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Mesahchie Mark A Lerxst
Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 700 | TRs | Pics Location: In Wonderland |
Putrid Pete's Peak
6/7/07
Attendance: Schmidt Altitude (Jeremy & Tisha), Don (Malachai Constant), Larry, Andrew (ADrewzki), Nikolai (twodogdad), Joseph, Daniel (Winnie), Yet and Yours Truly...almost Omega Chris
(oh yeah - five dogs on this hike!)
Putrid Pete's Peak (P^3) is one of my favorite TNAB hikes. P^3 is the eastern sub-summit of Web Mountain. As a hike, it's short, steep and has plenty of attitude (as well as altitude).
The hike starts from the Ira Spring Trailhead. About a quarter mile down the main trail, just as it starts to curve back to the east, a faint bootpath leads off to the left. This is the way to P^3.
The trail starts nice, with switchbacks gently ascending into the woods. If you come to a fork, simply choose the higher route. The trail gradually becomes steeper and harder to follow, with one counter-intuitive, slightly descending traverse. If you stay on trail, you will eventually come to a short, obvious talus field crossing, complete with "rock buddies". This is the end of the forest section and the beginning of the ridge run.
The trail turns sharply upward after the talus field, emerging from the woods in short order. As the path disappears beneath your feet, the ridge materializes above. Make a beeline for the ridge, keeping a mental image of where you exited the woods. From here, simply follow the ridge to P^3! P^3 itself is a small scramble to the "summit".
Conditions this night were mild and overcast. It had rained all day, so the trail was quite slippery. Unavoidable contact with vegetation resulted in soaked pantlegs. It took us an hour to complete the forest section of the trail. On the ridge, we gained local views including McClellan Butte due south.
P^3, shrouded in mist, came up quicker than expected. Summit time: 7:45 PM. As we gathered, Joseph broke out some microbrew he brought for the occasion. Yum! Then we found out it was Nikolai's birthday, and he brought champagne to celebrate. Woo Hoo! Add two batches of brownies, dried pineapple and macadamia nuts to the mix, and you have a party!
The descent took longer than usual due to the steep terrain and damp conditions. I forgot my watch this night, but I think we made it out some time after 10:00 PM. Half of the group then went for late night kilocalories at the Factoria Keg (good food but sloooow service!).
Good times and great hike!
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ADrewzki Snow angels are hot
Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 188 | TRs | Pics Location: Denver |
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ADrewzki
Snow angels are hot
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:21 pm
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Whoo yeah! Good hike. Since we did Teneriffe last week, I figured this would be a piece of cake. Turns out it was more than I had initially thought. Great hike though. May be my last for a bit since I actually need to work starting next week. We'll see.
A small waterfall I found while waiting McClellan Butte You can see our cars!! "Closeup" of the lot. Haha Beargrass! Beargrasses?? Indian Paintbrush Tons of snow behind the summit! Heading down View More view
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huron Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 1037 | TRs | Pics
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huron
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:14 pm
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I remember the summit register from P3 last year. There was a photo of Putrid Pete himself. Still there?
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Mesahchie Mark A Lerxst
Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 700 | TRs | Pics Location: In Wonderland |
Yup, the register and pic are still there. Seems a lot of folks get up there during the year!
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:19 pm
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Still the most famous belay/save of all time.
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Yet Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics Location: Happily Ever After |
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Yet
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:23 pm
Her Story
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No pics from me, but here's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Per usual, I had no clue what I was getting myself into, despite the fact that I read a few trip reports about P^3 prior to the hike. My attitude toward the TNAB hikes is to show up, not overthink it (especially the origin of putrid), and come what may = fun. This week, knowing the capacity of the group (having previously hiked with everyone who was there that night), I knew I'd eventually fall behind and would soon be going solo the rest of the way. Even with twodogdad's recovering knee. I was okay with that. In fact, I was expecting it; and I actually prefer that nobody waited for me on the way up. We had radios and magic sticks. What more could a girl want? Chocolate? I had that, too.
Mark described the trail to me as primitive, so I wasn't surprised when I started grabbing on to veggie belays after crossing the talus field, which was when I saw the last magic stick. It was quite...yeah. FUN! Until I realized that I was on the side of the mountain and that I could actually, uh - fall - if I let go. Veggies, they're not just for dinner anymore. I shouldn't have looked down, because then I began to feel something funny.....I think it's called scared.
Some of my thoughts...
"These guys are nuts! So...what does that make me?"
"Do I want to die a virgin?"
"How the heck am I going to get down this way?"
"I want my mommy! And maybe my grandma, too!"
The rest, are rated NYM (never you mind).
Once I found a nice level-enough corner where I could rest (read: hide and cower), I radioed Mark..."I'm not sure if I am still going the right way. It's really steep." His response? "Yep, that's the trail." (However, I was to find out later that it wasn't.)
Decision time. Keep going only Pete knows where? Or stay in said corner and keep cowering? I decided to stay put. I had my KitKat bar to keep me company. I only wish it lasted an hour, because that's how long I waited. Soon, the gang came back down. Was I ever happy to see them! And the best part was that they seemed really happy to see me, too. Oh good! I was only imagining feeling excluded, like that one time in high school...but I digress. Gang came back down...happiness resumed!
So, there was an actual trail on the way back down to the talus field, which was not the way I came at all. I guess I was bushwhacking earlier. Hee! Does that make me an official bushwhacker? And was it just me, or did the hike back to the TH seem incredibly short? And how about that, I saw first hand where the term crack foliage came from. "Ask no questions, I tell you no lies." (Can you guess which nwhiker am I quoting? You got me, I'm too lazy to look it up.)
I love Mark's description of this hike; no wonder I liked it so much!
Mesahchie Mark wrote: | As a hike, it's short, steep and has plenty of attitude (as well as altitude). |
Of course, the peeps were first-rate. I really enjoyed each and every single one of you. Thanks, all!
ps: Happy Birthday, twodogdad!
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Malachai Constant Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
A few more Pix including elusive Spider Lake
McCellans Butte Spider Lake through clouds View South I-90 from PPP
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Schmidt Altitude Whippet Entourage
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 803 | TRs | Pics Location: The Quah |
Never a dull moment on a TNAB hike. Here are our picture contributions:
Starting out Rock shutter delay End of shutter delay Mark leads the way with his fanny pack The fun ridge scramble Soaked undergrowth = very wet pants Kiefer keeps a lookout Jeremy and Andrew head up Almost there, guys!
On the summit:
What did they eat? Perched on the summit Daniel, our Q-Tip model Tisha's cute butte (McClellan behind) Cheers to twodogdad's birthday! Party at the top! Rock antics
On the way down, we also experienced much treecipitation adding to our already soaked state.
"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
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Yet Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics Location: Happily Ever After |
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Yet
Member
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:23 pm
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Schmidt Altitude wrote: | Mark leads the way with his fanny pack |
ps: I love the "Rock antics" photo. Too fun!
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Layback Cascades Expatriate
Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 5712 | TRs | Pics Location: Back East |
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Layback
Cascades Expatriate
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Sat Jun 09, 2007 11:44 pm
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TMI
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Schmidt Altitude Whippet Entourage
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 803 | TRs | Pics Location: The Quah |
Layback wrote: |
TMI |
What you talking 'bout???
"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
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Yet Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics Location: Happily Ever After |
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Yet
Member
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Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:59 pm
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"The Attitude Couple" - I like it!
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twodogdad Member
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 846 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
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twodogdad
Member
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Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:13 pm
thanks
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Thank you, cheerers, Digger and all! tdd
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:16 pm
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What I saw
Quote: | Soaked underpants |
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Yet Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics Location: Happily Ever After |
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Yet
Member
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Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:20 pm
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ADrewzki wrote: | May be my last for a bit since I actually need to work starting next week. We'll see. |
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