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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 4:44 pm 
Me, and my friend Mark Straub have been wanting to go on a hike for quite some time, so we decided on Mount Pilchuck which we thought would be a nice choice on the forth of July. So we get prepaired and the day of the forth of july there is lots of clouds around Mount Pilchuck which worry me because I wanted to be able to see views of the Puget sound with fire works. Mark's dad fortunatly approves of going wether the weather is bad. So we take off to Pilchuck and buy some fire works along the way. When we get to the trailhead, there's already a little bit of snow even at this time of year!
Trailhead
Trailhead
View above (Taken by Mark Straub)
View above (Taken by Mark Straub)
Tycoon Resting
Tycoon Resting
Little Pilchuck through the Fog
Little Pilchuck through the Fog
So we get out our ice axes just in case and lucky we brought snow gear. At first we took a wrong turn at the start, we went left instead of right which the right is the original trail. I knew it was the wrong way, but I was as usual iun the mood for a new challenge, eventaully we almost get lost with the confusing route. But some nice guy who knew the mountain well helped point out the way. Later after hiking through snow in the forest, it got really steep which is where we used our ice axes, and trust me, they really came in handy!
Hiking Through Forest (it was steeper later)
Hiking Through Forest (it was steeper later)
Liberty Mountain through the Fog
Liberty Mountain through the Fog
Clouds around us
Clouds around us
Mark's little brother who came was having a hard time, so we tried to make it as easy as possible, but even me myself I was a little worried about the steepness of the slope with all the trees below. Kick in and out until finnally we got back on the trail below Little Pilchuck. From there we hiked up toward the summit which the snow tracks were hard to follow because even though it was'nt that late in the day, a huge cloud of fog came in right when I was beggining to think there would be views.
Panorama just before the bad weather came in
Panorama just before the bad weather came in
After that we got onto the ridge and at this point the mist was coming down hard and the wind was picking up. A huge argument broke out between the group because of someone not trusting someone (I'm not going to say who) because we kept having a hard time finding the trail. But it ends and we hike up a rock pile which leads us to the summit. At the summit we were the only ones there to my suprise, but it was bad weather after all. Later after we rested in the house, another group to our suprise came in and was also going to spend the night. My socks were soaked because I brought cotton, but one of the guys were generous enough to say "Here, you can have one of my wool socks" which was very nice, because they are very comfortible. It's nice to know there are very nice hikers. We played some cards, which was fun, and at about 7 P.M there was a view of the entire Puget Sound!
Glacier Peak?
Glacier Peak?
Clearing Up
Clearing Up
Sunset
Sunset
It happend so fast, but just as it came, more clouds came from the south and barried the view, but then came back again, and this kept happending over and over until a big cloud came over and the view was gone for hours. When night fall came, we could not see fire works, and the wind was still blowing very hard. So we fortunatly brought our own (I'm not sure if it was legal, but it was wet everywere and snowy). On the other isde of the rock ridge, it was amazing how much less wind and mist there was! Almost none! We took a few exposure shots of fire works.
Fire Works, taken by Mark Straub with a long exposure
Fire Works, taken by Mark Straub with a long exposure
Scattering Fire Works
Scattering Fire Works
More Fireworks
More Fireworks
Wind Storm at the Summit
That night when we went to bed, the view again cleared up and we could see the city lights and still see some fire works going off. But I had to go to bed. The next morning there was still lots of mist, but we knew we had to go. We met a few mountaineers who gave us some instructions of how to get down. When we started going down, we got lost again. So we went back up and followed the mountaineers down, the reason it was hard down was all the snow. We later glasaded the rest the way down, exept that part that was steep on the way up which was hard getting down, but atleast we were safe. We got down to the car ok, and went to a Chineese bufay. It was a good forth of July, but my goodness more snow than I expected.

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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 5:13 pm 
Now that is a cute little bugger. Tycoon huh. up.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 5:50 pm 
Yes
Backpacker Joe wrote:
Now that is a cute little bugger. Tycoon huh. up.gif
The name of the dog is Tycoon, it's my friend Mark's dog. He is very nice and respectful! Although he loves barking at me at home for some reason unless I'm petting him. Good dog.

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boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4745 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bend Oregon
boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 8:52 pm 
Josh Lewis wrote:
Me, and my friend....When night fall came, we could not see fire works, and the wind was still blowing very hard. So we fortunatly brought our own (I'm not sure if it was legal, but it was wet everywere and snowy).......
Apparently shooting fireworks debris all over a mountaintop is ok with the folks on this forum, even camping where there is not camping allowed (according to the state park website), but just make sure you never EVER SCRATCH the snow....THAT will bring fire and brimstone down upon you from this crowd......

friluftsliv
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
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Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny
Malachai Constant
Member
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 9:05 pm 
Yeah,we are all horrible folk who think nothing about scattering nitrate saturated mulch all over the place. Do not know about scratching up snow though, we seem pretty brutal about that moon.gif

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 9:19 pm 
boot up wrote:
Josh Lewis wrote:
Me, and my friend....When night fall came, we could not see fire works, and the wind was still blowing very hard. So we fortunatly brought our own (I'm not sure if it was legal, but it was wet everywere and snowy).......
Apparently shooting fireworks debris all over a mountaintop is ok with the folks on this forum, even camping where there is not camping allowed (according to the state park website), but just make sure you never EVER SCRATCH the snow....THAT will bring fire and brimstone down upon you from this crowd......
What do you mean scratch the snow? Not sure what you mean by that..... I scratched it much with my ice axe when climbing up and down..... or do you mean debris from the fire works? We lit off small stuff..... and the wind were we were was almost non... is there somthing I should know?

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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 9:22 pm 
I don't understand.....
Malachai Constant wrote:
Yeah,we are all horrible folk who think nothing about scattering nitrate saturated mulch all over the place. Do not know about scratching up snow though, we seem pretty brutal about that
What are you guys talking about scratching the snow?

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JPH
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Joined: 14 Feb 2008
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JPH
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PostSun Jul 06, 2008 9:23 pm 
Even small stuff leaves trash on the mountain, I'm pretty sure I saw it today. Probably not worth it for a quick show.

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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostSun Jul 06, 2008 9:46 pm 
Ohhhhh.......
JPH wrote:
Even small stuff leaves trash on the mountain, I'm pretty sure I saw it today. Probably not worth it for a quick show.
I never lit off a fire work smile.gif but my friends and his dad did.... I should have thought of that, we did pck up the area when we were done, but I bet some might have went fown the mountain..... we only had 20$ worth.... and with prices heavy this year plus they did'nt light them all. So it was'nt much.

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