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harrymalamute Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2008 Posts: 852 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
This is a story of Buckwheat malamute going to the eastern Pasayten wilderness in NE Washington with humans Harry & Ronn. Sept 8th Harry drives to the end of FR 300 in the SS Malamobile beginning of the big adventure via Cathedral way trail. This trail descends 2.2 miles to intersect the Chewuch river trail.
parking at the end of FR 300 King Buckwheat ready for the big adventure
packs are loaded for 6 days. Ronn 55lbs, harry 42lbs, Buckwheat 10-15lbs
Temps are in the cool 40's and make for comfortable hiking, we average 10 miles a day making first camp at the four point river crossing. (not great but doable)site.
cathedral way trail horse camp before tungsten lake trail 4 pt river camp Ronn & Buck chewuch river tr
Sept. 9th Buck leads us up stream towards Remmel lake. we pause at tr.565 Lesmiz trail. but stay on Chewuch trail thinking we'd swing into Remmel lake but never found a trail even though GPS said we were very close.( anyone know the secret way?)
continued on to the bypass trail (sign stated boundary trail but it played out as 565 and rejoined the Lesmiz trail up top)
trail below remmel lake Pasayten Wilderness 020 remmel mtn Pasayten Wilderness 029 looking back towards remmel mtn Pasayten Wilderness 033 Pasayten Wilderness 037 trail towards cathedral lake
Easy terrain brought us towards upper Cathedral Lake and the magic kingdom of Amphitheater mtn & Cathedral peak and our camp for the next two nights.
Pasayten Wilderness 048 Pasayten Wilderness 051 cathedral peak cathedral peak morning snow Pasayten Wilderness 057 amphitheater mtn Pasayten Wilderness 040 Pasayten Wilderness 065 Pasayten Wilderness 066 cathedral lake cathedral lake
Those two nights would register a coool malamute 20 degrees on the button.
we rested and explored the lake
Pasayten Wilderness 075 cathedral peak Pasayten Wilderness 084 amphitheater mtn sun bathing at cathedral lake after a 20 degree night hitch rail at cathedral lake stretching Pasayten Wilderness 105
Sept. 11th we pack up and head over Cathedral pass
views from cathedral pass flanks of cathedral pass ,Harry & Buckwheat at Cathedral pass cathedral peak Pasayten Wilderness 137 cathedral peak Pasayten Wilderness 147 cathedral peak
Some of the nicest hiking ever with grand views and liquid cold air helping Bucky run cool despite much of the water dried up this time of year.
We make our way to Apex pass ( very pretty area)
apex pass apex pass Pasayten Wilderness 156 Pasayten Wilderness 158 trail towards apex pass Pasayten Wilderness 167
Then on to the Tungsten mine and just past for good water
tungsten mine Pasayten Wilderness 169
Onward to Scheelite pass and then teapot dome area. making it our toughest day with 3 passes.
tungsten mine Pasayten Wilderness 169 tea pot dome area Pasayten Wilderness 179
We didn't know it but stopped at a good camp .5 miles before the actual teapot camp,but were happy we did after almost missing the other camp the next day.
Pasayten Wilderness 179
Sept. 12th Buckwheat is really starting to exhibit soreness and exhaustion on our way to Sunny pass. Harry and Buck proceed slowly and meet Ronn up at Loudon lake area (lake very drawn down to a large puddle)
trail towards louden lake sunny pass Ronn near loudon lk views near sunny pass
Our original plan was to finish out over Windy peak and down to our starting point. we could see there was no way Harry and Buck could do this under our current condition after 5 days of heavy packs so we reinvent a new plan to camp below Sunny pass at the large tree camp with good water and in the morning hike out towards Iron gate but drop down to the middle fork Toats Coulee trail were strong man Ronn would drop his pack and walk the forest road 7 miles and retrieve the car.
That night we shared our camp with some horse/mule packers coming in for the high hunt and harry finish his rum ( medicinal purposes ) and shared trail and horse stories.
camp below sunny pass sharing camp below sunny pass with horse packers
Sept. 13th Ronn leaves .5 hours ahead of Harry & Buck. as soon as Harry & Buck leave Harry can tell Buck isn't doing very well. moving very slow with a stressed look on his face. we go a short ways and Harry realizes that he's gotta strap Bucks pack onto his or Buck just isn't going to make it the last 8 miles out.
This did the trick and Buck was able to finish out the trail and recover in a much better way.
we could look over at windy peak and know there was no way we could have gone up and over that mountain.
windy peak
There was very little water on the way out but harry shared his with Buck and the cool 40-50 degree temps helped a lot. anything warmer and Buck would have melted like frosty the snowman.
Big happy ending, Ronn made it out to middle fork and talked a camper named Mike into a ride to the car so when harry and Buck showed up an hour later the Malamobile was there waiting for us. Yahoo! (thank you Mike & Ronn)
Bucky was so happy to jump into the back seat of his car.
What an wonderful trip with a great friend and awesome canine companion. Harry loves Buckwheat and the Pasayten wilderness.
hikes and climbs with malamute
hikes and climbs with malamute
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Kim Brown Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 6900 | TRs | Pics
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What a happy, lucky dog Buck is!
Still hard to see the burnt snags; they make for a gorgeous landscape, though. But it's hard.
Looks like a great trip, and I enjoyed your photos and write up. Tons of abandoned trails in the Cathedral area.
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Ski ><((((°>
Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 12798 | TRs | Pics Location: tacoma |
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Ski
><((((°>
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Wed Sep 17, 2014 10:24 am
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great work!
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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D. Inscho Not bored yet...
Joined: 28 Feb 2010 Posts: 973 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellingham,WA |
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D. Inscho
Not bored yet...
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Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:04 pm
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You covered some miles & terrain! Thanks for demystifying some of that Pasayten goodness.
Sounds as though Bucky is feelin' some age? Fine salvage at the end though.
http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/
The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir
“My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/
The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir
“My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
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MLHSN What goes here?????
Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1067 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
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MLHSN
What goes here?????
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Wed Sep 17, 2014 10:40 pm
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What kind of tent is that? My wife and I are thinking of doing a DIY project similar to that for us and the two kids.
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tmatlack Member
Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 2854 | TRs | Pics
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tmatlack
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:16 am
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I'm jealous. Too many miles between me and Tungsten. That photo of Harry chillin' in the tent is muy precioso! Such exquisite dignity on that big boy! He must have tough paws for a long hard trail like that.
Tom
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tmatlack Member
Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 2854 | TRs | Pics
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tmatlack
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:16 am
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I'm jealous. Too many miles between me and Tungsten. That photo of Harry chillin' in the tent is muy precioso! Such exquisite dignity on that big boy! He must have tough paws for a long hard trail like that.
Tom
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Chico Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2012 Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:07 am
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Like the photos.
It's "Toat" and not "Tote" by the way.
And sadly the hunter/horse packer appears to be doing just what they shouldn't. Tying an animal to a tree is not good for the tree. If you note that the bottom has sparser branches at the bottom than others in the area (some in the far background) it's because of this practice.
I see a rope tied to the tree and it appears to be going to the mule's halter. It's also possible they are using a picket and using the trees as anchors. But again, bad practice. Animals should not be allowed to get in the tree like that.
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D. Inscho Not bored yet...
Joined: 28 Feb 2010 Posts: 973 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellingham,WA |
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D. Inscho
Not bored yet...
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:22 am
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Chico wrote: | And sadly the hunter/horse packer appears to be doing just what they shouldn't. Tying an animal to a tree is not good for the tree. If you note that the bottom has sparser branches at the bottom than others in the area (some in the far background) it's because of this practice. |
I see a lot of this damage throughout the Pasayten.
http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/
The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir
“My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/
The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir
“My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
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Chico Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2012 Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:06 am
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D. Inscho wrote: | I see a lot of this damage throughout the Pasayten. |
Education! You don't need trees to picket a horse or mule. And I'm pretty sure the USFS wilderness stock user web pages say not to tie stock to trees.
Not sure what the local RDs do but the commercial packers should be on notice I would hope. Hard to deal with the hunters and other stock users since they get a permit at the trailhead just like everyone else.
Update - not seeing anything on the USFS web pages. Sent an email to the Forest PIO.
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Jasper Cascade Snow Pig
Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 350 | TRs | Pics Location: Burrowing in the snow |
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Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:15 am
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harrymalamute Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2008 Posts: 852 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
Quote: | Still hard to see the burnt snags; they make for a gorgeous landscape, though |
As Much as the Chewuch river trail is a bit of a slog, the burn areas do reveal a cool rock scape of boulders and formations you wouldn't ordinarily see. the kind of landscape that has you thinking elves and fairy's are hiding behind.
Quote: | What kind of tent is that? |
That is a DIY made out of Joann fabric silicone/nylon. with some 2 mil plastic for the floor. It was its maiden voyage. I like the design but the fabric was limited as in it sagged with moisture from outside and inside. I was lucky on this trip not to get hit with bad weather.
If I was to do it again I would search for better quality material, but it was nice to have a 1lb tent.
Quote: | He must have tough paws for a long hard trail like that. |
Actually neither Buckwheat or I are in very good shape. the malamutes spend all summer lying in the dirt trying to stay cool, so I was very attentive in coordinating or gauging his energy. Mals have an instinct to pull hard and if I let him he could really shred his paws. so to keep him flowing without over exerting I would mix things up while traveling.
exp. sometimes use my partner to walk ahead and block him or place Buck behind me but usually just have my human partner go on ahead out of sight so Buck and I could just settle into a good pace. frequent water and cold temps help the malamute the most.
Quote: | And sadly the hunter/horse packer appears to be doing just what they shouldn't. Tying an animal to a tree is not good for the tree. |
Chico you are correct.
When they arrived right at dark I offered to share the site thinking of the animals well being. I assumed they would use the large trees in camp to set up a high line (as I would have) In the morning I asked one of the guys about it and he said the guy in charge was old school and always did it that way. ( no excuses ) just saying. they also didn't bring any feed for the horses and the grass they did eat didn't have much in it for them.
Instead of being confrontational I chose to share my own horse camping stories and methods hoping to plant some seeds for thought. I was fairly exhausted going into day 6 keeping my focus on getting buck out in good shape. and yes they were hunters not outfitters. they also offered to pack Buckwheat out on a mule if need be so I had a hard time not liking the guys despite their poor technique.
The whole trip was so rewarding on many levels, the weather, trails, scenery, the energy flow, my companions. I felt like a malamute just living in the moment and knowing I was living in the moment as it was happening. and that's what its all about.
hikes and climbs with malamute
hikes and climbs with malamute
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Ski ><((((°>
Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 12798 | TRs | Pics Location: tacoma |
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Ski
><((((°>
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:11 pm
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Quote: | Instead of being confrontational I chose to share my own horse camping stories and methods hoping to plant some seeds for thought. |
^ the wisdom, prudence, and seasoning that comes to all of us, eventually.
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Chico Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2012 Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:39 pm
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Don't expect a reply from the forest PIO but one would hope they add something about it to their web pages.
I'll bet this hunter is not a member of BCH as we know better. LNT is pretty well indoctrinated. And LNT is all education. Just means we need to do a better job.
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