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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot


Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 4244 | TRs Location: Shoreline
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Dates: 8/31/08 – 9/1/08
Peaks: Clark 8602, Luahna 8400
Party: Matt, Dicey, Schmidt Alti-babe, Schmidt Alti-dude, Yukon222
What do the following items have in common? (See end of report for answer)
- Ivory Soap
- Aurora Avenue North
- Luftballons
- Bottles of Beer on the Wall
- Barbara Feldon
- Einsteinium
- Sum of divisors of first 11 positive integers
- Luahna
Itinerary & Weather
I had figured that Clark & Luahna would be a three-day trip. Due to weather and schedule constraints, we decided to try it in two. Well, technically it was three days anyway.
Day 1: Hike White River trail, Boulder Creek trail, and Boulder Basin sheep trail to high camp.
Day 2: Scramble Clark & Luahna via south side scramble routes, return to camp, and hike out.
Day 3: Arrive back in Seattle around 1am.
 Clark/Luahna Route Map (red line)  Clark/Luahna Wider Area Map (yellow line is approach, red line is summits)  3D map Clark/Luahna route map (yellow line is approach, red line is summits)
The weather forecast warned that hikers should beware of winter-like weather conditions. It promised unseasonably cold weather and clouds, but mostly sunny on Monday. Well, the first parts of the forecast were correct.
Approach Hike
The White River trail gained only 200 feet in 4 miles, but added a couple hundred feet of ups and downs. Right at the start, there were some interesting rapids where the water had carved curving scoops out of the soft rock. The Boulder Creek trail climbed in woods lower down then brush in the upper valley till it reached the beautiful green meadows of Boulder Basin around 5000 feet.
 Water-carved White River rocks  Hiking in Boulder Basin  Fat Flat Marmot
We found the sheep trail and followed it up westward till it crossed the ridge line around 6200 feet, then traversed north and up to find a flat meadow about 6450 for camp. The high peaks were hidden, but occasional sun breaks made the meadows glow brilliant green under the diffuse cloudy cover. Brief snow flurries swept past as we set up camp.
 Hiking up the sheep trail  Looking back down into Boulder Basin  Looking down at White River & Saul Peak  Looking up the White River Valley  Campsite (photo taken next day)
Day’s End
Above our camp was the ridge stretching south from Clark’s SE summit. Straight up were the two dead-end notches, and higher up to the right was the shallow notch that’s the gateway to this side of Clark. After dinner I hiked up to the notch – to check out the route and weather west of us, to watch the sunset, and mostly just to be there for the transition from day to night.
There’s something special about watching the day’s end or day’s beginning from a high place – just being there for an hour as the shifting light highlights everything in different colors and relief, and then settles down into the quiet shadows of night, or rouses up into the brightness and energy of the day.
For this evening, the route was clear up to Clark, the further summits were cloud-wrapped, the late light made the meadows glow bright golden green, the setting sun briefly cast orange highlights beyond the gray clouds, and then everything faded to deeper gray.
 Looking up to notch from camp  Evening light on Clark Peak route  Pink clouds east of Boulder Pass  Sunset over Saul Peak  Sunset looking east
When I arrived back at camp, I figured everyone would go to bed, since it was both dark and cold. Instead everyone gathered to recline against the convenient rock benches and socialize long after dark.
 After dark in camp
Day’s Beginning
I got up before dawn, put some boiling water in my bottle, and hurried back up to the notch to watch the day begin. The night had been cold. The damp dirt on the slopes was frozen hard. The clouds had thickened. Clark’s summit was hidden. I made oatmeal and tea from my boiled water while the day began.
Colors shifted downward from the sky to the peaks before fading to gray behind the mask of clouds. I watched pink light slide downward toward the peaks and then disappear behind clouds. I watched the rising sun burn orange at the horizon and disappear upward into more clouds. After light briefly illuminated the camp far below, I watched the others hiking across the shadowy slopes to join me.
 Pink clouds over Old Gib  Sun rising in clouds near Buck Mtn  Early light on the ridge  Morning view of camp below  Hikers heading upward from camp
Clark
Clark had become completely hidden by clouds. But Dicey had been there before, and we had seen enough to find the route. Down two hundred feet of steep dirt-and-rock gully. (Some tiny rock fragment attacked Dicey’s eye and hurt “like being poked with a needle” for the rest of the day.) Up the higher ramp ahead, first on rock, then cramponing on hard snow. Working our way up very steep snow to the ridge crest. Then up more rock to the summit.
 Group at the notch, looking down the gully  Really cold Tisha with Jeremy  Ascending Clark, or Everest, or Capitol Hill, who can tell in the fog?  Steep top edge of the snow  Brief view down to Walrus Glacier from the crest
Up inside the cloud level, the freezing mist had made icicles on the rocks and turned grass clumps to ghost plants.
 Icicles and fog  Ghost grass 1  Ghost grass 2  Ghost grass approaching summit
Around 9:40am we arrived on top, 8602 feet. The USGS marker said so. Views showed nothing.
 Clark summit marker  Matt conquers Clark  Huddled near Clark summit
Luahna
Now we had to get down the other side of Clark and traverse new ground to Luahna, with no visibility. We worked our way down 2nd/3rd class rock mostly just east of the Clark’s SW ridge till about 7600 feet, where we crossed the ridge and a broad snowy ramp led westward toward Point 7970. Hated to lose so much elevation, but we had to get lower than the 7700-foot col of Point 7970 anyway. We traversed around the point kicking steps in easy soft dirt, then around an outcrop of Luahna and up to about 8000 feet. The final section on the SW face of Luahna was steeper 3rd class rock again.
 7600-foot ramp leading NW from Clark toward Point 7970  Ghost grass and rocks below Luahna summit
Along the way, frosted plants and icicles again decorated the slopes. Different plants must hold their temperatures differently. High narrow grasses were completely frosted, lower flowers and broader leaves partly, and very low dense plants like stonecrop were bare.
 Ghost plant  Icicles & ghost plants  Bare plants and frosted  Ghost flowers
Lucky we were on the west side of Luahna. Rocks on our side were mostly bare or a little damp, rocks on the other side were plastered with rime. We arrived at the somewhat frosty summit register at 1pm, 8400 feet.
 Rime on back side of summit  Frosty summit register  Group at Luahna summit
Now the weather finally began to break. First the clouds cleared partially below, framing selected snapshots of the vicinity.
 Looking down at the Pilz Glacier  Walrus & Richardson Glaciers  Napeequa valley, Louis Creek, & Buck
Then bigger breaks gave clear views of the local area, though further peaks stayed hidden. First Clark came out, then a few of the peaks further north. Clark sure looked dramatic, with all the edges of its glaciers glowing fierce blue.
 Clark  Matt & Clark  Kololo & Westpeak  Tenpeak, and a bit of Glacier Peak  Napeequa Valley
The Return Traverse
Now the question was, could we find a faster traverse back to the original notch, without ascending back up over most of Clark? Gladly, the answer was yes. We retraced our traverse around 7970 to Clark’s SW ridge circa 7600 feet. Then we worked across the steep section between the SW and S ridges, staying about +/- 50 feet of 7500 feet. Despite average steepness of the slope, there was a convenient bench or ledge around every outcrop or gully. We reached the S ridge at 7550, right on line to follow the lower ramp back to the gully and up to our starting notch. There I found that a critter had chewed up the empty water bag and tea bag that I left behind. A quick descent brought us back to camp.
 Looking back at the traverse from Luahna to Point 7970  Looking back at the traverse around Point 7970  Looking ahead at the bench to Clark’s SW Ridge
Darn it, forgot to take a photo of the steep part of the traverse from the SW to S ridge.
 The gully up to the notch above camp  Tea bag at notch, looking back at ramps east of Clark’s S ridge
Ramens & Exit Hike
We reached camp at 4:45 and departed at 5:30. While packing, my stove somehow turned on and cooked an extra package of ramens that I had. That bit of ramen sure tasted good for refueling before the hike out. Then we raced darkness down the trail, reaching the White River trail junction with the last bit of glimmer of light before headlamps. I reached the trailhead itself at 10:15pm, 16hours after starting the day.
 Back at camp  Descending sheep trail in flowes  Descending sheep trail in fireweed and asters  Boulder basin on the way out  Darkness at White River trail junction
What the following items have in common:
- Ivory Soap = 99 percent pure (and 44/100)
- Aurora Avenue North = SR 99 in Seattle
- Luftballons = 99 Red Ballons (song)
- Bottles of Beer on the Wall = 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall (song)
- Barbara Feldon = Agent 99, Get Smart
- Einsteinium = Element #99 on Periodic Table
- Sum of divisors of first 11 positive integers = 1+1+2+1+3+1+2+4+1+5+1+2+3+6+1+7+1+2+4+8+1+3+9+1+2+5+10+1+11 = 99
- Luahna = 99th of Washington Top 100 Peaks for Matt Burton
 99th Summit
My heartfelt thanks to Carla, Tisha, Jeremy, & Steve for squeezing in this trip on a cold cloudy weekend, so I could get to my 99th summit this year.
#100 will be Colchuck Peak next summer. I’m saving it so I can plan ahead and schedule a party on the summit for whomever wants to celebrate the 100th peak with me.
-------------- “As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien |
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Schmidt Alti-Babe The Ice Queen


Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 606 | TRs Location: Buried by backlogged pictures
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A huge thank you to Matt for letting us join in on his #98,99 peak bagging trip! We have finally gotten to hike with you another NW Hikers legend! While I was a tad cold the whole trip (which was very unexpected considering it was only the end of August! ), I still enjoyed the company. What a fun group!
DAY 1:
 Matt leads the way up the Boulder Creek Valley  Yukon at the start of the sheep trail  Dicey on the sheep trail  Mt David through the trees  Dude couldn't wait to put his booties on  Matt and Dicey set up their tent while it snows  Snowing in August!!!!  Now the snow is gone, will it make up its mind!  Looking back at camp from the ridge above  Thinking of New Zealand
Full set on flickr here.
DAY 2:
 The boys on the snow  Yukon touches the top  Rime ice on the rocks  Dude on Clark Mountain  Yukon and Dicey head down the ridge  Dude's behind again  What's this, the clouds dissapate around Clark after we leave?!?!  A small class 3 section  Napeequa Valley from Luahna  Matt waits for the views of Clark Mountain to appear  Yukon's thinking about more summits  10 Peak and a little bit of Glacier  Back at our a gear stash below Luahna  Dude and Clark  Last view of Luahna  A little more of Glacier visible  Dude and Saul's Peak  Yukon's still in high spirits  Still traversing around the big mountain  Come on guys, we're almost there!  Dude takes in the last views of Clark  Views down into the Boulder Creek Valley  Baaaa-ck on the sheep trail  What's up with Dude's hair!?!?
Full set on flickr here.
Stats:
Day 1: 4764' gain, 577' loss
Matt, Dicey and Babe's sidetrip up the ridge: 512' gain
Total hiking time: 6:22
Day 2: To Clark/Luahna - 4905' gain, 4984' loss
Out - 377' gain, 4606' loss
Total hiking time: 14:25
Trip total:
10,558' gain (only 10,046' for Dude and Yukon ) |
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Schmidt Alti-Dude 4th class poster


Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 1362 | TRs Location: Looking for Adventure 201!
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Not that I'm saying we're now peakbaggers or anything but it kind of cool to climb two top 100 peaks on the same day. That puts Dude at 7 and Babe at 6 so we have a long way to go* (Dude climbed Mount Saint Helens years before he met Babe).
*according to the Bulger list - 6 and 5 if you don't count Little Annapurna*
Day 1:
 Babe's ready to go!  Matt checks out the White River  Destructive power of nature  Yukon222 at the creek crossing  Boulder Creek crossing  Babe and Dicey take a break  More creek crossings  Matt tackles a steep and muddy section of the trail  Arrival at Sheep Trail Pass  Boulder Creek Valley from Sheep Trail Pass  Dicey tries to stay warm at camp
Day 2:
 Descending from the ridge above camp  Heading off to Clark  Matt does his pika impression  Babe tries to stay warm during a break  Babe's still not warm  Clark Mountain summit photo  Hiking in rime ice and fog  On the ledges, checking out the route  Sidehill traverse under Point 7970'  Looking at Luahna from just below point 7970'  Luahna scrambling  Can anyone identify this flower? ;^)  Frozen waterfall on Luahna  Almost to the top of Luahna  A frosty register  Koholo and 10 Peak from Luahna  Babe's still trying to warm up  Luahna summit photo  Matt has his picture taken in front of Clark and the Napeequa Valley  A clear picture of Koholo, no way!  Climbing back down Luahna  We can't leave without a few more pictues  Back around Clark  Taking another break  A little exposure as we traverse around Clark  The tents are still here  Taking the cross-country route down to the sheep trail  Babe's ready to be back at the truck  Late night log crossing -------------- Anything stated by me in no way reflects the attitudes or opinions of my wife |
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yukon222 Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 1864 | TRs
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First time visiting this area and I had high hopes of some spectacular views of Glacier Peak and the glaciers of Clark Mountain. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas and Glacier Peak remained almost completely hidden during our brief visit. There’s always next time!
I liked the views from the 6600’ high camp although could have omitted the bone-chilling wind and temps Sunday night! Sure, it was late August but still. Yikes. Not quite ready to give up on pleasant summer temperatures.
Great fun seeing Matt accomplish # 98 and # 99 of the Top 100 Peaks. I imagine it has been an amazing journey filled with quite a variety of peaks. Congratulations! Oh, and you do have one more left.
 pano - mt david at far left  pano5 - clark mtn slopes  pano4 - 6600' basin camp |
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Ingunn Hiking Viking


Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 1751 | TRs Location: Redmond
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Wow, fantastic scenery (and effort!)...but man it looks cold. Congratulations and huzzahs to everyone for the summits!
Someone mentioned in another trip report that Babe is scared of heights, I'm assuming this is very very not true? Even just looking at some of those photos makes me dizzy! |
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Justus S. Member


Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1247 | TRs Location: WA
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Congrats Matt, new you would make it. I did want to join but that weather forecast... Glad it wasn't completely cloudy for you. |
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Magellan Brutally Handsome


Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13102 | TRs Location: Inexorable descent
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Very nice trip. I like your guys synchronized posting. Conference call or AIM?
Matt wrote: |
#100 will be Colchuck Peak next summer. I’m saving it so I can plan ahead and schedule a party on the summit for whomever wants to celebrate the 100th peak with me. |
That is a nice sentiment Matt. I hope I can make it. |
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wamtngal Member


Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 2384 | TRs Location: somewhere
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Nice trip folks! Looking over atcha from the Maude/7FJ area I knew you guys had to be cold (especially since we were cold all weekend and had mostly sunny skies)...there was a bank of colds that stemmed from north of Glacier to Clark all weekend...it didn't look too pleasant. Way to get out there anyway, despite the chilly temps.
Congrats on #99, Matt!!!
-------------- Opinions expressed here are my own. |
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Don Member


Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 2015 | TRs Location: Fairwood, WA
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That's excellent Matt! I didn't realize these would be your 98th & 99th of the top 100 summits - good for you! Sorry the weather wasn't better for you, but it sounds like things all worked out in the end. Thanks for the report - I've been waiting!  |
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don b Member


Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 369 | TRs
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Looking forward to next year on Colchuck.
Congrats. |
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wildernessed viewbagger


Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9278 | TRs Location: Wenatchee
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Very nice TR and pics, great beta. Congrat's Matt.
-------------- Living in the Anthropocene |
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loper Member


Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 453 | TRs Location: seeking the sun
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yukon222 Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 1864 | TRs
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We only used crampons to ascend the very steep snow slope leading up to the final ridge at Clark. Could have avoided that section by going to climbers' left either on the lower snow ramp or on the rocks. The snow was incredibly hard, not quite ice density but close.
No snow travel at all from Clark, down over to Luahna nor up Luahna. As long as you stay on the West side away from the glaciers on the North/East sides.  |
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Backpacker Joe NWH Joe-Bob


Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23615 | TRs Location: Cle Elum
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Great pics and report you krazie klimbers. Nice work.
Is it me, somehow half the pictures arent coming through. Getting an "X" instead of a pic.
-------------- "If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln |
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dicey custom title


Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2865 | TRs Location: giving cornices a wider berth
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This would have been a GREAT trip IF:
I hadn't already been on the summit of Clark in the fog..
It wasn't freeeezing all weekend...
I hadn't gotten a painful scratch on my eyeball one hour into a 16 hour day...
Oh well, it was still nice to be out in the mountains with my friends. They are great for huddling together with to keep hypothermia at bay
Luahna was a new summit for me, Yay!
I think I took one picture before I was struck partially blind, so enjoy the pics Matt, Dude, Babe, and Yukon posted above.
-------------- I'm not always sure I like being older but being less stupid has advantages.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32121172@N00/sets/ |
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