr). I would not have been cold if I had the thermorest to insulate the ground. Got about 2-3 hrs of sleep total and most of that was in the morning when I was supposed to be waking up and climbing. 2. Took both our cell phone by accident. So there was no way for Mania and I to contact each other. I could not call him to say we would be late because it took longer to summit. I had to stick to the time I said I would be home. I was still late! 3. I was hot and tired so we decided to camp at the top of the first point on the ridge. Thinking would be an easy day Friday without packs. The route was slower than what I had thought it would be. This mistake was not huge but if we pressed on we might have had better chance at the summit. 4. I slept a bit late in my most uncomfortable bed. Got a late start in the morning. The heat was horrid at 9am. My thermometer said it was 120 + in the sun. I put it in the shade and it dropped to 94 degrees. I have never been just below the summit of a peak in the NW in heat like that. 5. I was an idiot and thought we might be able to traverse over from the lake to the saddle(looks doable on the map). NOT don’t go that way! We followed a slight track and then it just disappeared. We are so close by this time I didn’t want to turn back but that meant we had to go up. I knew the climbers path was up there on the ridge some where. We climbed strait up a VERY steep heather slope using ice axes for belay in the duff. Then bushwhacked our way up to the top of the ridge. That was fun but cost us precious time we didn’t really have. All of the above was the DUH factor. The route is in good shape. All spots one would get off trail have been flagged (not by me) The views are incredible. The lakes are like a treat for the eyes. What a beautiful place. We got within 900' of the summit and turned back because we ran out of time and the heat was the worst I have ever hiked in. Our descent was slow because Matt has not been hiking or climbing for over a year and was feeling it on the way down. I got home at 3am Sat morning after a loooooong drive home! I would say the only thing I would do different is never plan a time schedule for the return. That along with no communications with Mania had me stressed about time. Push myself a bit harder and DRINK MORE WATER. Stop having Duh days. With all that said I enjoyed hanging with a good buddy. What a nice area! I think I will come back to finish the job and maybe (need to research it) do a traverse over to Mutchner too. Our accumulated gain for the trip was 9200' With about 12-13 (? Seems like more ) miles RT Now that was a good workout! Kick ass route. Oh...the bugs were bad but nothing a bit of Deet didn't take care of. Here are some pics. I had fun with a Huge boulder at camp. It was asking for its pic to be taken so I did  Click the bottom ones they look much nicer big!
                        Posted By: tazz In: Being an Idiot on Snowking |