Forum Index > Trip Reports > Lyman Lakes Trip 9-23 to 9-26, 2011
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alpinelakes
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PostWed Sep 28, 2011 9:08 pm 
Drove out the Chiwawa and headed up Phelps Creek to Spider Meadows.
Spider Meadow Camping Map
Spider Meadow Camping Map
Yep. I'm standing on it.
Yep. I'm standing on it.
Lots of flowers still blooming along the trail
Lots of flowers still blooming along the trail
The columbine looked a little wilted but the bugs were liking it just fine. In retrospect, it was probably the last day of the year here for the vicious biting black flies. There were no mosquitos.
The columbine looked a little wilted but the bugs were liking it just fine. In retrospect, it was probably the last day of the year here for the vicious biting black flies. There were no mosquitos.
The bees were busy working the late crop of flowers.
The bees were busy working the late crop of flowers.
Spider Meadow
Spider Meadow
Phelps Creek
Phelps Creek
Camp below snowfield
Camp below snowfield
It was the peak of the high hunt, and hunters were moving up and down the valley. I heard a few shots from over towards Phelps Basin when I camped at the foot of the Spider Glacier. I wasn't too worried. I have orange hats. They're bulletproof... I walked up the snow past a couple of waterfalls and then climbed up onto the ridge, and found a trail that leads most of the way to the pass.
Spider Ridge Trail
Spider Ridge Trail
Along the Ridge
Along the Ridge
Red Mtn
Red Mtn
Some views along the ridge
Some views along the ridge
The Black Towers of Doom. The one on the right bears a passing resemblance to the fabulously unclimbable Machupuchare.
The Black Towers of Doom. The one on the right bears a passing resemblance to the fabulously unclimbable Machupuchare.
There was a bit of steep snow to cross and then a bit of talus down a shallow gully to the big snow field. Some of the snow was in the shade, and a little slippery, but mostly soft and easy to dig in to. Further down where it mellowed out I was able to plunge step like a maniac and took a nice long standing glissade.
There was a bit of steep snow to cross and then a bit of talus down a shallow gully to the big snow field. Some of the snow was in the shade, and a little slippery, but mostly soft and easy to dig in to. Further down where it mellowed out I was able to plunge step like a maniac and took a nice long standing glissade.
It was a fun trip down. I took a left off the little knob half way down and climbed down along a small waterfall to a snowfield alongside the Lyman Glacier.
It was a fun trip down. I took a left off the little knob half way down and climbed down along a small waterfall to a snowfield alongside the Lyman Glacier.
Lyman glacier remnant
Lyman glacier remnant
The glistening, blackened snout of the fearsome beast. There are some cool, scary cracks in this thing...
The glistening, blackened snout of the fearsome beast. There are some cool, scary cracks in this thing...
Preparing to set sail on my personal iceberg.
Preparing to set sail on my personal iceberg.
Busted rocks all over the place...
Busted rocks all over the place...
My landlord is a wolverine!
My landlord is a wolverine!
Alpine Bananas
Alpine Bananas
I didn't actually make it down to Lyman Lake. The weather had other plans for me.
I didn't actually make it down to Lyman Lake. The weather had other plans for me.
Walked out soaking wet after getting snowed in at my camp half way up the pass. Next time I'll pay more attention to the weather forecast, and maybe take some gloves. Waterproof boots and trousers would have been useful on this trip... I didn't take any photos after I woke up in the snow. I was too busy freaking out, trying to protect my sleeping bag from the driving snow and rain, and then, once outside and soaking wet- just too busy not freezing to death. The wind never stopped howling until I was back in Spider Meadow, and even then I was plodding along in freezing rain. What a difference a couple of days make! Weather is sometimes a vicious beast... Here's my weather post from right after I got back: I got snowed in at Lyman Lake last night. 3 inches fell while I was sleeping, and 3 more while I figured out what to do. The drifts of new snow on Spider Gap were over a foot deep. The old suncups had turned to dark ice. I came over the pass in a bliizzard with 60 mph winds. Angels carried me. I feel lucky to be alive... Saturday night at Lyman started out ok- the temperature dropped an extra 20 degrees or so, but that had been forecast, so I wasn't too worried. Then there was a lot of rockfall nearby, so I looked out- and there was a deer standing right in front of my tent. It just kept standing there, so I said "Get out of here, you stinking lead magnet!" The deer just kept standing there, looking right at me. I waved my arms around and shouted " It's high hunt you idiot- stay away from the camps!" The deer finally wandered off up the hill. I was nearly blown out of my socks when the first lightning bolt flashed. Some of the thunder rumbled for more than 15 seconds at Lyman (I actually started counting the seconds of thunder, as well as the time between lightning bolt and thunderclap.Thunder distance varied from 4 or 5 to about 18 seconds away. It was unbelievably loud. I hadn't heard thunder like that in a long time… I managed to dry out and pack up Sunday morning, but instead of bailing as I should have, I went and tried to shoot pictures. Ended up getting chased around by little rain squalls all morning. Spent a good deal of time hiding in the trees. The rain kept getting worse. I was crouched in the last tree hole for a couple hours, eying a nearby campsite, thinking about running for the pass, and hoping the rain would stop. Finally it slowed to a drizzle and I ran for the pass. I mean I ran. The rain actually stopped, momentarily, just before dark. I was halfway up from the uppermost pond- at the knob at the base of the long snowfield. There was no way I could get to the pass before dark. So I cleared away a bunch of rocks and set up my tent, just as it began to rain again… I gobbled a couple foodbars and crawled in. The wind was blowing insanely hard, pushing water up the walls of my tent- through the mosquito netting and onto my sleeping bag. I was calculating desperate, crazy odds like running for Hart Lake and Holden. I was afraid the pass would be dangerously icy. The wind terrorized me. I was sure my tent pole was going to snap, so I pushed back against the wind as I bailed water with my dirty socks. Somehow I fell asleep... The next morning- fresh snow. I was freaked. Now what the heck do I do? The wind was howling and the snow was coming in sideways. I didn't want to go out there. I didn't want to try to cross the pass- the wind was gusting to 50 or 60 mph, and for a while a sustained gale driving sleety frozen rain. I seriously considered running for Holden. The insane logistics of retrieving my car finally ruled that one out. I wondered if I should wait, until the rain stopped. The snow piled up in drifts a foot deep against the side of my tent. I had to keep pushing it back, so it wouldn't cave the tent in. It changed from snow to rain and back to snow again. Water was getting in. I was terrified my sleeping bag would get completely wet. I was wiping away drips and damp spots with my clothing. I wasted a lot of time trying to make a decision. My bag was getting wet. I finally decided that I needed to get to my car, immediately, or I was going to become hypothermic and die. My jacket is the bomb. It probably saved my life. My stupid nylon pants and long underwear soaked through within 2 minutes after I crawled out of my tent. I shivered and cursed and rolled up my soaking wet tent in the howling blizzard and stuffed everything into my pack. Everything was wet. My hands were numb. I had no gloves, no crampons, no axe. The wind was absolutely howling and my boots were full of sloshing cold water. I was shivering as I started up the snow field. It was surprisingly easy going. I was ripped out of my skull on adrenaline and terror- I'm not a snow climber- so I clawed and slipped and fell and did crazy dance steps and barged my way up the snowfield. I couldn't see the ground at times. The old suncups were reduced in size, icy and hard. The new snow was all drifted into long ramps and patches. The traction on the new snow was divine providence. The old melted suncup sections were a terror, although easier to see than the smooth new snow. It didn't take long to reach the top. I went up the snowpacked small rocks along the edge of the old snow, at the steep top section. The wind was still blowing like crazy at the top of the pass. The snow wasn't too bad going down- I cut a few traverses and then sideslipped and skated and danced and boot skied and fell about a hundred times. It was still snowing as I got on the trail and started down. The trail was insane. The switchbacks were a slush-filled trench, frozen in places and very, very slippery. There are several creepy sections with quite a lot of exposure. The snow turned to rain as I worked my way down the hill. It was a zombie death march frozen bushwhack misery extravaganza in driving rain all the way back to the car. I kinda wish I had taken the weather forecast more seriously. I came a little too close to encountering the real consequences of my own stupidity. My gear was insufficient for the conditions, I was irresponsible in the face of clear and present danger and then I was ridiculously indecisive in spite of rapidly declining options. Luck really helps, but yeah, be careful out there. Pay attention to the weather forecasts... And I forgot the big rock. The big rock is cool. There's a sandy beach along the creek here, and somebod's been busy building non-permanent structures like the little windbreak pictured here:

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Slugman
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PostWed Sep 28, 2011 9:17 pm 
Great pictures. I was just there, now I want to go back. And you stood on a couple of spots I didn't, like right before the glacier's snout, and the very far end of Lyman lake. You should cut 'n paste the story of the storm from the other thread. agree.gif

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peltoms
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PostThu Sep 29, 2011 12:24 pm 
Thanks for the nice report. So the lake in front of the glacier will not melt out all the way this year.

North Cascade Glacier Climate Project: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/
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Dan_Miller
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PostThu Sep 29, 2011 12:54 pm 
My climbing partner and I spent from Friday 9/23 to Sunday 9/25 in Upper Phelps Creek Basin at 5400' (for climbs of Dumbell and Greenwood) and encountered no snow and only some rain overnight on Saturday evening untill early Sunday morning. Surprising how we could have been so close to your location as the crow flies and have not experienced any of your reported severe weather and all that snow. Hope you've dried out/warmed up by now.

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ADAHY
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PostThu Sep 29, 2011 6:09 pm 
" I was ripped out of my skull on adrenaline and terror " This is an opportunity to ask an honest question. Had you had a emergency beacon during this ordeal would you have used it to call for help? The reason I ask is because I had a horrifying thing like this happen to me many years ago and I asked myself the same question. I still havn't answered.

" The price of freedom is eternal vigilance".
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alpinelakes
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PostThu Sep 29, 2011 9:11 pm 
Quote:
Had you had a emergency beacon during this ordeal would you have used it to call for help?
Interesting question! At my lowest moment- when I was struggling to keep my bag dry and trying to decide whether to return over the pass or head for Holden- I would have been very tempted to push the button. But I don't really know if I would have, or not. I have a fairly ambivalent attitude toward rescue dialers. When people carry those devices- Do they feel free to behave more recklessly? More irresponsibly? This is an honest question... I really wonder if I might not take more stupid chances if I had a SAR dialer with a big red button. Technology can make us lazy, or lull us into a false sense of complacency... But I don't carry one, and I've stopped taking my phone out there, too. I'm feeling a little enslaved by technology at the moment. I used to hike without a camera. For me, backpacking has always been a welcome escape from the bright lights and the technology. But lately I've become addicted to taking pictures and now I'm a slave to the damn camera. Why did I end up spending a second night out in harsh weather? I never used to do that- a single night of rain has always sent me scurrying for the road. I'm just not a wet weather kind of guy. I've never figured out how to camp comfortably in the rain. I'm skinny, and I get cold easily. I hate being soaking wet, out in cold weather. I just can't handle it. But I wanted my dad blasted pictures! Never mind the weather! My camera has hypnotized me into becoming some kind of reckless moron. I was just thinking about this- I typed out a super cranky anti-technology screed and almost dumped it on Slugman's Kindle thread, but fortunately thought twice and deleted it... Here's a weird thought: I would have been ashamed to make the call. After all, I got myself into the situation. I wasn't injured or incapacitated- merely cold, miserable and scared. I was actually being irrationally fearful of a relatively trivial challenge. The trip out over the pass turned out to be far easier than I had imagined. It was scary and excruciatingly uncomfortable, but almost embarassingly easy, in retrospect. Also: Backpacking, for me, is a way of living very large. It is a kind of spiritual experience for me, to be out in scenic, wild places. The sanctity of this experience is easily compromised by gadgetry. My camera is already distracting me far too much. Additional gadgets would only further detract from the experience of being in the natural zone. I've found that if I can quiet my mind in natural places, nature will try to teach me things. Magic is sometimes revealed. But you must pay attention, and watch and listen carefully. Hard to do if you're watching old Star Trek re-runs on a giant, fold-out monitor. Also: Almost getting killed is half the fun. There's a certain sort of egotistical thrill associated with being self reliant against all odds. And I don't need no stinkin' electronic dog leash on me, so, there goes the phone. But: Sometimes I wonder what I'd do if I broke my leg or had some other serious injury. Then what? Especially creepy to think about while hiking solo, way off trail, late in the season. I drive myself nuts with that one, occasionally... I'm certainly glad I didn't try for Holden... don't know what I was thinking... I'd probably still be out there flailing...

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Grinch
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PostFri Sep 30, 2011 8:16 am 
I too am somewhat of an anti-technology hiker. I refuse to hike or climb with an MP3 player, this is my time to be alone with my thoughts. If I don't like being alone with me, then I need to change me. Before I digress any more, a simple point-and-shoot camera is my only exception. I put the pictures in a file that is for my screensavers, then I am able to relive the memories of the hike many times. my at home catharsis.

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Matt Lemke
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PostFri Sep 30, 2011 9:24 am 
alpinelakes wrote:
I wasn't injured or incapacitated- merely cold, miserable and scared
That's the key...I wouldn't have used a locator device in this situation either. It's amazing how much you can endure when you stay focused and set on the task at hand...getting down! I've been in situations like this before as well and I keep telling myself "at least I don't have to do all this up hill" as I'm scurrying down towards the car. A little climbing in these circumstances are sometimes nice though...they can get you warmed up. Nice photos BTW and a good narrative of the conditions.

The Pacific coast to the Great Plains = my playground!!! SummitPost Profile See my website at: http://www.lemkeclimbs.com
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D. Inscho
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PostFri Sep 30, 2011 10:17 am 
I'm glad you carry a camera; nice work on the strong horizontals. Love that area. I've learned some lessons like the ones you describe; I'm much better at decoding mtn. weather reports and anticipating conditions these days. Also, raingear and gloves don't weight all that much; frozen hands suck and can be debilitating when serious action is required smile.gif Thanks for telling your story.

http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/ The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir “My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
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