[Captain Trips]

I left a community meeting at Union and scooted to the Mt Ellinor TH for a hike up a small but well known starlet of the Olympic range. Two and one half miles takes the hiker out of the trees into a clearing. The summer hiker goes left but the snow hiker goes up a snow finger to the right http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={53BF659C-02BF-43CA-AEEA-104978A37113} http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={82EE0A69-B88A-4AA1-897E-DF915FAEFDCA} Fortunately the snow was solid enough to avoid postholing and the route as direct as possible. http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={A219AF2F-ECB0-46C6-96BF-7DB794D6342B} http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={CC72BBB6-954E-4F63-8610-9F7EA946778F} Next day I met Loggerman and we drove to Mildred lakes TH, at the end of the Jorsad, Hamma Hamma rd. If Ellinor is a starlet, Mildred certainly comes from a rougher cut of knotty timber. Sure she's disheveled and needs some maintenance, but Loggerman and I can appreciate her hidden charms. Here's a picture of Loggerman. http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={FF4227E0-098D-4BD9-AC35-389E2B3E20DF} We followed snow from 2500' to 4000' and even though the directions weren't difficult, one always hopes the tracks he is following lead in the right direction. When we arrived at the highest elevation and looked over the Mildred basin, we decided to stop there since everything is covered with snow and ice, take pictures then turn around towards the TH. Better to complete in a month or thee weeks. http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={39474583-2BD9-45AF-8660-1303201C1B25} Note the great glissading path nonstop, well worn by bottoms of expedient hikers. Can't beat the views offered by such a short hike and a peek of the inner Olympics. this look is from the other side of Ellinor. http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={DD13EB4B-0946-4DFE-B202-824A70047746} Loggerman was a great hiking companion and had a great interest in everyone on this site. I made a point to fill him in on everyone's quirks, Quarks and qualities.

[Lagerman]

I had a great time. Thanks again DROCK. Really enjoyable up there. I will defently be making my way down to the lake come alittle later in the year. I can't seem to take a picture worth anything. So these arent very good. Forgive me.

The fearless leader

A creek crossing along the way