Forum Index > Trip Reports > Cow Heaven
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostTue Oct 24, 2006 6:29 pm 
How I ended up choosing Cow Heaven is a novel in itself; I’ll spare the details, but truly, I have been interested in this hike for years; because of the name, and because I did trail work on the lower portion with a Boe Alps group, and loved the forest of Cow Heaven. My friend Mike said it wasn’t worth it unless you continue to Helene Buttes. I dunno – I liked it enough to do it again – you don’t have to go all the way to Helene Butte to see wonderful views – there are a couple easy rocky hills up there to bag. First I stopped at the Sauk River Trading Post in Darrington. That store is always open. Picked up a couple of maps, chatted with the cashier for about ½ hour, too. I swear to God it’s a wonder I ever get anywhere. Oh, and I drove around the downtown Darrington area to look for the Pioneer Road landmark memorial that Nels Bruseth spear-headed in the 1930’s. Checked out the restroom at the ballpark (not for the memorial, for other reasons). Nice and clean, funded by the FS. Beats the can at the boat launch at the Sauk River, though that’s not bad as far as cans go. I couldn’t find the Pioneer landmark thing, though. It probably got shot up or sumpin. I wanted to see it mainly because I have a secret crush on Nels Bruseth and figure he probably touched that memorial. I know he wasn’t so good lookin’ – probably even worse now that he’s dead and all – but what a legendary man. So anyway, I eventually decided to quit stalking dead guys, and headed to Marblemount. Every trip report on WTA’s site mentions how glad they are the trailhead had been re-routed to avoid the hell-hounds. I never met the hell hounds, and feel left out. Sounds like something from Paradise Lost. Yon hell-hounds yclept their voices like a million devils along the walk of Man. I got to the TH at 11:00, and to the meadows at 2.45 or so. I kept fooling around with my camera. I made an abomination of Nature trying to photograph the shrooms. At one point I was laying on the trail, my head under a log where I had to dig a small hole so I could get my camera at the correct angle. Looking up at shrooms, holding my breath and using Pilates moves to keep my stomach muscles steady and snapping the shots between heartbeats, and here’s what I got. Not perfect, but oh well. Beats a swift kick in the nads.
Shrooms2
Shrooms2
Shrooms1
Shrooms1
Fungus
Fungus
First thing I did was dump my city-water and load up with mountain water at the first water op. Excellent forest here; lots of fern – tons of it – cedar, hemlock, and alder on the upper portion. I really like alder – it’s so ghostly, stately, and silvery, all at the same time. They’re pretty big, so the fire must have been long, long ago. 7 or 8 blowdowns total; not very large, and none to hinder a hiker. Nice, clean ones - a good trailcrew can get ‘em all in a day. A lousy crew – a bit longer. Beautiful, lush old growth forest, rocky caves, mossy traverses. I’ve never seen a trail with so much moss. This sucker’s steep – ‘4000 gain in 3.5 miles. It’s steady though, so no wild ups – some traverses to give a little rest on occasion.
Silver fir
Silver fir
Got to the meadow and hung out awhile. No time to explore much though. Damn dilly-dallying with the shrooms cost me. Hoofed it down to make it before dark. I wouldn’t mind the dark on the Marblemount side of the trail, but the farther, other side – it seems more remote and spooky. Once you’re on the SE side of the mountain, though it’s like everything’s gonna be A-ok. The trail is suddenly better, and patches of sunlight are around, and you can hear occasional sounds of civilization – pooches happily barking, someone shootin’ a gun – all those comfy sounds of home. I would like to go back for Helen Buttes. I know Tom was up there a few years ago, and met MtnMike et al.
That pointy stuff as seen through foliage
That pointy stuff as seen through foliage
Some pointy stuff from Cow Heaven meadows
Some pointy stuff from Cow Heaven meadows
Slide alder and huckleberry
Slide alder and huckleberry
Blobs and points from Cow Heaven meadows
Blobs and points from Cow Heaven meadows

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Sabahsboy
Member
Member


Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 2484 | TRs | Pics
Location: SW Sno County
Sabahsboy
Member
PostTue Oct 24, 2006 6:50 pm 
Ohhhhh! More! More photos? What is that "pointy" summit? Or, compass toward Pickets? Did you "cheat" with a telephoto on that last shot? Sure has an impressive "feel" to it. 4000' in 3.5 miles? Whew! I am breathless! How does that compare with the much shorter, steep trail to Minotaur Lake/Labyrinth Moutain, if you have been there? Anything as steep and spooky as Lake Constance Trail (Olympics)? Thank you for the TR...it was neat!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
JimK
Member



Joined: 07 Feb 2002
Posts: 5606 | TRs | Pics
Location: Ballard
JimK
Member
PostTue Oct 24, 2006 6:54 pm 
Gotta admit I like hiking up to summits to see that pointy stuff. Nice pointy stuff shot.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
More Cowbell
Warrior Princess



Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 5657 | TRs | Pics
Location: Alive on Earth
More Cowbell
Warrior Princess
PostTue Oct 24, 2006 6:57 pm 
Nice angel wings. Did you eat them later?

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostTue Oct 24, 2006 7:57 pm 
I did not eat the angel's wings. Shrooms are so damn pretty that I don't think I could pick 'em off. I have a shroom book, and look this stuff up, but I don't retain the information. I figure not retaining information will keep me interested. Sabahsboy, I did cheat with the telephoto on the blobby and pointy pic toward Cascade Pass, but not the pointy pic. I hadn't hiked in 2 weeks, so this one made my legs rubbery. I have done Minotaur - this one is as steep near the beginning, but it didn't seem too bad after a mile or so, just steady up, up, up. Well with the exception of a drop to a pretty little forested basin area. Some big ole rocks/caves along the trail, too.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Elvis
Shuffl'n



Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics
Location: del Boca Vista
Elvis
Shuffl'n
PostWed Oct 25, 2006 9:55 am 
Thanks for the report on this trail, Quark, and of course thanks for sharing the cool pics! I've often pondered doing that trail... but never seem to hear about anyone else doing it. So, it keeps getting bumped down the list. Any wildlife? Like, cows? Angels? ~E

"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden My Trip List
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostWed Oct 25, 2006 12:35 pm 
No wildlife, El. It's pretty wierd this year for me. This trail is obscure, and should have yielded at least 5 bears and one cougar with a female cub, but nada. Not even a hell-hound for which it's trailhead was once famous. Dicey stole my wildlife mo-jo. Since she had a bear sighting - finally, I haven't seen a one. OK, I've seen 2 bare bear butts, doesn't really count in my book, given the good sightings I've had in the past.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Sabahsboy
Member
Member


Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 2484 | TRs | Pics
Location: SW Sno County
Sabahsboy
Member
PostWed Oct 25, 2006 8:59 pm 
I managed a bear side sighting along trail returning from Trap Lake a few Fridays ago. Nice, fuzzy black brat that loped across steep meadow after my big boy dog let loose with a tree shaking series of barks. But, dog-boy did not see the bear for a while and just sniffed and sniffed the potent air. My female pup noticed the bear first; she just watched and enjoyed until dog-boy let loose. Pretty bear, pretty meadow. No cougs save for a few hanging out in the U. District.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostWed Oct 25, 2006 10:10 pm 
Oh...just looking for squatch, sorry. Nice pictures though.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Cow Heaven
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum