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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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Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:04 pm
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Dates: June 26-27, 2010
Destination: Wallaby Peak 7995 (USGS Washington Pass)
Originally I had planned to do Graybeard on Saturday, car camp, and then climb Wallaby and maybe another peak on Sunday. But we finished Graybeard early, and I realized that I probably could make it up Wallaby Saturday evening, for a summit camp to enjoy a clear night atop the peak. Since I was car camping, I already had a sleeping bag, pad & stove with me. So I wedged them all into my day pack (hooray for floating hoods) and headed for Wallaby.
Wallaby Route Map
It was a glorious overnight on the summit – clear warm weather, the dramatic rock of Kangaroo ridge, and a fine lookout to watch the entire course of sunset and sunrise, and even moonrise and moonset.
With clear views and the leisure to linger long hours on the summit this overnight gave me the privilege of watching the entire progression of light from full day into night and back again, as the world’s rotation dipped the peaks from daylight through the rainbow refraction of the atmosphere into darkness and then raised them back up again into the new day.
The process was like a luminous benediction, as the peaks were bathed in the warm glow of sunset, wrapped in a gentle cloak of night beneath the wheeling stars, and then kissed awake by the brightening colors of dawn.
Actually, the sunlight never left me throughout this night, for just as the sun set in the northwest, the moon rose glowing full and orange in the southeast. Throughout the night, the snowfields gleamed bright in the moon’s reflected sunlight as it arched across the southwestern sky. And before dawn the moon stood opposite the sun again, crossing paths with the pastel rainbow band of descending sunrise before dawn.
Night meets day in a glowing band of dawn light
Saturday Evening
Wallaby Ascent
From the hairpin, I hiked up the valley, staying somewhat right of the creek where the terrain was more open. Larches along the way showed bright green springtime needles, a promise of the gold that would fill this valley in autumn.
My car at the hairpin, with Kangaroo Pass & Wallaby Spires of Kangaroo Ridge Bright green larches
From Kangaroo Pass, I followed the directions from TDD’s report up to Wallaby’s summit –scrambling on the crest about halfway up, then traversing snow on the right to get around an outcrop, then snow & scree up to the summit.
My shadow at Kangaroo Pass, with Kangaroo Temple behind The ridge up Wallaby Tracks around on east side of the ridge (photo taken on return) Around the corner & up to the summit (photo taken on return)
Sunset
I reached the summit at 8:30pm, half an hour before sunset, just in time for the alpenglow display to begin.
The gold-toned rock of Kangaroo Ridge glowed magnificently in the evening light.
My shadow arrives at Wallaby summit, with Gardners behind, 8:37pm Kangaroo Evening 8:36pm Kangaroo Evening 8:52pm Alpenglow on eastern Kangaroo Ridge & Gilbert 8:42pm
Out southwest, the sky faded to soft pastels above the skyline
McGregor & Dome
Later Kangaroo darkened to a silhouette against the glowing clouds
Kangaroo Silhouette 9:00pm Kangaroo Silhouette 9:24pm
In the northwest, the sun burned a fiery hole into the horizon.
Above the horizon, a few lines of clouds looked like they had been scorched in the setting fire – glowing bright, then fading to deep orange embers, and finally to blackened silhouettes.
Even long after sunset, a sullen orange glow remained at the sky’s lowest edge, shading upward through deepest shades of blue into starry black depths.
Sunset above the Hairpin 8:53pm Sun descending in the northwest 9:03pm Sun half down between Golden Horn & Tower 9:07pm Sun down behind Tower 9:15pm Last Light 10:20pm
After Sunset
But I wasn’t left in darkness, for I turned around and found the full moon rising in tandem with the setting sun.
When I first arrived, I put on my extra jackets, but the two hours of sunset kept me too busy to change fully into warmer layers. With the light finally fading out, I was glad to add more clothes, fire up my stove, and enjoy some hot tea. I even had ramens that luckily had been in my car.
Moonrise 9:37pm Steaming hot tea Ramens and moon
Sunday Morning
Sunrise
The moon had been so bright that it almost kept me awake at night. Eventually it was overtaken by growing light in the morning sky. Glancing occasionally out of my sleeping bag, I saw the sunrise band of light intensifying above the horizon and climbed out to resume my summit perch.
Stepping up on top, I looked over to the edge, exclaimed out loud, and grabbed my camera from its holster. Burning wings of clouds were fanning out above Silver Star’s summit.
Pre-sunrise band dropping past the moon toward the horizon 4:47am Fire over Silver Star 4:54am
Meanwhile the rainbow light descended onto lines of lenticular clouds that were crowning the highest peaks out west.
It was fascinating to watch progression of the light not just downward onto the peaks but also westward across them - lighting up my own summit first, and then later reaching Bonanza and Glacier peaks farther west.
Sunrise descending toward the western lenticulars 4:55am Sunrise touching the highest lenticular 4:58am Sunrise touching Bonanza & reaching down Copper 5:01am Alpenglow across the western horizon 5:12am Full light across the western horizon 5:29am
Closer at hand, the light made the lower faces of Kangaroo ridge glow again.
First light touching eastern Kangaroo Ridge And dropping fast down the faces
And warm morning light spread across the neighborhood.
Liberty Bell Morning Kangaroo Morning 1 label Morning shadow on the summit (and the moon still up)
Morning Light & Shadows
I enjoyed the privilege of watching the day continue developing for hours atop my summit perch.
West of me, shadows of Kangaroo Ridge dropped down the sides of adjacent Early Winters Ridge.
Peaks & Shadows of Peaks 2 labels Shadows of Kangaroo Temple & Wallaby
I scrambled back and forth around the summit admiring the rocky faces of Kangaroo Ridge. The summit of Kangaroo stood above it all as the ridiculous steep pointy slab that it is.
A dome of rock east of Wallaby especially caught my attention, its clean curves looking like it belonged in some other mountain range.
Kangaroo Ridge summit Kangaroo summit (note cairns on other summits to right) The Dome east of Half Moon
Other peaks acquired more definition and detail in the morning light.
The clouds spreading wings over the Silver Star’s summit reminded me of the mother ship’s arrival in Close Encounters.
Nearby, I could see into the summit gully of Big Snagtooth, whose shadowed recesses have kept it hidden from pretty much every other view.
Jack, Golden Horn, Tower, Ballard, Azurite Clouds over Silver Star
The sun warmed my own summit as I packed up my bivy site enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.
My bivy site Shadow on my summit perch Summit perch looking over the shoulder to Silver Star
Exit
Originally I intended to go catch another summit today. Hinkhouse beckoned on the far side of the hairpin. Even more tempting, a continuous snow gully led up to the crest of Copper, which I had missed getting last fall. But it had been such a fine morning on Wallaby’s summit that I decided just to relax and enjoy what I already had, watching the day develop and napping in the comfortable sunlight.
Around mid-morning, gathering clouds stole my warmth and I headed back down to the valley.
Last view of my summit perch 1 label My car waiting at the hairpin 2800 feet below
Below Kangaroo Pass, I discovered something I’d missed on the way up, a snowy lake.
Last time I swam in such a slushy lake, I practically froze my toes. This time, being only 45 minutes from the car, I simply waded in with my boots and clothes on, for a much less painful swim.
Kangaroo Pass Tarn 6300 Kangaroo Ridge reflected in Kangaroo Pass Tarn No cold feet for this swim
Then it was a quick hike back down the snow, through the larches, and out to the car.
Last year’s larch needles This year’s larch needles Mid-day Clouds over Wallaby
Stats:
SR20 Hairpin 5150, Kangaroo Pass 6600, Wallaby 7995
Ascent 2.5 miles, 2800 feet, 3:15 hours
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Spotly Member
Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Posts: 3723 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane Valley |
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Spotly
Member
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:12 pm
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What an excellent way to spend an evening. Those morning shots are awesome.
...oh, and ...brrrr.
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the Zachster Member
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 4776 | TRs | Pics Location: dog training |
Matt, I love the way you enjoy your trips to the fullest extent. Slush dips and all! Great pics. Glad you had such a great trip.
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
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Backpacker Joe Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics Location: Cle Elum |
Krazie Climbers and Krazie Matt the submarine commander. Great pics as usual.
"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
"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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raising3hikers Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2344 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Wow! way to capture the sunset and sunrise Looks like a good trip
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Dayhike Mike Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila |
Gorgeous! What a perch for an evening of great views!
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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iron Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 6392 | TRs | Pics Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
Member
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:19 pm
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awesome matt! love the timeline photography. and the lenticulars are gorgeous!
i still have no idea how you can jump in that water. nutz!
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5634 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:35 pm
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Solo trips like this are often the most memorable.
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Scrooge Famous Grouse
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics Location: wishful thinking |
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:40 pm
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Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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Hulksmash Cleaning up.
Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 7113 | TRs | Pics Location: Arlington |
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Hulksmash
Cleaning up.
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:46 pm
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Quote: | I simply waded in with my boots and clothes on, for a much less painful swim. |
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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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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Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:20 pm
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I guess I'll have to stop posting photos of the swimming, since it gets draws too much attention compared to the proportion of the trip. I was in the water for about 2 minutes and on the summit for 14 hours. The summit left much more lasting impressions.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:28 pm
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NIce lookin' trip, Matt. You had some nice clouds to photograph, too!
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Scrooge Famous Grouse
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics Location: wishful thinking |
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse
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Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:28 am
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Matt wrote: | I guess I'll have to stop posting photos of the swimming, since it gets draws too much attention compared to the proportion of the trip. I was in the water for about 2 minutes and on the summit for 14 hours. The summit left much more lasting impressions. |
Don't do it, Matt. Please don't deprive us of the touches that personalize the poetry. We may appreciate your apprehension of each change in the lighting and the clouds, but we can't respond to each one the way we can the swimming and the Earl Gray tea.
Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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silence Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 4420 | TRs | Pics
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silence
Member
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Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:40 am
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sweet ... great tr and pix matt .. you make my heart melt ... esp with these poetic words of yours ...
The process was like a luminous benediction, as the peaks were bathed in the warm glow of sunset, wrapped in a gentle cloak of night beneath the wheeling stars, and then kissed awake by the brightening colors of dawn.
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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