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dicentra
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Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 1127 | TRs | Pics
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dicentra
Plant Geek
PostTue Mar 23, 2010 11:07 am 
There Was No Frozen Tookus! (Full set of photos on the Face Book OPW page) PCT – White Pass to Sand Lake Shelter. In the snow. I left the house a little before 6am on Saturday. After short stops for coffee and gas, I was on the road, heading south for White Pass. I stopped in Chehalis to check the map (and more coffee!!) because I had passed the highway 12 west junction but I had not yet seen the east junction. No worries. It was just a little farther south to the exit I needed. I got to White Pass with 2 minutes to spare on my objective arrival time. Mad Monte was already there. He had just spoken to Sugar Moma and Stumbling Norwegian, who were running a bit late. Monte had brought me his -20* Feathered Friends bag for the trip. He also brought me a treat from the Twisp bakery. Yum! Pretty soon we heard the putt-putt-putt of Sugar Moma’s bus as her and Stumbling Norwegian pulled up. The Lees were right behind them in their camper. Greetings all around, getting on the trail pretty slowly. After all, we had all day to get there. The trail goes through some nice cross country ski areas, gaining about 1000 feet before getting to the shelter. There are lots of other trailheads in this area too. It was nice chatting with the Lees. I had met them at Kick Off last year. They couldn’t do the whole trip with us, but accompanied us for about ˝ mile or so. When we stopped to say our goodbyes, we took the opportunity to adjust layers and put on our snowshoes. Mad Monte was towing a toboggan, carrying all of the group’s heavier items; a lantern, snow shovel, beer. Sugar Moma had borrowed snowshoes for the trip and they were too long for her, slowing her down. Me? I was just going slow and enjoying the trees and clear blue skies.
Picture 270
Picture 270
About half way to the shelter we stopped for a short lunch break. For me, this meant a bunch of snacks I had rummaged out of my hiking food bin – jerky, Luna moons, some seasoned nuts and string cheese stolen from my daughter. Sugar Moma had brought fresh green bell pepper. Yum! I’m 90% sure this is where I lost one of my water bottles, but I did not see it on our way out.
Picture 277
Picture 277
We hit the trail again, Stumbling Norwegian stopping every now and then to wait for the rest of us who don’t hike like a thru hiker pushing for Canada. We reached the shelter around 2:30pm. At first it just looked like a big rock or something covered in snow, but as you come around to the front, there is a fairly obvious door opening. Sand Lake Shelter is about ˝ mile off a spur trail to the main PCT. It was built in the 1930’s and is still in excellent condition.
Picture 290
Picture 290
Mad Monte dug out the shelter for us, then Stumbling Norwegian helped him make stairs and level out the floor.
Picture 308
Picture 308
After unloading gear and ditching our snowshoes, we set up our Ridge Rests in the sun for some after hike adult beverage time. Stumbling Norwegian had brought us some home made Kahlua (yum!) and Mad Monte brought Big Foot beer, partially to honor Squatch, who wasn’t able to make the trip.
Picture 304
Picture 304
Picture 300
Picture 300
After sitting and chatting and taking a ton of photos, we decided it was time to get dinner going. We built a couple of benches in the snow, not too far from the shelter. Mad Monte got his old school stove fired up, and I gave a cooking lesson – and talked about the sorts of meals Sugar Moma and Stumbling Norwegian would be receiving from me for their PCT thru hike this year. I had “stolen” a couple of meals from my sponsorees for the trip, so I made sure everyone got a taste of my Freezer Bag style cooking. Warner Springs Artichoke Pasta - ready to eat!
Picture 352
Picture 352
Sugar Moma also shot a video of me making a blueberry almond cheesecake. This works beautifully in the snow. And easy! (video to come later - needs editing)
Picture 351
Picture 351
As it got dark, we headed into the shelter and set up our beds. The shelter sleeps four easily. I was very cozy in my -20* bag. Very nice after being so sure I was going to freeze my tookus off! Mad Monte hung a big blue poncho over the doorway (on existing nails) to keep out drafts, but it was pretty warm in there. 40 something degrees inside according to Sugar Moma’s watch, and 20 something outside. NICE! It must have been around 9:30 when we all sort of fell asleep. Around 2:30am we all were up, taking turns heading out in the snow for potty breaks. My watch battery died, so I was pretty disoriented as to what time it really was. I kept waking up, feeling the draft from the poncho door, getting cozy again, and going back to sleep. I figured I would get up when everyone else did. Apparently we all had that thought! We were all so cozy that it was well after 11am before we all rolled out of bed.
Picture 367
Picture 367
It was snowing pretty good at this point. After quickly heating some water for coffee and packing up, we headed out. I can’t eat so soon after waking up, so I loaded my pockets with snacks for the trail. The snow was really coming down! Beautiful, but very different than the previous day. It is mostly downhill on the way out, so we made quick time, Mad Monte and I stopping a few times to adjust the load on the toboggan and to fix a broken string. I called home when we got back to the cars. It was only about 3pm, so it was nice to be able to drive home in daylight. However, I got hit with several sessions of rain so bad it was difficult to drive. I prefer the snow!
Picture 377
Picture 377
Can’t wait to do it again. Big thanks and hugs to Mad Monte for both planning this trip and convincing me to come along. Yes! I will do snow again.

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Hikingqueen
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Hikingqueen
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PostTue Mar 23, 2010 12:54 pm 
Looks like fun! And that cheesecake hockeygrin.gif

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bonobo
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Joined: 23 Jun 2004
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bonobo
Owl Juggler for rent
PostTue Mar 23, 2010 1:01 pm 
Nice hike and photos. And ditto that on the cheesecake. *insert drool here*

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harrymalamute
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harrymalamute
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PostTue Mar 23, 2010 1:32 pm 
my kind of trip, good friends, a sled loaded with beer and a cozy -20 bag in a shelter. up.gif

hikes and climbs with malamute
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dicentra
Plant Geek



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 1127 | TRs | Pics
Location: Der Town
dicentra
Plant Geek
PostTue Mar 23, 2010 1:34 pm 
I'll post the recipe for the cheesecake as soon as I get it written up! Monte was totally bogarting it! I got like 2 bites. lol.gif

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