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TNAB
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TNAB
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 3:41 am 
With the parking questionable for Mailbox Peak we switched the destination to the West Tiger trio. The weather forecast called for 80% chance of rain/snow but it was wrong. This evening it was coming down hard 100% of the time frown.gif . The motley crew set out up the Cable Line Trail about 6:00 with the canines trying their best to herd us all together. Ponchos were the popular fashion choice but not all of us got the memo. The trail really wasn't much of a trail and more like a small stream until the rain turned into a slushy snow about half way up. 3/4 of the way up the ground was completely covered in white and the sloppy wet flakes were still descending at an alarming rate. The lead group made the #3 summit in about 45 minutes. Some of the pre-NABers were already heading down stating that they had become too frozen waiting for us to show up. On top we sang "Happy Birthday" to yukon222 (we made sure to make it a big production since he's like a bazillion years old and we don't know how many more he has left wink.gif clown.gif lol.gif moon.gif ). A few of the gang decided to head back down the cable line as the majority of us headed over to summit #2 and summit #1. Schmidt Alti-Dude was especially disappointed to find we were gated from actually tagging the #1 highpoint. He was all set to tresbag it, saying something about not wanting to have kids anyway, but luckily the group was able to talk him out of it (all except Babe, who seemed to encourage him to go fry his nads off eek.gif ). We were all thoroughly soaked and chilled to the bone by this point and couldn't get off the mountain fast enough. Unfortunately, the trail down from summit #1 takes its sweet @ss time losing elevation, then regaining it, then losing it again, then going up again, etc. We finally descended the K3 trail and others, crossed the uncrossable bridge, and reached the road wet, cold, tired, and hungry waah.gif . The after party was at the Issaquah Brew House.

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Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage



Joined: 28 Mar 2007
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Location: The Quah
Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 3:41 am 
They say it's your birthday....
They say it's your birthday....
Soggy TNABers
Soggy TNABers
Humans do the craziest things
Humans do the craziest things
Whippets Wild on West Tiger
Whippets Wild on West Tiger
West Tiger #2 towers
West Tiger #2 towers
This is April?!
This is April?!
The route to West Tiger #1
The route to West Tiger #1
No sign of stopping anytime soon
No sign of stopping anytime soon
BarbE and Yukon222: cold and wet but smiling
BarbE and Yukon222: cold and wet but smiling

"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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Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig



Joined: 13 Apr 2008
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Location: Burrowing in the snow
Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 6:46 am 
It was great to get out on a muddy trail again, and the snow up high was fun to roll in. Nice to see lots of 4 and 2-legged friends too. Dad's a little slow with his transferring pictures and video from his camera. Might be because of his White Frog consumption at the Issy Brewpub (where I had to stay in the car rant.gif ).

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moosefish
I am the fish



Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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moosefish
I am the fish
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 7:33 am 
Don't you people sleep? My eyes are hardly open now. redface.gif And big kudos to EWB for bringing a little one along!

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Malachai Constant
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Malachai Constant
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 7:50 am 
Well buckaroos Lynda and I kind of ended up riding drag on this drive. Arrived at the staging area at the apointed time and heard that most of the drovers had left. Caught up on top of WT3 and got together gor the first roundup. There Yukon weaseled out of the obligatory smackbum.gif . Snow started to get deep from there. Microspikes came off from freezing to snow between WT2 and WT1. At the same time my glassed fogged up mad.gif making it hard to see where to step as a wrong step was knee deep. Went into the "Hikers Hut" to defog and respike drop glasses and put lit headlamp in pocket. Emerging from hut it was apparent that the herd had moseyed on down the trail. The trough was easy to follow though except where some little doeggie had punched through. The slide in the draw was easy in the snow. but mud started appearing on the K3. When we neared the intersection with the lower TMT we saw headlights heading the wrong way on the TMT toward the busted bridge. Removing spikes we headed toward the chuck wagon. The lower TMT was a major mud wallow. It was easier to follow the stream rather than the edges. Caught up with the herd at the end of the trail. We were ridden too hard to be put away wet at the Brewhouse so headed back to the ranch for a hot shower and warm bunk. Woke up this morning to snow and a late school bus. Good Times smile.gif

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Yet
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Yet
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 8:14 am 
Nice writeup Don! Seems I didn't miss much on this hike except for some of my favorite peeps. Sorry you and Lynda were soaked! frown.gif biggrin.gif

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summithound
Climbing Connoisseur



Joined: 26 Jul 2004
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Location: Everett, WA
summithound
Climbing Connoisseur
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 9:47 am 
Thanks for the trip report and pictures Schmidt Altitude. up.gif Looks like you guys had a great time. I know what you mean about the trail leading from Tiger Mountian #1 taking its time to lose elevation. lol.gif

Pain is just weakness leaving the body.
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gone
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 10:08 am 
Nice write-ups, all! Wow, what a cold winter wonderland it proved to be on top. Kinda glad we didn't make it past the TMT! Yukon, I forgot it was your birthday - sorry I didn't offer a spank, next time for sure! agree.gif Moosefish, thanks - your daughters' many hiking adventures, and the wonderful reports you've written about them, have inspired mine to hit the trail many times. up.gif After some chit chat on the road, PMB and I took off after the gang, but lost track of their backs before the powerlines. I think she said something about them being "super fast". The Cable Trail was more creek than trail, and PMB stopped often to admire the many muddy trail-falls. We hooked a right at the TMT, as PMB was looking for some down. No water running down the TMT, but plenty of big water/mud holes to pole vault. After hitting the main Tiger West trail, we hooked a left and hiked past the bus and then around the lake. After getting back to the Tiger West trailhead parking lot, PMB decided we should hike the powerlines back to the Cable Trail in order to boot glissade in the mud down to the car, which we did.
Rainy Start
Rainy Start
Go!
Go!
Up the Muddy Cable Trail
Up the Muddy Cable Trail
Down the Muddy TMT
Down the Muddy TMT
Tiger Hawk?
Tiger Hawk?
To Tradition Lake
To Tradition Lake
I gotta say, I've had the pleasure of hiking in rain and snow and sleet many times over the last three years, PMB too, but I can't remember ever being as drenched and cold as we were last night. Some strange confluence of rain, temperature, pressure, and mud holes conspired to soak us clean through and set our teeth chattering but good. I think our gloves, coats, boots, etc. will be drying in the garage for a week! I just can't imagine how you all made it up and around all the peaks in the rain and snow and cold wind and then out to the pub - a superhuman effort! up.gif

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yukon222
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yukon222
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 10:26 am 
That was one cold, wet, sloppy, snowy, muddy, slippery, dark hike. TNAB conditions at their finest. lol.gif The deep fresh snows at West Tiger2 and 1 were amazing to see this late in the "winter" season. Too bad the heavy snows turned to heavy rains down lower on the backside as we worked our way back to the trailhead. Everyone was hauling along at a good clip all night long but no slips or dings. Well done!!

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BarbE
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BarbE
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 10:36 am 
Excellent write-up (at 3:41am eek.gif) and a perfect title. I was too cold and and wet to stop at the Brew House, most likely the best part of the evening.

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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 11:42 am 
What happended to Russian Butte?

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gone
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 12:35 pm 
Tom wrote:
What happended to Russian Butte?
Too easy!

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Nordic
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Nordic
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PostFri Apr 03, 2009 1:56 pm 
Tom wrote:
What happended to Russian Butte?
We had to postpone it due to Middle Fork Rd. closure. smile.gif BTW - yesterday wasn't so bad... some very nice snow up.gif in the higher parts made up for mud down.gif and rain at the bottom.

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Magellan
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 2:07 pm 
You guys are sick, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. I didn't have to drive to the TH to see that it was going to be lovely.

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Z&A
leading the lykkens



Joined: 27 Nov 2008
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Z&A
leading the lykkens
PostFri Apr 03, 2009 2:55 pm 
Good thing TLABS (title by Ingunn, thanks!) don't have to work on Fridays:
there was an awful lot of snoring last night too
there was an awful lot of snoring last night too
he only sleeps upside down like a puppy when the hike was 'hard core'
he only sleeps upside down like a puppy when the hike was 'hard core'
EDIT: we are still sleeping, unmoved since breakfast.

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