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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:21 pm
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After tossing around a bajillion different plans for the weekend due to wild fluctuations in the weather forecast, Janet, Brian and I decided to gun for Gunn. I thought it might be fun to join NB and JeffR on Merchant in the quest for Ed, but then I remembered how junky that south gully route is and decided it might be too dangerous with a larger group.
We agreed to holler at each other instead from our respective summits when we met near the trailhead sunday morning. This actually worked out, as we summited within .5 hour of each other!
With two previous attempts at this peak under my belt, the approach 'trail' was becoming like an old friend - or rather, an old friend that I didn't feel like being friends with anymore. Needless to say, released from the symptoms of giardia and blessed by morning fog to keep the temps reasonable, we worked our way up into the basin without a hitch. Ok, so I tried to follow a waterfall up for a bit, but we backed down off after about 50 feet or so. We were also stalled by some plump blueberries along the way that nearly ground our gears to a halt.
Despite these hurdles, we found our way into the upper basin just as the fog began to dissipate. Time for sunscreen, and time to check out the owner of the paw prints we saw in a snowpatch from earlier this morning we guessed. Hello bear!
He was up on the hillside above, checking us out. He wasn't alarmed and neither were we. He ambled away after a while and soon, we did too.....
and met up with him again about 10 minutes later over the next ridge. This time we watched him until he disappeared before continuing on. How exciting! Twice in one week! I guess my status has changed from bear repellant to bear attractant?
Anyways, we stopped for lunch just below the talus fan below Gunn's south face. I kept expecting to run into another group since there was a car parked near the road/trailhead when we arrived, and very recent evidence of passage on the lower trail. Oh well. We headed up large talus to the 3rd class gully. There was a tricky rock move to gain the hemlock pulling above this gully, which is where Janet decided to save this summit for another day. I followed Brian up and across the upper talus field (some moat ratting ensued), to the notch leading to the north side. I was relieved to see that the infamous exposed ledge was snow free - yay!!
Easy scrambling in a broad gully brought us to the summit and views all around.
We hollered and celebrated for a bit before heading back down. As we began to cross the upper talus field, we heard some hollering from Merchant, and could make out figures on it's summit. I hollered back and they hollered back. We couldn't understand what they were saying, (turns out it was "turn on you're cell phone") so we just waved and yelled, and continued down.
Voices in the gully below heralded the arrival of the mystery party that we passed somewhere/somehow on the way up. We chatted with them briefly in the hemlock stand, and continued down to our lunch spot. After filling up on some water, we motored our way down. Well, we motored until we found the blueberries again
A nice steep trail aids in a quick, if somewhat painful descent, but we arrived back at the car 9 hours after we left it.
Dinner at Xtapa in Monroe on the outdoor patio rounded out a nice excursion to the mountains. Thanks to Janet and Brian for sharing their Sunday with me!
Baring with morning fog A thoughtful and needed gift What ur humanz doin?? tricky move in gully Brian on the ledge a little summit refreshment On the way out 1 on the way out 2
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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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Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:35 pm
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Wow, a black bear that was actually black. How refreshing! Great TR Dicey. Way to get it done!
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Yana Hater
Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 4212 | TRs | Pics Location: Out Hating |
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Yana
Hater
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Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:04 pm
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dicey wrote: | A thoughtful and needed gift |
One (wo)man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure.
PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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naturealbeing Member
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 1565 | TRs | Pics Location: Great Mystery |
Glad you guys had as much fun as Jeff and I did. It defiantly was a great day to be up in the mountains.
Last year when Randy, Steve F., and I did Gunn we ran into a bear just below the saddle. I wonder if it was the same bear.
If you're interested you can check out Randy's TR and pics here.
Here's a shot from Merchant looking at Gunn.
Gunn Peak from Merchant Peak 8.5.07. Jeff and N Baring Peak, as seen from rock outcroping 8.5.07.
BTW, While I was at the summit of Merchant, I took a close up of Gunn and upon viewing it on my computer monitor there was a person standing at the summit. I wonder if it was you guys or the other party.
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:09 pm
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Janet,
I like your perspective shot of Gunn gully
That move was a b*tch to reverse, so you made a good call.
I'm still scratchin' too - I didn't even know I had this many bites!
NB, it was probably the other party since we were already descending when you guys started whoopin'
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the Zachster Member
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 4776 | TRs | Pics Location: dog training |
How cool is that, to "talk" to friends from peak to peak! Nice job y'all!
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:52 pm
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Ditto. Cool that you could hear each other. I wouldn't have thought voices would carry that far.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Guiran Member
Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 621 | TRs | Pics Location: University of Washington |
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Guiran
Member
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Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:58 pm
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Thanks for putting this together, Dicey. Couple more pictures:
Below the headwall Moon over a tree Baring Crossing some snow (note: giant Gunn Peak mosquito) Baring Moon over Tailgunner Upper basin Moat ratting Great views
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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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Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:23 am
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Guiran wrote: | Moon over a tree |
What an awesome moon shot.
Looks like a Christmas Tree.
Congrats dicey for finally gunning it.
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trailjunky Backcountry Bumpkin'
Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: 1124 | TRs | Pics Location: timberline |
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trailjunky
Backcountry Bumpkin'
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Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:44 am
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Congrats Dicey! Sweet TR.
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Rigafari Member
Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Posts: 98 | TRs | Pics
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Rigafari
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Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:06 pm
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Always wanted to go up Gunn.....nice work!! Can you hear 2?
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Happy Trail Dog Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 45 | TRs | Pics
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Hey Dicey, the bear says hello!
Gunn bear
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Don Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 2013 | TRs | Pics Location: Fairwood, WA |
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Don
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Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:32 pm
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:00 pm
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Happy Trail Dog wrote: | Hey Dicey, the bear says hello!
Gunn bear |
Thanks for the pic HTD. How was your climb? Any berries left?
Thanks Don.
The creek crossing is easy on 3 zigzagging logs. I think I remember a second crossing from a few years ago, but now there is only one.
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:08 pm
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