[wolfs]

Hadn't been up Red for nigh on 15 years. Originally planned on Snoqualmie but the sight of Red upvalley was strangely attractive. I took the "abandoned"old trail. Sheesh, this a better trail than many a maintained FS trail with a number, and a vast improvement over the "official" PCT in terms of getting away from the traffic noise and getting upvalley. And actually it seems a better trail now than what I remembered even before the new PCT was built. Anyways ... creek crossings fairly simple, brush along trail not too bad though wet, decent visibility. Fall colors on shoulders of Snoqualmie were nice. Previous times I'd been up Red I just scrambled direct from Red Pond up rocky gulleys. Now, there is something of a scramble trail much of the ways. I'm very good at losing trails so I still managed to recreate the no-trail experience of scrambles past a few times on the way up. From the top, clouds covered the Chimney area, which was too bad because the lower slopes I could see had some gorgeous new snow on them. Took about 2 hours up and the same down. the weather held very nicely, not a drop of rain and even some brief (VERY brief) sun breaks. On one of my wanders off trail during the scramble I chanced upon a pair of trekking poles, just lying there on the slope. Hmm. I asked the only other two people I saw on top if they had left them but no. I picked them up on the way back; the straps were wet and muddy and I'd guess they might have been there for weeks or months but not years. They were in a slightly obscure spot (wouldn't have been visible from the trail). If they're yours, PM me with make model disinguishing features, and a plausible or at least droll story related to how these ended up being left behind.