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naturealbeing Member
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 1565 | TRs | Pics Location: Great Mystery |
I left the house at 5:38 and was planning on going to Navaho Peak. While in route along 522 in Woodinville, I caught sight of Mt. Rainier and that changed everything. As I drove further S on 405 I could see that the poor weather was well W of Mt. Rainier and that my new destination of choice became Mt. Aix.
Mt. Aix has been on my list for sometime and I was excited to go to an area that I seldom get to. It was a beautiful drive and driving over Chinook Pass was like going through the looking glass. The sun was hitting everything just perfectly and bringing everything to life. The scent of the pine forest permeated the air and added a pleasurable experience to my journey.
I arrived at the TH @ 8:24 and hit the trail at 8:39. It took me 2hrs. & 10 min’s. to get to the ridge and another 40 min’s. to get to the summit. I went from a cool forested trail to a clear blue sky w/puffy clouds occasionally passing overhead. The views were outstanding at the ridge and only got better at the summit. Off in the distance Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams and Mt. St Helens were cloaked in the clouds. Later in the day Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams would make peek-a-boo appearances between the clouds. Mt. St Helens was a no show. Apparently I don’t rate a showing, oh well.
While at the summit I opened the register tube only to find a bunch of wadded up pieces of wet paper. This is when I discovered my calling In life. Out came the papers and I carefully unfolded each one and placed them in the sun under a rock, just to keep them from blowing away.
I then bathed in the beauty that surrounded me, ate some lunch, took plenty of pictures, and against the norm, took a few 10-minute catnaps from various places around the summit. After awhile I couldn’t resist the call any longer, during the whole time on the summit, Pt. 7,537 along the Nelson Ridge had been calling for my attention. Well it was time to put the papers back into the register and head over. I was hoping that once I got there Rainier would not be so shy and I would have an unimpeded view of it.
It only took 40 minutes to get over there and the view of Rainier did improve, but not that much. What I was more impressed with was the view looking back to Mt. Aix. The various colors of scree flowing down from the summit looked as though the mtn. was wearing a fancy dress. I again kicked back and bathed in the beauty and the peacefulness that surrounded this area.
At 2:56 I decided to get going and found myself back at the TH at 4:46. RT 12-13 miles and a total gain of about 4,800 ft.
For anyone wanting to know more about Mt. Aix and the trail here are some resources you may be interested in.
Jim K’s report and pics from 7.28.2002 : http://www.kuresman.com/2002/Trip_Reports/Mount_Aix/Report_Mount_Aix.html
John Munyan’s report and pics from 8.8.2004: http://www.attrition.ws/90/
WTA Reports: http://www.wta.org/~wta/cgi-bin/wtaweb.pl?7+ds+MT%20AIX+exact+trails+wta++all+3+on+browse
Summit Post: http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/3199
Bismark Peak as seen from the summit of Mt. Aix. Summit of Bismark Peak as seen from the summit of Mt. Aix. Nelson Ridge, Pt, 7,537 as seen from the summit of Mt. Aix. Mt. Aix as seen from Pt. 7,537 on the Nelson Ridge. The summit of Mt. Aix as seen from Pt. 7,537 on Nelson Ridge.
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
It's amazing seeing the mountains snowbound and then seeing the mountain itself. Thanks for the TR and references.
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:12 am
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Feeling kinda retrospective this evening...
Did you happen to find a poem about the burn up there, written about 5 or 6 years ago?
Don't know if you could even read any of those pages.....
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naturealbeing Member
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 1565 | TRs | Pics Location: Great Mystery |
dicey,
The papers were really damp and crumpled when I found them and I tried to flatten them out as best as possible. Even after doing so, they were difficult to read, so I just stacked them by size and rolled them up and placed a rubber band around them before putting them back into the tube.
The poem that you speak of, is this one that you composed? If so I'd be interested in reading it.
BTW, I've been impressed and really enjoy reading about your trips. The one thing that keeps coming up for me while reading your reports, is, what is it about you that drives you to expressing and experiencing your self the way you do. If this is to personal of a question, I will understand if you choose not to respond.
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:02 am
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Thanks for the compliment, NB
I enjoy reading your trip reports as well.
I didn't compose the poem in question, but the person I climbed the mountain with did. Your report brought back some vivid memories, and I remembered the poem and the ravaged landscape around me at the summit of that peak.
I was just curious if it was still there, but it sounds like the register has had a hard time of it.
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