[beaudaddy]

I had the day off and it was predicted to be the warmest day of the year so far. What does a guy do? Maybe sit inside with the AC cranked up, go to the beach, go shopping, crabbing, fishing... Nope, how about enjoy some of the fine switchbacking up Mount Dickerman. I planned to go up Dickerman on my day off for a good workout and great views. I made these plans before the weather was predicted to be in the upper 80's and low 90's in some places. So the plan to have a normal start date, turned into waking up at 2am. HUH? I wanted to get up there before it might be a postholing extravaganza or the temptation to suck the waterfall dry of thirst. Plus, the thought of maybe catching the sunrise was an added bonus. The sunrise thought was kind of a stupid idea, next time I will just camp on a summit "or close to one" if I want to see a dang sunrise. Anywho, 2am came way too quickly and slowly I was out the door just a touch before 3. I was soon at the trailhead, gear on and ready to go at 4am. The temperature was already pushing 60 degrees. I headed up the awesome switchbacks for seemingly forever. I knew that I wouldn't catch the 5:15am sunrise on the summit, unless I was on a scooter... well, scooter probably couldn't make it but you know what I mean.

Pink glow behind Big Four

The Waterfall

The trail just past the waterfall.

Cluster of Purple Trillium with white tips

Pacific Bleeding Hearts

Waterleaf

I got to the waterfall about 5am and it had became lighter, but the mornings alpenglow hadn't showed up yet. When I reached what I guess is the first meadows or open area the peaks to the south started to glow red. It was beautiful and reminded me on why I decided on an early start. It was just past the waterfall I hit steady snow. The snow was surprisingly firm, even though the day before was warm.

Big Four Alpenglow through the trees

Big Four Alpenglow

Alpenglow on Big Four

A Red Big Four Mountain

I headed up the snow hike through the large meadows with amazing views all around. Mainly to the South, East and West at this point.

Del Campo and Gothic Peaks

Alpenglow on Del Campo and Gothic Peaks

Alpenglow on Del Campo's Summit

Del Campo and Gothic hiding to the right

Lewis, Del Campo and Gothic

The bootpath is easy to follow, but once in the Meadows it becomes harder to follow an exact path. Looks like a lot of people have went their own way. I just head up the mountain, staying to the side of a couple glissading routes. Its pretty straight forward once things open up.

Forgotten Peak and Mt Pugh seen from the trail. First light gleaming through the Perry Creek Valley.

Del Campo, Gothic, Rainier and Morning Star

Looking South from the snowy meadows.

Soon I could see a large rock up ahead. Some of the snow was melted around it revealing some first signs of heather. It felt like the highpoint, so I went for it. When I got close to the heather, I skirted around it on firm snow and climbed the couple feet of rocky outcropping. I was surprised that it was the true summit. The views were amazing and there wasn't a cloud in the sky at 6:30am. I skipped over to a couple other highpoints just lower to where I was at. One to the east and a couple to the southwest.

Liberty, Big Bear, Three Fingers, Bullen, Devils, Whitehorse and the close one on the right is the craggy pt 5351 southeast of Stillaguamish Peak.

Three Fingers, Bullen, Devils and Whitehorse

Lewis, Del Campo, Gothic, Morning Star and Sperry

Vesper Peak's North Face

Big Four, Hall and Pilchuck... With Dickerman's Shadow

The snow was in real good shape which made me super stoked. I found a real nice flat rock, ate some breakfast grub and took a nap in the sun. I woke up after an hour to a couple ants in my pants. Did some summit shakin around until I took care of it all. Thats what I get for untucking my shirt. It was a good sign that it was time to go. I knew there would be other fellow hikers coming up and I didn't want to look like some lazy lizard hogging up the warm rock. Oh, and there was a lot of black flys and skeeters up there... couple squirts of 100% DEET and they were gone. They must be weak right now or something. I have never seen them leave so quick. Always seems like once you squirt on bug spray, they start coming around.

Blankets of snow

Looking East at all the beauty

Looking Into The Sun on Mt Dickerman's Summit

Glacier Peak and Twin Peaks

Whitechuck, Forgotten and Pugh

Stillaguamish and Baker

Summit Shot from False Summit

Cool Cornice

Looking Northwest from the Summit

Summit Phlox

Smooth Douglasia

Summit Pose

So I headed down the mountain around 8am. I found a couple glissading routes and gave them a whirl. Pretty rough going, BUTT it made up some good times other than my burning cheeks from icy snow. Soon I was off the snow and taking pictures at some of the flowers just waking up. I passed 5 guys each on a solo hike up. Almost everyone asked if I was the guy that left at 4am. I'm not sure if they thought I was crazy or what.

Baneberry

038

Red Columbine

Again, sexy switchbacks for days and eventually back to my truck. It was 9:30am when I got back to the parking lot. Wow, I still have the whole day off. I raced home and then took my two little kids to the beach until 7pm. It was a long, beautiful day. Sorry if I posted to many pictures on this TR. The views were so amazing and Del Campo and Big Four really caught my eye. Sorry for so many pictures that might look the same, but each is different in its own light.

[tigermn]

I didn't do this one last year. I think I'll file it away for a September or early October trip.

[veronika]

Looks like you had a much better view that I did Monday! I'm jealous! I guess that is just a reason to head back. Nice photos. Thanks!

[Hikingqueen]

My kind of guy getting up that early for pink skies! Great pics! Nice summit pose too!

[half fast]

Nice TR and great photos... I really like this hike, one of my favs, a good work out and the payoff is well worth it. Oh, I have never started at 4:00am though... But... your photos made that very worth while. Your photo...

Stillaguamish and Baker

Is one of my favorite views of Baker looking like it is floating in the distance !! I took this photo from close to the same place you were standing the last time I did this hike on 11/08.

[beaudaddy]

Tigermn- so the tale goes that later in the summer, any decent human exploring that area, always comes home with stained blue/purple fingertips... It's a natural phenomenal...

[Hulksmash]

[veronika]

[rossb]

Excellent pictures and excellent report. The nice thing is that if you are in a hurry, you can gather all the needed info from that second picture (no snow by the waterfall). I hiked up Dickerman later that day. We got such a late start that you were already down and in your car by the time we arrived (perhaps we passed each other in Verlot). We looked at the winter route and decided to try the summer route instead. There was snow, but it was patchy. It was very nice up there, and no one stayed very long, so most folks got it to themselves (including us). Thanks.

[Gimpilator]

Dickerman is one of my all time favorites. I used to do it once a year. There are so many good views of surrounding large peaks. Way to get it done solo! Awesome photos too!

[beaudaddy]

HiT- Hey, at least you got a great summit pose out of the whole deal. If I would have tried that with my 10 second timer, it would have been deathly dangerous. Hikingqueen- It was a beautiful morning. Thanks for the comments. Halffast- Thanks for the comments and that sweet photo. Hulksmash- I was inspired by your TR the other day, so I had to go up. When I took that picture of the meadow with the black line, I remembered the one you posted. Very Nice. Rossb- Thanks Bud. It was a sweet day to be up top. The breezes were cool in the early morning. Very pleasant day. Gimp- Thanks man. It was my first time up there and I loved it. I was surrounded by a lot of my favorite mountains. Kind of like a big ol family reunion... OOOHHHH.... I forgot to add one photo.

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