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Elvis Shuffl'n
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics Location: del Boca Vista |
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Elvis
Shuffl'n
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Sat May 05, 2007 10:44 pm
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I've had Mt. Dickerman on my to-do list for quite some time... and decided that today would be a great day to mark it off my list.
Mt Dickerman Trailhead
Unfortunately my usual hiking buddies were unavailable... so I made some new buddies.
Short Version:
Round trip (via the winter route) took almost exactly seven hours, including an hour on the summit watching clouds/fog come and go.
Booted up, safely used the ice axe to cross the avalanche chutes and donned the snowshoes for the descent.
There is some 'new' snow up there since the reports from last weekend. Once above snowline, the trees were lightly flocked in frozen white snow and icicles. The warm weather sent them both falling the entire day. Once they landed on the mountainside they consistently rolled down whatever slope they were on - I had to dodge them on numerous occassions. Be careful!
On the descent, the snow seemed to be prone to breaking into snowshoe sized, foot-deep, heavy slabs.
Sheriff visited the parking lot during the day to check for parking permits, leaving his card on each vehicles window. I did notice a spot with broken glass from someones window but I don't think that was from today.
Long Confessional Version:
Reluctantly, I started this trip solo and knew I probably wouldn't summit just because my risk tolerance isn't what it once was. Mostly I was worried about the few avalanche chutes I'd heard about and figured once I reached them I would either a) turn around, b) wait for the next party to come along or c) decide that the risk wasn't that great and proceed onward.
Well... I ultimately went with choice 'c' for reasons I won't detail here. Once I crossed these first few chutes I realized that fears of avalanches would likely dominate my thoughts for the rest of the trip. Since that didn't sound like a 'good time' I began contemplating the necessity of re-crossing of those chutes on my own. Not a pleasing thought.
Suddenly, I realized there was a group of three individuals just up the trail aways from where I was standing. Ahhhhh... companionship! Just what I needed to ease my anxiety.
View Uphill
I walked up to them and said hello and then simply followed them up the mountain (from a distance... almost like a lost puppy). Ok, that sounds just a bit sad.
As we approached the summit, my thighs began to cramp up... and the clouds started rolling in. Numerous times I considered calling it quits but ultimately I convinced myself that I was going to be OK. Slow down, eat, drink, breath, one step at a time. This wasn't about ego... this was about controlling my emotions and acknowledging that I CAN do this! It's only 3,800 feet gain... I've survived more than that before.
Eventually I gained the summit, probably about 5 or 10 minutes after the group of three.
Summit View Summit View Summit View Summit Summit Summit Summit
The cramps in my legs were killing me... so I basically plopped myself down right next to the group I had been following. I thanked them for letting me follow them up the mountain (using their trail) and asked if they minded if I followed them back down. They were agreeable (thank heavens!) and after resting for an hour on the summit we donned our snowshoes and got ready for the descent.
My legs had been feeling much better while I lounged on the summit, but my right leg cramped up really bad as I tried to stand up to strap on the snowshoes. Not a good sign...what was I going to do?
Breathe, relax, go slow. I WILL get off this mountain.
Certainly this trio would help me if I needed it - I was confident of that. But that was a last resort for me... so I never mentioned my pain to them.
Luckily, after about 10 minutes of snowshoe descent time, the cramps faded away to a lingering nuisance and 10 minutes later I was feeling just fine. !
Got treats? View
As I mentioned earlier, on the descent it seemed the snow had changed from the warm weather and would break into blocks with each snowshoe step. My avalanche and snow type experience is minimal but with all the other people on the mountain and the experienced trio I was with seemed to be comfortable. I took caution to insure my route & steps wouldn't endanger those below me.
There was at least one group up on the mountain practicing winter skills... self-arrest and a bunch of rope skills.
Anyway, the rest of the trip is old news... no trouble at the avalanche chutes and a safe return to the parking lot.
The Forest Downed Trees Silverton
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the trio who let me tag along with them for the afternoon. You all really helped to ease my anxiety and made for a day on the trail that I will never forget!
~E
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
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Kat Turtle Hiker
Joined: 05 Oct 2003 Posts: 2560 | TRs | Pics
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Kat
Turtle Hiker
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Sat May 05, 2007 10:53 pm
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Great job in conquering your "mental demons" Sounds like you were very cautious, and had the right equipment i.e. ice axe etc.
I can relate completely, we are very (overly?) aware of snow safety.
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peltoms Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 1760 | TRs | Pics Location: Worcester MA |
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peltoms
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Sun May 06, 2007 4:14 am
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Excellent persistence, it is interesting how on somedays the comfort level just is not there, when it should be. Why snowshoes on the descent and not the ascent? Good summit shots.
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Karen Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 2866 | TRs | Pics
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Karen
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Sun May 06, 2007 10:07 am
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When I was a total newbie to hiking back in 1980 we rented one of the cabins in Monte Cristo (you could do that then) and spent a weekend. With a new pair of unbroken boots and not much else I hiked up the OLD trail to Poodle Dog Pass -- alone. My second hike ever. I was pretty nervous and I was getting blisters but I met a couple who were taking a break. They were an older couple and turned out to be Everett Mountaineers so I asked them if I could follow them to Poodle Dog Pass because I was alone and new to hiking. They were very warm and helpful, gave me encouragement as I trudged after them. It was a hot day, too. Trail was pretty rough and the couple seemed to practically levitate as they went up the trail.
When we got to the final switchbacks where the trail had slid out a bit I got scairt and turned around. I will always be grateful to that couple for watching over me and waiting for me at the end of the switchbacks. They will probably never know how grateful I still am to running into them on the trail that day.
I was sure I'd fall off the trail where we parted company so I bid adieu to my mentors and limped back to the cabin, with blisters the size of 50 cent pieces but I felt like I was in heaven it was my first real taste of the mountains.
I've never been happier.
Karen
stay together, learn the flowers, go light - from Turtle Island, Gary Snyder
stay together, learn the flowers, go light - from Turtle Island, Gary Snyder
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Still looking sweet up there !
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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David¹ Token Canadian
Joined: 25 Jul 2002 Posts: 3040 | TRs | Pics Location: The Great White North |
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David¹
Token Canadian
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Sun May 06, 2007 11:12 am
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Nice to see you are getting some use out of your ice axe!
Dickerman is next on my hiking list as well - however after being skunked at the summit in 2001...
...I'm holding out for the word "sunny"
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Mega-Will country bumpkin
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 655 | TRs | Pics Location: Olympic Peninsula |
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Mega-Will
country bumpkin
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Sun May 06, 2007 7:34 pm
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Karen wrote: | I hiked up the OLD trail to Poodle Dog Pass -- alone. My second hike ever. |
*shudder...* Poodle Dog Pass... boo... That was also my second "real" hike and by far the most difficult thing I'd done so far. That old miners trail pretty much destroyed me back then. But then, the next morning we hiked a ridge above Silver Lake and were struck by an awesome view of the Monte Cristo Peaks, especially the Wilmans Peaks, across the valley. At that time, I didn't know stuff like that even existed in Washington!
Anyway, just brought back some memories...
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Guiran Member
Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 621 | TRs | Pics Location: University of Washington |
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Guiran
Member
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Sun May 06, 2007 7:55 pm
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I was with the group practicing self-arrest and crevasse rescue yesterday. Being able to take in the views of Big Four and Del Campo while waiting to be hauled out of a "crevasse" certainly makes the time fly. The snow was gloopy enough that our attempts at "self-arrest" were stylistic only.
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Elvis Shuffl'n
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics Location: del Boca Vista |
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Elvis
Shuffl'n
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Sun May 06, 2007 9:38 pm
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I figured there was a pretty high likelihood that someone from this board was on the mountain that day.
While I didn't ask the trio group if they heard of this board I did learn they were all members of the Mountaineers (but not on a sponsored outing) and ended up on Dickerman that day because the road to Vesper was blocked by a downed tree.
Also, I took some comfort knowing that there were at least 10 other cars in the parking lot that day... and not a single person was descending as I was ascending - so I knew that being 'solo' was simply a matter of personal perspective.
Thanks, everyone, for posting your comments, insights and experiences.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
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Layback Cascades Expatriate
Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 5712 | TRs | Pics Location: Back East |
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Layback
Cascades Expatriate
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Sun May 06, 2007 9:57 pm
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Yana Hater
Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Posts: 4212 | TRs | Pics Location: Out Hating |
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Yana
Hater
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Sun May 06, 2007 10:17 pm
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Elvis wrote: | .... because the road to Vesper was blocked by a downed tree. |
Not to mention several other downed trees and a bunch of snow.
Elvis, thanks for the TR, and I'm glad you made it and got to enjoy the (sort of) views!
PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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EastKing Surfing and Hiking
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 2082 | TRs | Pics Location: 77 miles from Seattle! |
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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
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Sun May 06, 2007 11:18 pm
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I know all about cramps!! They have gotten in my way many times. Now I eat tons of bananas, drink tons of water, eat salty foods, and rest when I feel them coming on. Even with all of that though I still cramp up easily. That being said though, it is great that you summitted the mountain. The summit look great. Mt. Dickerman is on my list of climbs in the future. Great trip report!!!!!!!
YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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Elvis Shuffl'n
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics Location: del Boca Vista |
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Elvis
Shuffl'n
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Mon May 07, 2007 10:07 pm
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"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
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