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Opus Wannabe
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics Location: The big rock candy mountain |
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Opus
Wannabe
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Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:48 pm
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A return to Arrowhead mountain has been high on my list ever since turning back on a beautiful blue-sky day exactly two years ago. I finally made it back! The weather wasn't quite as good but our ascent route was certainly much better.
TwoDogDad, JimK, Brewmaster, MiddleE, and myself left our parking pull out along Hwy2 around 9am and crossed up the little slope to walk the railroad tracks for a fun filled nearly 2 mile stretch. Well, at least the walking in was rather interesting when we were passed by two long freight trains. It's very impressive, and a little scary, to be so close to a large fast moving train.
Eventually we left the tracks and made a bee-line for a low point on the toe of our ascent ridge. The snow was very hard and very steep. Microspikes and crampons went on right away for the climb, gaining 1200 ft in about a third of a mile. Very steep but effective. From then on it was a pleasant ridge walk up and up to the summit. Snow was more variable up here ranging from soft slippery powder, to post-holing surface crust, all the way to rock hard surface.
We arrived at the top to have our own NWHikers mini-social, finding Mescahie Mark and Magnum up there. They'd started around the same time but taken a much earlier ascent route towards the ridge. They descended soon after our arrival to avoid the bone chilling wind. It was a fairly short summit stay but views were very nice, especially to the Chiwaukums. Before long we also descended to avoid the cold. We traded snowshoes for spikes and crampons back at the ridge saddle and began the steep, but thankfully short, descent back to the tracks. Everyone made it safely with only one nasty encounter with a sunken log. Back down below all that remained was the long track walk back to the cars.
I can finally cross another revenge peak off my list!
Click here for the photos.
GPS tracks Barry vs. train Walking the tracks Steep forest Nearing the top Bulls Tooth Angle trees Tracks to the top Jim Hill mountain Labradoodles Nikolai Ice texture
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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 Feb 21, 2009 9:52 pm
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Wow, you guys stayed on the tracks for quite a bit longer than we did. You also hit the ridge about 1000' below us. Not complaining, I just find it interesting. I'm glad you got revenge and a view.
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EastKing Surfing and Hiking
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 2082 | TRs | Pics Location: 77 miles from Seattle! |
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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
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Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:38 pm
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Now I know what views are on the summit. I probably will go back but only on a clear day. Great TR and pics.
YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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Middle E no more moustache
Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 432 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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Middle E
no more moustache
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:27 am
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We went a little further down the tracks than most previous trip reports (to where the tracks bend to the left after the 1698 marker), but only had a 1200' steep stretch to gain the ridgeline. This adds some distance, but that part of the ridge is open and very pleasant to traverse, so we were happy with the tradeoff. There were many signs of elk near the saddle.
Trains up close have that quality of being simultaneously magnetic and scary. When I was a wee lad my dad worked for the B&M railroad, as a telegrapher...meaning he sent messages in Morse code. It's hard to believe now that there was a complete and separate telecommunications network devoted to that.
A few pictures to add. Thanks to Magnum and Mesachie Mark for packing the trench near the summit.Ridgeline at the saddle Jim Hill from Arrowhead Chiwaukum's from Arrowhead Chris and Mark on Arrowhead Brewmaster on Arrowhead
pithy yet insightful signature
pithy yet insightful signature
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Sadie's Driver Sadie's Driver
Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 1763 | TRs | Pics Location: Welcome Pass |
Opus wrote: | Labradoodles |
Great pic! You can tell Boon and Doxie that Gus had his six mile run and a swim in Lake Union finished before you even hit the trail! That's a nice little jaunt - can't imagine why you didn't use our previous route! s.d.
Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
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cartman Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics Location: Fremont |
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cartman
Member
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:33 pm
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OK, now I really am the only person on the site who hasn't done Arrowhead.
Now I'm gonna have to hitchhike to get up there.
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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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Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:40 pm
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I love this pic also:
It's as if they are just soaking up the view. If there were an award for most consistently good photography in a TR, you'd nab it for sure.
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Opus Wannabe
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics Location: The big rock candy mountain |
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Opus
Wannabe
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:56 pm
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Thanks! I really like the dog photo too. They were just so patient waiting there for Nikolai to summit. I was crouched down behind them hoping they'd stay still long enough for me to get Nikolai into the frame too but they eventually wandered off.
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:49 pm
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That dog photo really is cute.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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GaliWalker Have camera will use
Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 4916 | TRs | Pics Location: Pittsburgh |
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GaliWalker
Have camera will use
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:52 pm
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Even more so, now that Opus has provided the context. In that context, the dogs show so much character. Great shot.
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Gabigabs Trail Breaker
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 841 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Gabigabs
Trail Breaker
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:14 pm
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The pan shot is really cool.
Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Nice pics of the nearby peaks, especially Jim Hill
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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huron Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 1028 | TRs | Pics
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huron
Member
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:59 pm
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Good company on summit and a great day to be out. Thanks for the Pano Opus!
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Bloated Chipmunk Cock Rock Searcher
Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics Location: Margaritaville |
Home is where the hiking is.
"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas
A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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Opus Wannabe
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics Location: The big rock candy mountain |
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Opus
Wannabe
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Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm
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