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contour5
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Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 2962 | TRs | Pics
contour5
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PostFri Aug 04, 2017 7:13 pm 
So, I made huge plans. I was gonna climb Glacier Peak. Actually I was planning to climb Kololo, Kopeetah and the Hive, and then climb Glacier Peak. I tend to go overboard in the planning stages, but this was sort of a new high. I'm not even a climber.
White-Pass-Columbine1
White-Pass-Columbine1
Tiger3
Tiger3
Colum3
Colum3
Paint4
Paint4
Thistle2
Thistle2
Trail-Boss-2
Trail-Boss-2
Scream-1
Scream-1
WP-2a
WP-2a
I slogged up to White Pass in an 80 degree black fly tornado. The bugs were relentless. All my clothing- t-shirt, shorts, socks and hat- were freshly sprayed with permethrin. All my bare skin was slathered with DEET. Every time I stopped, I hosed myself down with Geranium Oil. And still they came, looking for an open spot; an untreated patch of skin. Vicious, evil chunk-biting monsters from hell! The breeze increased as I went up, and by the time I reached Foam Creek Basin it was blowing steady and gusting to about 40 mph. I camped on a little draw of ashy till between two snowfields just short of Foam Creek Pass. The wind blew in pulses- 30 seconds of wind followed by 10 seconds of calm. The pattern intensified to a steady, swirling, gusty hurricane of pumice dust and ash. The dust came right through the mosquito netting and filled my tent with abrasive grit. The wind increased, and my tent pole connector gave way, and my tent basically collapsed. Passenger side pole punched a hole in the roof. I spent the night with the other tent pole draped across my shoulder, pummeled by 50 mph gusts of wind.
Foam-Creek-Pass-2
Foam-Creek-Pass-2
In the morning I climbed the little pass and sat in the meadow repairing my tent as dozens of climbers streamed by on their way to GP. The basin below the pass was still filled with snow- the lowest lake still frozen over. The wind blew steady, and it was cold despite the blazing sun. I had planned for a warmer trip, and didn't have enough clothing. I fled back to White Pass. I still had about 8 days worth of food left, so I went north on the fabled Painted Traverse. I didn't get very far, but you don't have to- the first few miles of this ridge are so intensely beautiful that further travel seems almost pointless. I still hope to complete this route sometime in the future- starting from RMLO- but it was a fine trip just doing an in and out from the south end. Hung out on Red Pass with Larry from Philadelphia. Larry's walking to Canada.
Red-Pass-w-Larry
Red-Pass-w-Larry
Portal Peak is an easy climb from Red Pass, with a couple of maybe class 3 maneuvers to make climbing with a large pack somewhat sporty. The route down the north side was steep and sort of exposed, although once I got to the bottom I could see that I might have taken an easier route... Whoops. I hit post instead of Preview... I'll just dump the rest of the pictures right here...
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Sloan-3
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RP-1
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WC-Cinder-Cone
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WC-CC-3
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Portal-55
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purples5
6910--trail
6910--trail
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Portal56
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Portal-Pyramid
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6910-trail-2
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G57
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6910-view68
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camp78
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6910-view79
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marmot-4
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ss-56
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ss78
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ss37
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FoggySaddle5
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Fog3
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Fog-4
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Fog-6
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fog8
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ss42
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Baker4
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c79
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c81
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fuzzball5
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Fuzz4
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Baker6
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R7
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Black5
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p88
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G54
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tent6
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Upper-WC
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WC-Glacier
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tent-77
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Falls-4
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Falls3
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Marmotus9
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Marmota7
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p64
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Marmo8
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Quartz-Pipe
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ss86
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ss85
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G1a
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G1aa
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Saddle-1a
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Saddle-2a
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Firepit-at-6500
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camp83
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ss1a
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ss3b
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camp77
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camp98
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camp65
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Steepgrass1
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Steep3
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White-Pass-44
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Sloan-1
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Sloan3
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PT-peaks-1
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glacier-1
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Portal-1
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S3
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red-5
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G-4
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g12
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gp-11
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MC1
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pt19

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RichP
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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RichP
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PostFri Aug 04, 2017 7:23 pm 
I've missed seeing your reports. Your pics are so dang good. up.gif

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FiveNines
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FiveNines
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PostFri Aug 04, 2017 8:31 pm 
++

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HitTheTrail
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HitTheTrail
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PostFri Aug 04, 2017 9:13 pm 
I used to envy people with quality camera gear and a natural eye for photos. But I have let go of that and now just enjoy to results. up.gif

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cascadetraverser
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cascadetraverser
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 2:57 am 
NICE photos; contour, you know where the really good places to go are, don`t you!

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awilsondc
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awilsondc
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 7:21 am 
That's a wealth of purty pictures you got yourself there! Jake and I were up there around the same time for Glacier. Flowers and weather couldn't have been much better. Nice TR! up.gif up.gif

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Bootpathguy
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Bootpathguy
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 10:08 am 
up.gif up.gif up.gif Fantastic images along with a entertaining read. Thanks for sharing

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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olderthanIusedtobe
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 8:18 pm 
up.gif I haven't been backpacking all year. I miss White Pass and surrounding area. Thanks for letting me see it vicariously.

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Distel32
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Distel32
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 8:22 pm 
up.gif

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mbravenboer
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mbravenboer
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PostSat Aug 05, 2017 9:03 pm 
Excellent photos, contour5. Sorry to hear about your tent issue and delayed climbing ambitions! Still looks like you enjoyed some wonderful scenery. I'd like to do Kololo one day as well, but heading up Glacier Peak solo is a bit too much for me.

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Kim Brown
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Kim Brown
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 12:50 pm 
Good Lord, what a wonderful trip! And the photos; mighty perfect. It was nice meeting you up there, and it'd be cool to do a trip together as we talked about! Sure am bummed I couldn't get up to White Mtn to see Glacier Peak, but the heat would have killed me (I mean more than usual).

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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BarbE
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BarbE
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 2:27 pm 
One does not have to climb Glacier Peak or do the pained Painted Traverse to get the feel for this magical place, and your pictures proof it.

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