[Doomgoggles]

Well we were bored today, so crazily decided to climb Mt. Ellinor. Late start -- didn't leave the trailhead til 2:10. Getting to the upper trailhead would have been no problem for a truck or other high clearence vehicle. The road was totally clear but for one section about 100 yards long just before the TH that was covered in 18 in of snow. It was rutted, with ice and slush. After a couple attempts, I managed to blast my low-clearence sports sedan through it. Anyways: we brought ice-axes and climbed the chute. Snow starts before the chute flats, but is very soft and melted out in a lot of places. Most of the lower half of the chute is unsuitable for glissading. The upper half has a few protruding rocks. From the top of the chute to the summit, the snow is in a lot better condition. It was overcast when we arrived at the trailhead, but we broke through the cloud layer midway up the chute. The clouds periodically overtook us, but we prevailed, and summited at 4:45. (the chute is tough-going when the snow is bad). The primary cloud layer stayed about 300-500 feet below us; we could see Mt. Rainier, but none of the other cascade peaks. A wall of stratocumulous clouds blocked the interior Olympics, exept for Mt. Washington. Periodically, we could see various peaks flitting in and out of view, sometimes wholly, sometimes not; including: The Brothers, Constance, Inner Constance, Pershing, Stone, Skokomish, and Cruiser. Sadly, no more than 3 were ever visable simultaneously. We made it back down in less than an hour, and headed back. Sorry no pictures, but my hiking partner uses film, so I have to wait. Sooner or later I'll have a site up with all of our pictures I can link to.

[summithound]

Sounds like an awesome trip you had there, thanks for the report!