[kitya]

Lately, when weather forecast for the weekend is rainy and stormy, I was often choosing to go to the more weather protected areas, like the east slopes/Teanaway where even on a stormy day it is often a mix of rain and sun and there are still views. But instead this time I decided to go right into the storm, north east and close to home – Bedal peak. I was a bit hesitant, because reading on the route on wta and summitpost it was suggested that the route up Bedal peak is not easy, but finally decided to try it anyway and turn back if it gets scary. I’m so happy I decided to go. The forest is so amazing there! Not open dry east slopes forest, but really dark and wet forest. I love it so much! Not rocky, but lots of moss and needles. There are many really huge trees, it appears that this pocket of the forest was not destroyed by logging. Many creeks and waterfalls across, many flowers and mushrooms. It was raining heavily and the everything was such a deep green color and very wet, I immediately became completely drenched and it felt more like being a salmon swimming upstream, than hiking. The standard Merrybrook route is a really good trail and well marked. I lost it only a few times when it was blocked by blowdowns, but eventually always found it again. I wouldn’t say Bedal is a scramble, at least for me and Cookie it felt like a hike and quite easy at that. Downclimbing to the ledge (quite wide and safe) and crossing to the snowfields was very easy too. There was about an inch of fresh wet snow on the ground, but by now it turned to freezing rain and beautiful ice was covering the trees. On the snowfields in the clouds it was complete white out and I couldn’t see anything more than a couple of feet away from me. So I just looked at the map on my gps and basically went up. It was almost never too steep and since I couldn’t see anything, I would also not see if there was any exposure on my way or not. It felt easy, so probably not 😊 Ice axe, crampons, microspikes, snowshoes all stayed in the pack. When do you use snowshoes in Spring? I feel silly constantly bringing them but not putting them on lately. Around 5500 feet we crossed fresh tracks that confused me and Cookie. Who dis?

Summit had amazing views of absolutely nothing. Me and Cookie enjoyed more freezing rain and wind, Cookie had a snack and we went back. Starting at 9am and arriving back to the car by 3pm it really felt like more of a half day hike, but it was nice anyway. Obviously, just as I got into car the sun started teasing, appearing through breaks in clouds.

[Sculpin]

[kitya]

[Brushbuffalo]

[Alden Ryno]

Wow! Those prints are larger than I would have envisioned for a wolverine. Obviously, I've never seen one. With hearing how ferocious they can be, then it makes much more sense as to why they can fend off much larger creatures (bears, moose, etc). Also, I LOVE all the pictures of Cookie!!

[kitya]

Thank you for id everyone! I wish i ever saw a real wolverine in the wild, but seeing footprints makes me pretty happy too and I cannot complain. I think their whole family is ferocious. Me and Cookie saw weasels a few times in the wild and they are cute, but crazy ferocious too.

[Kascadia]

[Snowdog]

All I have to say is: you will want to go back & see Sloan from Bedal! Nice TR

[Bootpathguy]

[kitya]

[Sculpin]

[Brushbuffalo]

Kitya, how exciting for you to see the wolverine tracks on Bedal.

[FiresideChats]