like2thruhike Member
Joined: 28 May 2009 Posts: 1288 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
- My first idea was to do Snoqualmie,Cave Ridge and Guye.But early inspection of the "climbers path" clearly showed the need for the rainpants that I didn't have with me.
-Red it was,or so I thought.
-The trail to Red Pond is easy cheezie.Some good photo ops.A few tiny water crossings.
-Red Pond is small but large enough to filter water from.I'd filter there,lots of criters all over the place....
-After two minutes there I headed up to the saddle.Wow,what a view from there!
-Then I headed to what 'Driver coined as "East Lundin".When I got up there I was hoping that was the east one because there was no way in hell I'd down climb to the one further west.East is good enough for me.
-I looked over at Red and was thinking it was one of those "straight forward","no difficulties","easy" peaks.
-I figured since I was there I'd try it out even though I hadn't read about the "easiest" route.I choose one further east up above the outlet of Red Pond.
-At first I saw a boot path so I was thinking this'd be in the bag in a half hour.Then it opened up and just a couple of carins were either on the left or right side.I was thinking right,was right....
-Eventually I saw a carin right before some exposure and thought that couldn't be the way.If you fell,you're be messed up.Class 2 includes a few moves over a ten foot drop on a decline that might result in serious injury or death?I sat and pondered this.About then I looked down and saw a couple coming up.I pretended to be taking a break when I noticed the woman was moving up on all 4's.She was obviously out of her comfort range as she stopped and only looked at her hands.Then she waved at her partner and he was off like a bat outta hell.
-Within a few moments of pretending to be on this long break her partner arrived.He asked if I was heading down and I thought that was my cue to escape further exposure. But no,he then had to say "see you at the top"....
-I quickly followed hoping seeing where we went would distract me.There were a few places I really didn't like at all but kept going.Soon he was way out in front and stopped all of the sudden looking as if he was at a dead end.This is where I stopped and saw where I was.I didn't like where I was. I looked back and the dude was gone."Now what" I thought.Then considered down being my next option so I headed where my head felt most comfortable.
-Eventually I got back to the exposed part.I didn't think "what if" and focused only on where my old worn out Oboz boots went went as I grabbed junipers.I forced myself to the otherside.The down climb seemed like cake after that....I passed the dudes partner with my arms up and said "YES I didn't make it".We both laughed as we both realized our limits and didn't seem to give a rip about not summiting.
-The down and out seemed like a walk on an escalator.Pretty cool to be on trail once again.
-On the way out an eerie fog rolled in....
Pct 2002 mex2can Lost but not forgotten I hear Jerry Garcia sing "walk me out in the morning dew"....in my head as I snap these shots. The Living Dead Looking back down to Red Pond Price and Big Snow I got here and realized this is as far as a trail hiker goes... Red Mtn is on right Old PCT north One route up to Red Mtn 5,890
|