Destination: Rock Mtn 6852 (USGS Mt. Howard)
Date: 11/16/08
Party: Matt, Dicey, Wamtngal, Just Todd, Suzanne R, Lori J, Richard B
We were going to try Mt. Howard, but knee-deep snow above 5000 feet made that unrealistic, so we diverted to Rock Mountain.
The group was a hybrid of half nwhikers and half Mountaineers.
We started down in the valley fog, then climbed up above it.
The women raced ahead up the trail, leaving us men to catch glimpses of them only on the switchbacks above. So typical, the women charging upward in their summit-driven competitive obsession, while the men enjoy a more relaxed, social pace.
The snow got deeper.
The summit was sunny but windy. I had my first summit tea of the winter.
Round Trip Stats: 10 miles, 4000 gain, 7 hours
-------------- "Matt, you are truly full of it. But you take great --- pics, in spite of that." Scrooge
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 450 | TRs | Pics Location: Trying to go hiking
Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:03 am
Another nice one from your crew. This one is a killer. I was actually planning on not working tomorrow due to the weather Rock Mt is on my list as a possibility. Looks like poles, boots, and gaiters will do if I decide to go. Thanks again for another great report.
We did it in boots, but we were postholing a lot. When we hit the deeper snow about halfway up, progress slowed way down. We actually mostly followed tracks that had been packed down by previous snowshoers.
Everyone agreed that snowshoes would have been better.
-------------- "Matt, you are truly full of it. But you take great --- pics, in spite of that." Scrooge
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 5828 | TRs | Pics Location: Conspiring in the Man Cave.
Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:49 pm
Damn Tom, Shorts ?, I wonder with the wet snow conditions, if it would be decent doing Mastiff and Howard from Lost Lake ?, it looked like it from The NW.
-------------- I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent_Gandhi
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 800 | TRs | Pics Location: The Quah
Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:40 pm
Looks like you had a great time despite the change in plans. Did you stand around talking about the change, deliberating the pros and cons for about an hour or so - or did you just go for it? We're in shock that dicey actually took and posted some pictures. We really liked the perspective of IMG1003, Andrea.
-------------- "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
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 2636 | TRs | Pics Location: dog training
Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:42 pm
I LOVE that hike! I think it's best with snow (there's a lovely cornice along that ridge in early spring). I guess snowshoes will be required attire soon. Thanks for a pretty report (the valley fog shot is really cool )!
-------------- "May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
Thanks, Matt for organizing such a great trip! Dicey, was that fun OR WHAT doin' a trip together? (To heck with seven times!). Andrea and Todd, great to meet you, enjoyed your mountain company. Lori, it's time for you to register and chime in. Thank you all for a great day!
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Looks like I'll have to dust off the snowshoes and AT gear! I'll have to go on the next excursion....
We're in shock that dicey actually took and posted some pictures. We really liked the perspective of IMG1003, Andrea.
