Forum Index > Trip Reports > Tracks and trains to Arrowhead mountain, 2.21.2009
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Opus
Wannabe



Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics
Location: The big rock candy mountain
Opus
Wannabe
PostSat Feb 21, 2009 9:48 pm 
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. hmmm.gif 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
GPS tracks
Barry vs. train
Barry vs. train
Walking the tracks
Walking the tracks
Steep forest
Steep forest
Nearing the top
Nearing the top
Bulls Tooth
Bulls Tooth
Angle trees
Angle trees
Tracks to the top
Tracks to the top
Jim Hill mountain
Jim Hill mountain
Labradoodles
Labradoodles
Nikolai
Nikolai
Ice texture
Ice texture
Summit panorama
9 labels
Summit panorama

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Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostSat Feb 21, 2009 9:52 pm 
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!
EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
PostSat Feb 21, 2009 11:38 pm 
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.
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Middle E
no more moustache



Joined: 10 Feb 2008
Posts: 432 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA
Middle E
no more moustache
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 9:27 am 
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
Ridgeline at the saddle
Jim Hill from Arrowhead
Jim Hill from Arrowhead
Chiwaukum's from Arrowhead
Chiwaukum's from Arrowhead
Chris and Mark on Arrowhead
Chris and Mark on Arrowhead
Brewmaster on Arrowhead
Brewmaster on Arrowhead

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
Sadie's Driver
Sadie's Driver
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 10:53 am 
Opus wrote:
Labradoodles
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! lol.gif That's a nice little jaunt - can't imagine why you didn't use our previous route! winksmile.gif s.d.

Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
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cartman
Member
Member


Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics
Location: Fremont
cartman
Member
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 7:33 pm 
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
Layback
Cascades Expatriate
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 7:40 pm 
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. up.gif

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Opus
Wannabe



Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics
Location: The big rock candy mountain
Opus
Wannabe
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 7:56 pm 
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
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 8:49 pm 
That dog photo really is cute. smile.gif

"...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
GaliWalker
Have camera will use
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 8:52 pm 
Even more so, now that Opus has provided the context. In that context, the dogs show so much character. Great shot.

'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!" Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
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Gabigabs
Trail Breaker



Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 841 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Gabigabs
Trail Breaker
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 9:14 pm 
The pan shot is really cool.

Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 9:31 pm 
Nice pics of the nearby peaks, especially Jim Hill hungry.gif

Living in the Anthropocene
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huron
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1028 | TRs | Pics
huron
Member
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 9:59 pm 
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
Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 10:10 pm 
Opus wrote:
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.
Yeah, I remember that route - it sucked ass. down.gif down.gif This one looks much better, so I may be willing to give Arrowhead another shot one of these wknds. hmmm.gif up.gif

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
Opus
Wannabe
PostSun Feb 22, 2009 11:00 pm 
Bloated Chipmunk wrote:
Yeah, I remember that route - it sucked ass. down.gif down.gif This one looks much better, so I may be willing to give Arrowhead another shot one of these wknds. hmmm.gif up.gif
I think you could handle this one. It's still steep but much shorter than that other route. Crampons would make it even easier but we did fine in any combination of YakTrax, Microspikes, crampons, or just plain boots. The dogs were pretty funny, I hadn't noticed the way they behaved on other trips. Nikolai fell behind on the ascent since he didn't have snowshoes so the dogs would pretty frequently stop and wait for him. They'd just sit down side by side and look back until he showed up. The other dogs I know usually zoom back and forth top speed between party members, sort of relaying messages.

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