The slam:
Big Jim Mtn. 7763'
Painter's Thumb 6744'
Big Slide (aka Big Lou) Mtn. 7763'
Wednesday was donb's birthday so his daughter Robin and I joined him on a little peakbagging jaunt to celebrate. It was also the last chance to see Robin before she embarks on her next adventure of moving to Whitefish, Montana.
In the Backcourt, Don and I needed Painters Thumb and Big Jim Mountain and I also needed Big Slide (aka Lou). Robin needed "hands free" scrambling to heal an injured thumb. Lake Augusta in larch turning season seemed like an ideal location to celebrate.
Entering Cabin Creek Basin
Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA
Chiwaukum Mountains
Falls below lake
At Lake
Don at Lake Augusta
After arriving at the lake we did a leisurely even stroll up the south slope of Big Jim 7763'. Having enjoyed the top in still air, we descended the south ridge back to the Icicle Ridge Trail and down to the lake for Robin's great backcountry cuisine and Birthday Cake! I won't mention the number, but somehow at Big Jim 's summit, Don's number of BC ascents matched his age on this birthday!
Top of the Chiwaukums (almost)
Big Jim Register
Big Jim Summit
Dad and Daughter
Back to camp
"Hands Free" scrambling
Last Sunlight
Sunglow and Larches
Augusta sunset
The Birthday Boy
After a leisurely morning, Thursday we headed over to Painter Creek for Painter's Thumb 6744' via the pretty meadows and east slope.
Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA
Lake morning
IMG_1775
Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA
Frozen Painter Meadows
Painter Meadows
Twenty Frozen Toes!
Follow the moon
Painter Creek
On Painter
Index Creek
S. Fk. Chiwaukum Valley
The day before we shuttled Don's car to the Chiwaukum Creek Trailhead. This way Robin and Don would have an all downhill hike out while I parted ways and headed southward to Ida Lake and Big Slide Mtn 7763' aka "Big Lou". Painter Creek was a joy to climb out of with open forests of larch and beautiful benches of amber meadow grasses no matter which way I took out. Then from Ida it was a pleasant high traverse to Big Slide.
Descent Route
Head for low saddle
Carter Lake
Climbing out of Painter
More Meadow Country
And did I mention...larches
Even more meadows and larches
Ida Outlet
Lk. Ida, Frigid, and Ladies Pk
Long way to Big Slide
More summit lounging as I watched the smoke rise and fill the Icicle from a burn on the east slopes of Wedge Mountain. Back down the easy north ridge to the Icicle Ridge Trail saddle and another beautiful night of sunset colors and star gazing.
Smoky Icicle
The "Big Slide"
West to Frigid and Grindstone
Big Jim and Augusta
Sloan, Pugh, Baker, Glacier
Werhauser sunet over Wenatchee
Last light
Even though backtracking the Hatchery Creek Trail, it was like seeing it for the first time in the morning light.
Morning comes to meadows
Parting shot
Gotta love the fall hiking season, and no better way than peakbagging, birthday celebrating, and wishing a friend lots of joy and success on her next journey!
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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