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loper Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 453 | TRs | Pics Location: seeking the sun |
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loper
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:12 pm
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Here is our route up Sauk from Saturday. Roughly 5,000 gain and 6 miles? roundtrip. Crampons and ice axe required.
Going up the southeast ridge made for a long day but never a dull moment. It starts off steep with lots of brush and blowdowns. About two and a half thousand feet of steep bushwhacking 'fun'. Just when you start thinking you can't take any more 'fun' it starts opening up for some nice views. It gets better and better as the ridge becomes more defined. Then the final summmit block. At this point we were past our turn-around time and one pair of crampons short. To make a short story long I opted to become the team photographer while Bill and John quickly topped out on the lookout summit and returned. I settled in to take the summit shot, eat lunch and drink tea when wait! where did they go?...what?.......now they are on the next bump!.....NOW where are they?! They made it up to the true summit!!! Way to go!!! Sometimes the best summits are the ones you don't think will happen.
A long hike down in the dark which I thought just couldn't get any more 'fun' but it did when we found ourselves above the road cliffed out about a hundred feet up. Luckily Bill had found a 'trail' which was a trail in only the most rudimentary sense of the word but none the less we were very thankful for and we made it down to the road. We were tired, full of pine needles and a few branches but satisfied with our day in the mountains. AND we found out there is a Red Robin in Burlington that is open till eleven on Saturday night!! I think we were there by nine or so but good to know for future reference. Burgers, Fries, Beer (and hot chocolate with schnapps for me). A great way to finish up the day.
Lisa
PS these photos were taken by John, Bill and the ones of the final summit push by me. Thanks John and Bill for letting me post your pictures
Sauk-Bald IMG_3713_nearing-the-top IMG_3717_B-continuing-to-summit approaching lookout summit steep! steep closeup we aren't holding hands it will only take 10 more minutes true summit sunlight with sleeve 'Jesus' beams IMG_3748_meeting-of-Sauk&Skagit-rivers IMG_3752_L's-headlamp-back-on-road
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Type E Member
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 1381 | TRs | Pics
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Type E
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:19 pm
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GeoTom Member
Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 3215 | TRs | Pics Location: Earth |
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GeoTom
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:24 pm
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Nice Lisa.
And John and Bill too.
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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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Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:33 pm
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YouTube | SummitPost
Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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gone Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1051 | TRs | Pics
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gone
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:08 pm
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Very cool! We don't often get long distance perspective shots like those here, as the hiker/photographers are usually on top, too - very unique!
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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:36 pm
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Like others said, cool shots of the hikers going up.
Really nice of you to support the others going up.
I notice on your map that one of the many Bald Mountains is next door to Sauk. We climbed a different Bald on the same day.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7220 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:09 pm
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Was the bushwhacking bad because of lack of snow, bad snow, thick forest, or something else?
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:11 pm
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Nice work y'all.
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loper Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 453 | TRs | Pics Location: seeking the sun |
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loper
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Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:46 am
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puzzlr wrote: | Was the bushwhacking bad because of lack of snow, bad snow, thick forest, or something else? |
Sorry, should have been more specific.
Parked at milepost 99 next to the river. (lots of eagles on the river right now). Compass heading of 320 degrees.
Start 350 ft
Summit 5541 ft
Consistent snow level roughly around 3,000ft? all of it rock hard.
The bushwhacking was due to lack of snow with lots of blowdowns, lots of just dead branches etc. Once we were up on the ridge it opened up and the views were great, travel just like a ridge walk should be. Was a fun trip but not an easy one. Will have to go back and summit some day.
Lisa
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Quest for Adrenaline Member
Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 119 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellingham, WA |
aside from the avi danger it looks like a good winter ascent you just gave me an idea and i like the pics very nice.
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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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Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:50 pm
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Nice. Sauk is a fun scramble.
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Mossman Member
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 6 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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Mossman
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Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:31 pm
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There is an old trail to the top of Sauk from hwy 20... once a fully constructed forest service quality. I am not sure how much it gets used, but it was followable ~5 years ago with only minor blowdown.
You can find it by looking at the older 15" usgs maps (i.e. in topo software). It is easiest to spot right where the 2nd growth turns to old growth about 4-500' above the valley floor near Barr Creek. There are two ways to get to it - either follow an old log road with a beaten path, just west of conrad road, or just start west of Barr Creek on conrad road and go up the hill to intersect it (faint track, some brush).
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TrailPair Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 1699 | TRs | Pics
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Lisa, Gorgeous photos. Looks like some potential for next years NW Calendar.
This thing called work is interfering with my play
This thing called work is interfering with my play
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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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Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:29 pm
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Great shot of sauk and skagit confluence
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loper Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 453 | TRs | Pics Location: seeking the sun |
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loper
Member
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Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:57 pm
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TrailPair wrote: | Lisa, Gorgeous photos. Looks like some potential for next years NW Calendar. |
I wish!! That calendar is awesome! I am always amazed at the calibar of the photos posted here on nwhikers. Makes me a little embarressed to post my own but am learning by example, at least a little!
And Mossman, thanks for the info, I will be heading back that way some day again.
L
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