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iron Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:19 pm
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engagement ring
will she say yes?
some people call it dakobed; others call it glacier peak. for me, it's now YES! peak.
it's quite an amazing life i have, job or not, consistent pain in my hip or not, and any other fill-in-the-blanks or not. i'm a lucky guy and just multiplied that luck factor by an immeasurable amount!
hotpantz and i climbed YES! peak via the now-standard north fork sauk. it was a late seattle departure on friday, allowing us to reach the trailhead at 7:30p and start hiking ~7:45p. about half way to the mackinaw shelter, headlamps were donned. thankfully, she had an extra as mine was missing. d'oh!
we made it to the shelter area ~10:00p under crystal clear skies. set up the tent in what appeared to be the last spot available, made dinner, and went to an avy clearing to watch the meteor showers. i already felt the specialness of the trip.
next day, lazy start. out of camp ~7:15am. did the fun switchbacks in mostly cool air and a good breeze, which were both nice given the record-high setting forecasts. quickly, i noticed my heels were getting destroyed since i was borrowing a pair of hotpantz' boots while mine were in the shop. ouch. the pain was great for most of the trip, and it really took a lot of energy out of me to walk with all quads and no calves, but i knew i wanted this trip to be the trip i asked her to marry me. on we go!
around white pass, the flowers were starting to shine. i think they're still at peak. little did i know there'd be a veritable PCT-like trail leading towards YES! peak. sweet.
in awe of the flowers reaching for the sun a heart for us off with the shirt! dark, yummy water moss! had no idea this trail existed heather! a perfect blend hotpantz and white river valley gorgeous summer day flowers everywhere we see you barren here waving grasses
over the ridge and into the white chuck basin. amazing. IMV, this area totally trumps the enchantments, but only at the sacrifice of a huge glacier.
route finding didn't exist as there was either trail or footprints to follow. glacier gap brought more amazing views and a humbling sense of appreciation for the power of the mighty suiattle river, perhaps my most respected, so far, of all waterbodies in the cascades.
a new world over the ridge looks dauntingly far away still checking out the map with smiles stripes one of many stream crossing a different kind of enchantments multicolored lake at base of former whitechuck glacier lava water yellow green sloan presiding over us awesome all smiles, like always more hearts for us following snow to glacier gap i'm smiling too
we roped up for all glacier travel, even though the route was reported to be excellent, which it was and still is. at this point, hotpantz literally dragged me up the mountain; she was strong and i was beat - likely a product of calve-less hiking and very painful feet.
at glacier gap, the route unfolds easily trail on the ridge hotpantz dragged me up the mountain this day nearing the only crux - the snow bridge at the junction of cool and suiattle glaciers crux snow bridge still packed in pretty well cool glacier crevasses down towards suiattle river valley rollover COOL lines every which way fluting below the summit yawn looking back at route from disappointment/glacier saddle
the disappointment/YES! saddle was windy, but not sandpaper windy like the seven descending groups informed us. soon, we were atop this wonderful peak - a peak that seems to be, more often than not, my centerpiece area. if i've ever experienced a completely natural draw to anything in my life (besides hotpantz), YES! peak is it.
winds on the summit were stiff. reported campsites nearby were buried. we summited around 5:30p and sat for ~2 hrs before determining we should descend just a hundred or so feet to what looked to be a wind-sheltered area and flat-ish. it was just enough room for her tent; well, actually part of it was downsloping considerably, but where we actually slept was good.
another trail! running water for our future campsite! sloan, pilchuck, and puget sound white chuck valley feeling high final steps to the summit cool (near) and suiattle (far) glaciers only sky remains the sun led us to the exact point baker no campsites up here brr. i thought it was 90* in seattle warming up the hands three fingers and whitehorse layers stuart and the bulk up the upper route disappointment and saddle combing the hair at 10000ft smoke from the olympics, creeping in food doesn't rehydrate as well at this elevation me, starting to get nervous... getting cold; time for sleeping bags with dinner and sunset glacier peak's shadow adios sun olympic smoke okay, really nervous now gone the darkest red sky we've ever seen i-5 corridor of the puget sound
as we ate, i struggled to find the courage to ask the question, not because of doubt or similarly flavored feelings, but because i wanted it to be perfect. but with fading light and falling temps, i knew it was time. bending on one knee on lose dirt and steep-ish terrain was, err, interesting. eventually i found my footing and the words.
the next 24 hrs until we returned to seattle were pure magic. no words can, nor should, be used to describe what we were feeling; they are deep and unique and beautiful.
the descent from the summit took us from ~9:30a to 7:30p, slowed by taking way too many pictures, a nice swim in the upper-most tarn in the white chuck basin area, torn up heels, talking to people, a dip in the north fork sauk, and rigging up orthotocrocs (crocs + orthotics). but, it's ok to be slowed sometimes, especially when you're spending it, one-on-one, with the person you care about most. we celebrated, again, with beers at the car while taking another dip in the north fork sauk.
happy morning it's too bright not a bad deal to wake up and see my fiance amongst gorgeous mountains tent view to the east getting some water a humble abode farewell tent site see ya, YES! peak heading to disappointment peak with some nice crosswind flying cakewalk to disappointment now hotpantz is COOL too dirty crevasses. they should really clean their crack reluctant to head back to the land of green now, to remember where we crossed exactly a monster flying bug laying down some boot tracks i now better appreciate the power and beauty of the suiattle river and its headwaters color layers walking the ridge, now with less clothing lazy step skinny legs monte cristo range looking intimidating examining the underground water source great texture small tarn mimicing the sky we found a wand; now it looks like hotpantz is armed with an antenna carving a turn lava rock big rocks there's a spider coming right at me! silty stream crossing and now, a refreshing dip; we could feel the cold of the icy lake pouring onto us at this point more boot skiing and... transition back at the mackinaw shelter, taking a dip and cooling off for the last descent yoga in the north fork sauk? nah, just icing the knee taking off the boots and using crocs + insoles and velcro straps for the last 5+ miles of trail a new best seller for sure tree growing out of rock lush forests gnarly roots dinosaur plants
all week long, leading up to this trip, this moment in our lives, i had one song embedded in my head:
Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
...
Ahh home. Yes I am ho-oh-ome.
Home is when I'm alone with you.
and it's true with hotpantz; i've known it ever since we met.
as she said that night: "live simply and love deeply"
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7677 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
That's simply AWESOME! I tried to get a shot of you guys from 7FJ but my zoom was not zoomy enough.
You are right we are all truly blessed to have what we have.
Great pics as well!
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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belowfellow Transplant
Joined: 22 Feb 2009 Posts: 261 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
Congrats on the engagement and a nice climb.
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Yet Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics Location: Happily Ever After |
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Yet
Member
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:30 pm
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iron wrote: | as she said that night: "live simply and love deeply" |
She's a keeper. Congratulations to you both!
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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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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:34 pm
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godDAM, that's a gorgeous ring.
Lovely Glacier Peak and route and lake and rock (volcanic) photos, too! Very different than other pics of this trip.
Jeez, I can't believe I mentioned the ring before Glacier Peak. Mama, what's happening to me?
"...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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Ingunn Hiking Viking
Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 1751 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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Ingunn
Hiking Viking
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:36 pm
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Congratulations!! You couldn't have picked a better place or, it seems, a better lady.
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Grizzy Yellow Cedar Hugger
Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 1936 | TRs | Pics Location: Switchbacks |
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Grizzy
Yellow Cedar Hugger
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:37 pm
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All the birds have flown up and gone;
A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.
We never tire of looking at each other -
Only the mountain and I. ~Li Po~
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wamtngal Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 2382 | TRs | Pics Location: somewhere |
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wamtngal
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:38 pm
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Congrats! A small group of us were over in upper Leroy Basin looking at YES! Peak on Saturday night, admiring the sunset. I have a handful of shots from that day (day and one fuzzyish night sunset shot) if you want one from afar...
Opinions expressed here are my own.
Opinions expressed here are my own.
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Zukismom Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2010 Posts: 122 | TRs | Pics
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Zukismom
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:47 pm
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EJ Member
Joined: 02 Oct 2009 Posts: 248 | TRs | Pics
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EJ
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:58 pm
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Awww...
I'm pretty sure my friend and I were one of the parties who told you about the sandpapery winds above (they nearly blew me off the ridge!) You were just gearing up for glacier travel and my friend asked you how you liked your harness.
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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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Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:00 pm
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EJ wrote: | my friend asked you how you liked your harness. |
C'mon, man - that's rude. They just got engaged.
"...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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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Congrats to the both of you! Nice climb also
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kite Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 1414 | TRs | Pics Location: Olympia |
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kite
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:38 pm
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silence Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 4420 | TRs | Pics
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silence
Member
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:39 pm
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awesome ... am i surprised? not! congrats you guys .. neat that you cinched it on yes peak ..
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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Mtn Dog Technohiker
Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 3336 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue, WA |
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Mtn Dog
Technohiker
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Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:43 pm
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Awesome, Iron. A match made in Heaven!
Footprints on the sands of time will never be made sitting down.
Footprints on the sands of time will never be made sitting down.
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