Forum Index > Trip Reports > Diamond Head, Windy Knob, Tronsen Head 3/12/2021
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Pribbs
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Joined: 13 Aug 2010
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Location: Sammamish, WA
Pribbs
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PostSat Mar 13, 2021 11:04 am 
GPS track: https://www.gaiagps.com/public/EBnZ5FijiTFGqY2RfvS2jejY Started from the Blewett Pass sno-park (the main motorized one) at 9am. Right out of the parking lot rather than following the road, we followed the snowshoe trails south up through the woods, crossed the road, then continued south on the ski trail toward Haney Meadow. We followed this trail for a little ways until a signed junction with a trail that goes up to the right. We took this trail very briefly, and then left the trail to ascend steeply SE up the north ridge of Diamond Head. We stayed on the ridge as it led up to an open area that overlooks the north face of the peak.
We next got onto the really steep NE rib, aiming for the big basalt tower to pass it to the left on steep open slopes. An ice ax is really suggested for this slope, which is steep and open with really deep soft snow that can cause you to slide backwards. There was a ton of snow here and it was slow going for a bit until we neared the top.
We got up to the top of the plateau and found the nice viewpoint atop the north rim of the peak to enjoy the great view of the Stuart Range, Mt. Rainier, and out to the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
We traveled south across the plateau atop Diamond Head until we descended pleasant slopes SE to reach a big saddle. Next we traversed NE aiming for Windy Gully, which was very peaceful and inviting with Windy Knob rising above. We visited the CWU weather station at the Windy Gully rock glacier. The professor who manages this site was one of my geography professors in college and he took our class on a field trip here. What is a rock glacier? Read the contents of the photo below.
We headed up the Windy Gully rock glacier until the slopes of Windy Knob to our left side looked good to ascend to the top.
We descended the SE ridge down to the saddle at the top of Windy Gully. From here everything off to our left side was a steep brushy gully, so we stayed high and ascended southward up a hill and then moved left a little until we arrived at the Table Mountain Trail. We hiked this trail northward for a short time past a saddle, but then left the trail to ascend gentle slopes NE up the SW ridge of Tronsen Head.
We followed the open ridge down to the east following various ski and snowmobile tracks down toward a large saddle but not quite to it, before we headed down north toward a gully and then headed NW down into the woods through some minor gullies and down moderate wooded slopes until we met up with tons of ski tracks and then the ski and snowshoe trail on Road 7245.
We followed this road back for quite some time but when we reached a 4-way intersection we did have to go left to climb back up the the original Haney Meadow Trail that leads back to the sno-park. This is an awesome loop that mixes trail and off-trail, visited 3 peaks, a rock glacier, and has tons of great views.

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John Morrow
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Joined: 03 Apr 2007
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Location: Roslyn
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PostSat Mar 13, 2021 2:28 pm 
Crossed you tracks as we headed from Mt Lillian to TronsenHead. Then we followed you down the Upper Tronsen Trail. We were wondering about your route but now it makes sense that you were headed back to the snowpark. Sounds like you enjoyed a very fun route.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...



Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics
Location: On the Summit
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
PostSat Mar 13, 2021 6:44 pm 
Sweet! Great effort, nice report and photos. I have to put this one on my list. Thanks also for the track file. Well done! up.gif up.gif

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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



Joined: 13 Feb 2007
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Location: Stuck in the middle
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostSat Mar 13, 2021 10:39 pm 
That's a fun loop. A few years ago a nwhikers group did basically that route in reverse, also on snowshoes. We didn't see the rock glacier set up, but that's fascinating and makes me want to go back and get a look at it without snow cover.

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Cyclopath
Faster than light



Joined: 20 Mar 2012
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Location: Seattle
Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostSat Mar 13, 2021 10:53 pm 
I recognized so many of the spots your photos are from, from summer hiking. So different in winter!! Thanks for posting this TR. smile.gif I had never read that sign and wasn't aware of "rock glaciers." Very interesting. I'm not going to hijack your trip report about them, but again thanks for bringing that to my attention and I bet I'm not the only one that finds it pretty intriguing. Lot of wildflowers in the spring and larches in October up there. Great road (gravel) cycling too. Really nice area.

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Pribbs
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Joined: 13 Aug 2010
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Location: Sammamish, WA
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PostSun Mar 14, 2021 2:59 pm 
Cyclopath wrote:
I had never read that sign and wasn't aware of "rock glaciers." Very interesting. I'm not going to hijack your trip report about them, but again thanks for bringing that to my attention and I bet I'm not the only one that finds it pretty intriguing. Lot of wildflowers in the spring and larches in October up there. Great road (gravel) cycling too. Really nice area.
Pretty unique geologic feature. I never knew about them until my senior year of college when I took that mountain geography class. And yes the larches are awesome up there in late October.

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