Forum Index > Trip Reports > Dirtyface traverse - 14 jun 2020
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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Jun 15, 2020 2:49 pm 
Originally for this week I was thinking of either going to Mount Saul (if I feel adventurous enough) or to complete the Dirtyface traverse (if I feel lazy). Mount Saul was a real adventure and I’m happy to have gone there in a rare window of better weather on Wednesday, but this means I still had a weekend in front of me and since I now felt lazy and had no other ideas, I decided to go try the Dirtyface traverse anyway too. I actually have been to Dirtyface mountain, snowshoed there back in April 2014, but I was still young and stupid at the time and I went where the trail is marked on the map and just assumed I visited the Dirtyface mountain. Well, now I know better. A few weeks ago, when going up Catkin and McCall mountains I noticed two prominent and very steep peaks behind me. After some research I realized that one of them is called Dirtface Benchmark and the other is called Dirtyface Peak (later being the actual highest point of the Dirtyface Mountain). And so I learned that the Dirtyface trail goes nowhere near them and just ends at the broad low spot on the ridge where the fire lookout once was. In fact Dirtyface mountain is long rugged ridge sitting like an island between two lush low land valleys, with giant Wenatchee lake and the White river on the west side and Twin lakes on the east side. The great advantage of Dirtyface is that there is no forest road and the drive is easy and fast on paved roads only. The trailhead is just off Lake Wenatchee hwy. I arrived at 9am and trailhead was already almost full, maybe 6 cars. It sure is a popular trail! I parked near a dead snag almost completely destroyed by the pileated woodpecker.
Starting at the same Dirtyface trail we quickly gained the ridge on an easy trail and dropped to the narrow sloping valley on the other side. While the west slope was sunny and completely snow free, the sloping valley is still filled with lots of snow and is very beautiful with some big trees and lots of pikas. Light flurries caught up with us. However while the valley is still filled with snow, the two sharp peaks – The Benchmark and The Peak are already sadly open rock. Me and Cookie first climbed up to the Benchmark, but couldn’t find our way down to the other side from there. Also it got super windy and cold we were literally blown away from the summit. This is the side of the Benchmark we wanted to come down from, but couldn't.
So we came down the wrong side and traversed around on an annoying open boulder field. From there it was more ridge walking followed by a class 3 scramble to the top of the Peak. I don't know why this is the best position to enjoy mountain views, but apparently it is.
While most people went just too lookout, by random chance Seattle Mountaineers have chosen to scramble the same mountain as we did. They had a big group of around 6 people and they started before us, but Cookie is natural born leader, so not only she caught up with them, but soon enough she passed them too. They had ice axes, crampons, and put helmets on before the final and somewhat exposed scramble, but Cookie did it faster and with no equipment, just jumping rock to rock like a tiny mountain goat. Several mountaineers members were so impressed with Cookie, they asked to take her photos. You can see the mountaineers in one of the pictures I took too. 7700+ ft elevation gain in a day and she doesn't even feel tired!
After Cookie and I climbed down we retraced our steps around Benchmark again, but than I realized I forgot to take the actual photo of the actual benchmark, so we hiked up to the summit of the Benchmark the second time. So here, see, there is a benchmark.
On the way back through snowy basin we got to see the rare bird's eye view of a pika. Me and Cookie were standing on a very steep almost 90 degree snowy slope right above her and I suspect pika was not sure where we are smile.gif
And even better, coming back to the trailhead the pileated woodpecker was busy with the tree right next to my car.This bird has the size and the strength of a flying jackhammer. I'm happy now I only have the northern flicker pecking at my house siding and not this one.

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MangyMarmot
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PostMon Jun 15, 2020 3:13 pm 
Nice work on Dirtyface. There is some decent scrambling on that peak. Cookie must be quite the mountain goat. It's cool that you got to see the pileated woodpecker in action. It's amazing how quickly they can make a large hole in a tree.

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Jun 15, 2020 3:18 pm 
MangyMarmot wrote:
Nice work on Dirtyface. There is some decent scrambling on that peak. Cookie must be quite the mountain goat. It's cool that you got to see the pileated woodpecker in action. It's amazing how quickly they can make a large hole in a tree.
Thank you! Yes, she is quite a mountain goat. It is very easy for her to go up, but slightly harder going down and I'm super scared if I accidentally kick some rock toward her, because she always wants to be in front. However when the jump down is too steep, I try to go first and than she jumps on my head and I lower her down. Woodpecker is very cool too, right! Really strong!

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fourteen410
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PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:00 pm 
Awesome shots of the woodpecker! I finally heard a woodpecker "laughing" earlier this year - such a crazy sound.

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:11 pm 
fourteen410 wrote:
Awesome shots of the woodpecker! I finally heard a woodpecker "laughing" earlier this year - such a crazy sound.
How do they laugh? I have never heard this!

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neek
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neek
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PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:15 pm 
Nice pics.
kitya wrote:
After Cookie and I climbed down we retraced our steps around Benchmark again, but than I realized I forgot to take the actual photo of the actual benchmark, so we hiked up to the summit of the Benchmark the second time. So here, see, there is a benchmark.
!!! Having just been there, I'm super impressed a dog could do the scramble.

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fourteen410
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PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:22 pm 
kitya wrote:
How do they laugh? I have never heard this!
Listen to this video starting at 0:57.

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:36 pm 
fourteen410 wrote:
Listen to this video starting at 0:57.
Cool, thank you! Really amazing sound.
neek wrote:
Having just been there, I'm super impressed a dog could do the scramble.
Thank you Neek! Mountaineers were also very impressed with Cookie's speed and ability wink.gif Looks like this scramble is very popular this year!

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fourteen410
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PostMon Jun 15, 2020 4:41 pm 
Another fun fact about woodpeckers - they wrap their tongues around their brains! This article has a drawing. Nature is amazing smile.gif

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Jun 15, 2020 5:45 pm 
fourteen410 wrote:
Another fun fact about woodpeckers - they wrap their tongues around their brains! This article has a drawing. Nature is amazing smile.gif
Wow! Thanks for the link. I knew they have special adaptations for the brain, but I didn't know that the tongue is involved.

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Steve Erickson
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Steve Erickson
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PostFri Jun 19, 2020 10:58 am 
Great pictures. Enjoyed immensely and brought back memories of that area.

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