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Schmidt Altitude Whippet Entourage
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 803 | TRs | Pics Location: The Quah |
Our goal was Mount Washington this Thursday. In attendance were 19 hikers and 5 canines: Schmidt Alti-Babe, Schmidt Alti-Dude, Rowena, Kiefer, Mesahchie Mark, yukon222, Magnum, cmurph, Mazzy, wamtngal, Just Todd, GeoTom, GeoDanni, Jasper, ewb, Malachai Constant, Wes, mountainsun, GaryT, moosefish, runningbird, Cubbie, drewcoll, and international traveler Joe who flew in from Calgary to go on the hike !
Snow covered the trail well before the owl's lookout but we didn't need to don snowshoes until after the first time we crossed the creek. We mostly followed the summer trail until it doubled back to cross the creek again. At this point some of our party continued on the summer trail while the majority of us went for a more direct route towards the ridgeline. The steep grade and soft snow made for quite an adventure as we wove through the trees. Branch slaps and crumbling kick steps were common and more than one hiker was heard to exclaim "shipoopie" ! We eventually made it to the summit, 4420', to enjoy alpenglow views of Mt Rainier, Mt Si, Puget Sound, Chester Morse Lake, Mailbox Peak, and more.
After snacks and a summit shot it was time to head down. We met up with the summer trail party still on their way up about ten minutes down from the summit. We all followed the direct route down together. There briefly was a bit of controversy over the butt-sledders using the snowshoer's track. The discussion escalated into a trek pole sword fight until Mark broke it up . Headlamps were necessary for about half the decent and we made it back to the vehicles just after 10:30PM. We learned that Larry had gone up early to the summit via the summer route but left before we arrived. Thus, only the first ones down the mountain ran into him.
Great people, good fun, and another successful summit.
Total Hike Time (including breaks): 4 hours 53 minutes
Total Elevation Gained: 3376 feet
TNAB next week: Mailbox Peak
TNABers Ready? C'mon Rowena, you can do it! Blah! I'm done with snow! Catching back up to the pack TNAB traffic jam Left, right, left.... To the trees!!! Alti-Dude below Peek-a-boo Magnum First view of the sunset Final stretch Sunset, Magnum style The big lady Pink glow over Si Washington sunset Orange you beautiful! Vibrant hues Mazzy, don't do it! Mountainsun to the power of two
"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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yukon222 Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 1893 | TRs | Pics
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yukon222
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Fri May 02, 2008 6:14 am
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Just when you think you are done snowshoeing for the Winter, err Spring, and ready to put them away for several months, some late snows fall to make usage almost mandatory. The upper basins were coated with a heavy blanket of white. Must be 8' or 10' snow at the summit. No idea when that will finally melt off. Fourth of July?
goal - Mt Washington! cresting the upper road Shoulder of Mt Washington Mt Washington summit
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GeoTom Member
Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 3215 | TRs | Pics Location: Earth |
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GeoTom
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Fri May 02, 2008 6:37 am
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Sorry we didn't continue on past the Owl Lookout, but Jasper's claw was bleeding. It didn't seem to bother him, but we didn't like seeing that much blood on the snow. I guess we were a little optimistic with how far along it had healed. Another week or two and he should be ok.
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drewcoll Member
Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 288 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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drewcoll
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Fri May 02, 2008 7:02 am
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Thanks TNAB. Everyone have fun in that traffic mess on the way home? It was grrrreat.
TNAB Heading Up Butt shot. From the basin First Sunset Summit Rainier with Pink
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bobbi stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Fri May 02, 2008 7:05 am
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bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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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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Fri May 02, 2008 7:37 am
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Beautiful!
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kleet meat tornado
Joined: 06 Feb 2002 Posts: 5303 | TRs | Pics Location: O no they dih ent |
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kleet
meat tornado
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Fri May 02, 2008 7:40 am
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Quote: | Left, right, left.... |
Looks like you ran into a group of Mountaineers on an outing.
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
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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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Fri May 02, 2008 7:49 am
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moosefish I am the fish
Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 1210 | TRs | Pics Location: monkey herder |
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moosefish
I am the fish
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Fri May 02, 2008 7:59 am
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kleet wrote: | Looks like you ran into a group of Mountaineers on an outing. |
Yeah... that's why I hung back from the main group. For solitude. No other reason. Yeah...
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kleet meat tornado
Joined: 06 Feb 2002 Posts: 5303 | TRs | Pics Location: O no they dih ent |
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kleet
meat tornado
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Fri May 02, 2008 8:07 am
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Yet wrote: | He said, "Thursday Night Alliance Battle?" |
And you didn't say "Thursday Night Action Betty"?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
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wamtngal Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 2382 | TRs | Pics Location: somewhere |
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wamtngal
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Fri May 02, 2008 8:48 am
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Good times! Was great to knock this one down ( ) after being denied two weeks ago -- and with such a great group of people!
Schmidt's...I'm a bit concerned that you are writing TRs at 4 in the morning, knowing that you haven't slept a wink. I hope you plan on sleeping the day away today. At least until noon.
Opinions expressed here are my own.
Opinions expressed here are my own.
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Malachai Constant Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
kleet wrote: | Looks like you ran into a group of Mountaineers on an outing. |
Yeah, thats why I headed up the new trail, only problem was they never caught up and went a different route leaving me to break all the way, now in recovery mode
"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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mntsun Wunderer
Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 206 | TRs | Pics Location: Squaresville |
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mntsun
Wunderer
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Fri May 02, 2008 9:49 am
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I am impressed that Team Schmidt did indeed write up the report when they arrived home! This was much more fun than my last Mt Washington trip and I have a new found appreciation for Si’s scraggly neighbor. We never did find that summit register, though.
Thanks to Mark for organizing!
Not much those returning south can do after an I-90 TNAB hike for the next couple weeks except use 520 . That was a, uh, surprise .
"it's right up here" goingtheextramileforagoodpicture altidudealpenglow raineralpenglow townandcountry summitshot actionphotoaction
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cmurph Member
Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 102 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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cmurph
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Fri May 02, 2008 10:53 am
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Great trip everyone...with all the snow it was quite a bit different than last year's up there but just as fun
I had to coax Mazzy out of the car with treats when I got home b/c she was so pooped!
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gone Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1051 | TRs | Pics
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gone
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Fri May 02, 2008 11:07 am
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Wonderful hike, good to see everyone again, if only briefly!
Rode my bike up from near Rattlesnake Lake, figuring my hike to the snow level would be pretty short. Turns out there was plenty of trail before the post-holes for a great workout. Surprising just how far a shoeless-Joe can tromp in the compact path beat down by a dozen or more well-sprung TNABers!
Lest everyone think Mt Washington is all summits and sunsets, I grabbed some shots of the waterfalls and cliffs lining the trail. Fascinating geology at work here. Frightening, too, in spots, where when looking up you realize you're the X marking the spot for loose rocks potentially called home by gravity. I hear tell that in the bitter cold of winter, as opposed to the mere frigid cold of spring, the cliffs are covered in large icicles. I'll have to come back and see.
I pulled on my YakTrax when the trail became snow covered. They were sufficient for following in the group's compressed prints. Ran into GeoTom and family at the Owl Lookout where Jasper's bleeding foot answered the "Who's bleeding?" question I'd begun asking myself a few hundred yards before. After some breath-catching conversation, I continued up and over the creek, then to the right at the fork, eventually succumbing to the cold and post-holes at about 3,100'. Back to the Owl Lookout for a snack and some setting sun, then down to the John Wayne Trail by 9:30PM. While putting my bike back together and swapping shoes, Larry, Peggy, and Wes came out, chatted briefly, and took off for home. Then, just as I was about to take off, Troy led another group of TNABers out of the woods. Everyone safe and sound.
Winding their springs. Slow hiking sights. Water from rocks. Trees from rocks. Snow on the trail. Blood on the trail. Oh, that way? Thanks! Light-colored cliffs above the trail. Mailbox on the right, Middle Fork Snoqualmie north-side peaks in the background. Getting deep at the first creek crossing. Goodnight!
Thanks again for having me!
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