Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 2998 | TRs | Pics Location: Back to work
Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:33 am Mt. Catherine, sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds; 2/14/09
Trip overview:
Snowshoers: Ingunn, JK, silly_traveler and GeoTom
Bare paw walkers: Jasper the chewer of sticks
Map: Green Trails #207 Snoqualmie Pass (but I left it at home)
Access: Interstate 90 > Exit 54 (Hyak)
Trails: Nordic Pass trail
Mileage: Previous reports call it 9 or 10.
Elevation Gain: ~2,700 with the ups and downs.
Corporate sponsor: Blue Diamond Almonds (ok, they haven't actually agreed to a sponsorship deal yet).
Trip Details:
After finally recovering from last weekend's hatefest with Yana and cleaning Jasper from his roll in the poop, I decided to go on another snowshoe trip with silly_traveler. Originally we thought about heading to Blewett Pass, but neither one of us was enthused about the drive so we settled on what is becoming an annual trip for me: Mt. Catherine via the Nordic Pass Trail. Ingunn and JK had expressed an interest in joining us, so we met up at the Hyak parking lot and managed to squeeze into one of the few hundred remaining spaces.
After the short road walk to the start of the trail, we put our snowshoes on and started following the route to Hyak Lake. There was a faint trace of previous snowshoers and skiers, but not a very deep trench. Not to worry, the snow was fairly consolidated and we didn't sink much. The route is fairly easy to follow, just look for the blue diamonds on the trees:
The route crosses some of the cross country trail network and the downhill crossover runs between Ski Acres and Hyak (Summit Central and Summit East), but there was very little activity on those trails today. Eventually we crossed I-90 (the main crossover trail) and ascended the last bit to Hyak Lake, which was frozen over.
We took a short break at the lake to eat, then continued on our way to Nordic Pass. Soon we made it to the BPA power line corridor and got our first good look at Mt. Catherine. We wisely chose to continue on the route to Nordic Pass rather than attempt the direct route up Catherine from here.
I lost the blue diamond path for a short bit through the power line corridor, but remembered from previous visits where it continued on the other side. Soon enough we were back on track, following the blue diamonds to Nordic Pass. I kept telling Ingunn that 'We're almost to Nordic Pass'. I don't think she believed me after the third or fourth time I said it.
We did eventually reach Nordic Pass and stopped to eat again. I spotted the Nordic Pass sign on a tree, but it was ~10 feet off the snow surface. It was below eye level the previous times I had been at this same spot. The vote was 4-0 to continue on to Mt. Catherine. Jasper abstained from voting as he was too concentrated on finding food.
From Nordic Pass we diverted from the blue diamond route that continues to Windy Pass and headed instead for the westren ridge of Mt. Catherine. There were a couple steepish sections, but nothing we couldn't manage, at least on the ascent. Occasionally we caught glimpses of previous snowshoe and ski tracks. The ascent went fairly quickly and I turned to tell Ingunn 'We're almost to the top'. Not sure if she bought it though after the Nordic Pass false alarms. The skies had also turned from mostly gray to partly sunny to mostly sunny as we ascended.
There was one slightly tricky section ~50 feet below the top. We went left around the rocks, then up to the summit ridge. No big cornices, but the south face was still steep. The little breeze we experienced earlier had died, so we sat in the (mostly) sun on top and ate a little more while looking at some of the surrounding peaks.
We made it back through the slightly tricky section relatively unscathed, and made quick work of descending the ridge back to Nordic Pass. Somehow the route had gotten a couple miles longer from Nordic Pass back to Hyak Lake. Not sure how it happened, but I am positive it did.
Everyone made it safely back to the car, a little tired but happy.
Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 2998 | TRs | Pics Location: Back to work
Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:56 am
Jim-
Silly kept going on and on and on about this being her first snowshoe trip a couple years ago with you guys.
wildernessed-
Due to the economic downturn we only managed to get one small bag of almonds. A few months ago they might have supplied a tub for each one of us as well as t-shirts and transportation in the Blue Diamond-mobile.
TrailPair-
I thought I recognized someone across the highway.
wamtngal-
That wilderness heart was a nice find. Jasper tried to ruin it by walking through it. He said he was making cupid's arrow.
Fun trip I'm still sore need to get out more often
-------------- ♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
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The skies had also turned from mostly gray to partly sunny to mostly sunny as we ascended. 
I like the ridge shots, nice to see your sponsored. I have an endorsement from Depends and Ensure. 
He said he was making cupid's arrow.
