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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:41 am
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Date: 4/4/09
Peaks: Florence, Howard, Sweet (MRNP)
Party: Matt, Martin S, Natala G, cartman, Iron, Bad Dog, Trailpair (2 plus Luis), Opus
Every winter, my fondest wish is to get out somewhere high on the first sunny day after a storm, when the trees and land are still frosted white and the air is bright and clear, so the whole scene is a brilliant winter composition of forests and peaks etched in snowy highlights.
But it’s a rare pleasure, because it takes a difficult combination of conditions: enough snow to cover the trees but not make travel too difficult, enough sun to light up the snow but not melt it off, a route that has high views but not too much danger, a group of friends that’s ready to go, and lucky timing to have all that come together on a day that I’m free.
Today we got it all: clear blue skies, bright white peaks, snow-plastered forest, high ridges, wide views, a safe route, decent snow underfoot, and a fine party of people.
Route
We parked at Mt. Rainier’s Carbon River entrance (1750 ft) and followed the Boundary Trail till it reached Alki Crest circa 4500 feet. Then we followed the crest SE to Florence Peak at 5508. Part of the group followed the crest further to Howard Peak at 5682. On the way back, some of the group took a different branch of the ridge north from Florence to Sweet Peak at 4580, and then rejoined the Boundary Trail to exit.
Florence-Howard-Sweet Route Map
Boundary Trail
The Boundary Trail began in shadowy deep forest.
Looking down at the Carbon River Boundary Marker on a Big Tree
Above 3000 feet, the forest became progressively more magical.
Light Amid the Darkness:
Light Amid the Darkness 1 Light Amid the Darkness 2 Light Amid the Darkness 3
Snow Blown Understory:
Snow Blown Trunks 1 Snow Blown Trunks 2 Snow Loaded Sapling
Tallness of the Trees:
Many Shapes Tallness
Above 3500 we lost the trail. Circa 4000 we took a break by an open glade.
The Glade Iron kicking up a rooster tail (He kicked almost all the steps the whole way.) Skirting the edge of the glade Back into the Woods
Snow periodically fell from the higher limbs, sometimes crashing down in blobs, sometimes drifting down in sparkles.
Tree Showers:
Snow Burst Diamond Shower (look close) Tree Shower Sunbeams
Nearing Alki Crest:
Snowshoers near the crest 1 Snowshoers near the crest 2 Snowshoers near the crest 3
Alki Crest
Along Alki Crest, the forest was a hallway of frosted columns, with occasional openings to see the snowy boughs above.
Iron Martin & Eric Bob Sun Sneaking In Hiking Past an Opening Trees Swallowing Opus Hiker in the Snowy Trees More Tallness of Trees Opus Natala
Florence
Just below the false summit, the terrain opened up.
Path to the false summit Arriving at the false summit Rainier
Lots of Rime:
Rimescape Rime Eruptions Rimehenge
A brief scramble led to the true summit.
Matt at summit Joanna & Natala coming to summit Queen of the Summit
We enjoyed a lunch break on the false summit.
Luis is all ears (False) Summit Party (False) Summit Tea
Howard
Iron, Matt, Cartman, and Bad Dog made a side trip to Howard. (Iron kicked all the steps.)
We basically followed the ridge crest from Florence to Howard.
We dropped about a hundred feet back down our ascent route, then followed the SE nose of Florence down to the col at 5150, went over Point 5255, and up to Howard at 5683.
The ridge had a decent crest for travel the whole way: cornices on the left, trees on the right, a bit of rock on 5255, a broader slope on Howard.
Descending from Florence to the col:
Half-frosted trees on the south side of Florence 4 labels The ridge to Howard (Howard, Floward, Tolmie, Rainier) Hooked Cornice
Looking back to Florence:
The Ridge back to Florence Eric & Joanna coming up the ridge after the col
We went almost over the top of Point 5255.
I dubbed it “Floward,” since it’s between Florence & Howard:
Looking ahead to FloWard FloWard summit Looking back at FloWard Beyond FloWard
Then we continued across a minor col and up toward Howard:
The ridge ahead to Howard View Along the Way Bowing to the Master
Howard had a broad flat summit:
Broad summit slope of Howard Howard Summit Group Wishing we had time for Tolmie as well (See the lookout?)
Along the way back to Florence:
FloWard & Florence Florence & Olympics Iron & Eric Joanna
Treecicles near Florence:
Treecicles 1 Treecicles 2 Treecicles 3 Treecicles 4
Last View from Florence:
Last View of Howard & Rainier
Sweet
Martin & Natala wanted to summit Sweet Peak on the way back.
It was a thousand feet lower and covered with trees, but it had a name, and it wasn’t far out of the way.
As we departed Florence, we stayed right and took the branch ridge northward circa 5200, dropped to the Florence-Sweet col at 4300, and went back up to Sweet at 4580.
Descending to Sweet View back to north side of Florence Sweet Summit Party
Then we returned to the col and angled down and west to hit the snowshoe tracks about 3800.
Down to about 3000 feet, the melting snow on the limbs above made a constant rain shower on us.
The trailhead actually is a short nature trail loop. What a surprise - it’s a rain forest!
Soaked by Tree Rain Temperate Rain Forest
Statistics:
Carbon River Entrance 1760, Alki Crest 4500, Florence 5508
Florence-Howard Col 5150, Howard 5683
Florence-Sweet Col 4300, Sweet 4580
Gain: Florence 3700, Florence to Howard 600, Howard to Florence 400, Sweet 300. Total 5000 feet.
Mileage: Florence 4.0, Howard 1.4 each way, Sweet 1.0, exit 3.3. Total 11.1 miles.
Time: Up to Florence 4:10, Florence summit break 0:40, Howard round trip 2:55, to Sweet 0:55, descent 1:35. Total 10:15 hours.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:05 am
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Every winter, my deepest regret is not joining Matt on the first sunny day after a storm when he nails the perfect spot on a perfect day.
Fantastic report, and there's always next year
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Scrooge Famous Grouse
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics Location: wishful thinking |
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:59 am
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Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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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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Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:04 am
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Wow, I wish I'd joined for Horward and Sweet too! That ridge walk looks amazing. I'm glad I conserved my energy for Welcome pass the next day though. Snow conditions were so much better at Florence saturday.
Click here for all photos.
Clearing Joanna & Luis Essential gear: ice axe and a chihuahua Breaking trail Blowing snow Eric Bright sun True summit Luis Cornice
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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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jd_hiker Member
Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 571 | TRs | Pics Location: Bonney Lake |
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jd_hiker
Member
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:30 am
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Some great calendar shots. Like the feeling of your "Breaking Trail" shot Opus. Gives a feeling of effort against the mass of the trees in the background.
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Rimehenge is awesome !
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Scrooge Famous Grouse
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics Location: wishful thinking |
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:43 am
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Matt, I just noticed something.
That looks an awful lot like COFFEE!
Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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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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Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:25 am
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Beautiful photos and even better descriptions. Always enjoy reading your reports.
Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
Life is simple... Eat, Sleep, Hike!
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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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Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:33 am
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Beautiful trip and report. The section from Florence to Howard has the best photos; Tolmie must have even better views.
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TrailPair Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 1699 | TRs | Pics
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Thanks again Matt for organizing this trip! It was a fun group, and beautiful summit. We regret not going on to Howard, too, since that ridge walk looks fantastic.Leaving the lunch meadow Mother Joanna Sculpture in lunch meadow Opus and Matt Little critter tracks Natala and David enjoying the sun and views. Natala and David on Florence Bob on false summit Bob on Florence (false summit) Matt with matching hat and sun glasses The "pose" Iron on Florence
This thing called work is interfering with my play
This thing called work is interfering with my play
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Tom_Sjolseth Born Yesterday
Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 2652 | TRs | Pics Location: Right here. |
Sounds like a fun trip and a great group.
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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:02 pm
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Trailpair,
Glad to see someone got a shot of the "sculpture" in the lunch meadow. I've never seen a cornice form someplace like that, in the middle of a meadow rather than up on a ridge.
Nice job getting a whole bunch of people on the rocks of Florence's summit, also. I labeled who I thought they were.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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peltoms Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 1760 | TRs | Pics Location: Worcester MA |
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peltoms
Member
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:08 pm
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snowburst rimehenge classic- Matt your wish delivered our pleasure.
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bobbi stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:15 pm
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where does one begin in expressing the beauty of all the photos posted here.
thanks for sharing......just when i thought i was done with snow.....
Matt posts an awesome TR.
i'll come back to this when i've chosen my favorite photos...
time to go to a meeting
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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