Forum Index > Trip Reports > Old Scab Mtn, 6608 ft 11/20/2016
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Martin S
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Location: Out in the perimeter, where there are no stars
Martin S
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PostMon Nov 21, 2016 2:23 pm 
If there was a list of WA peaks with the most unappealing names, I'm sure Old Scab Mountain, by Bumping Lake, would be on it. However, it had a particular appeal yesterday as a bad weather, late November trip since there's a trail up to the level where the snow started to get deep and then some easy scrambling to the top. Our hope for better weather on the east side didn't materialize, though. We drove over Chinook Pass where a few diehard skiers were getting in a few turns in the 1 ft deep snow and parked at the Soda Springs campground (now closed for the season). We walked across the footbridge and then two hours of hiking got us to where the trail skirted the east side of the peak at 5500 ft. Here I left W with all my extra warm layers and a vat of hot cocoa and scampered on up to the top. Little brush and not quite enough snow for adequate step-kicking over the hard-frozen slippery forest duff. The final scramble along the ridge involved rime-covered rocks with wind and blowing snow, making it feel a bit like a real winter climb. It snowed and rained on us fairly steadily all the way out. Never saw another person all day until we were back at the car and some Forest Service guys pulled up and said they were glad to see us because they hadn't been able to find anyone else to talk to all day. Not a lot of recreationalists out this time of year.
Route map
Route map
Old Scab Mtn, summit at center
Old Scab Mtn, summit at center
Open forest on N ridge
Open forest on N ridge
So what other peaks would be on that list? Hog Ranch Butte, Badlands, Burnt Boot, Tongue, Dirtyface? Of course there are peaks like Forbidden, Torment, Terror, Despair and Desolation, all names not likely to be picked by real estate developers, but those types of names are more likely to attract climbers than deter them.

"nothing's for certain" took the elevator down while "anything can happen" climbed the stairs - Ryszard Krynicki
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Stefan
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Stefan
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PostMon Nov 21, 2016 3:03 pm 
Here is an unappealing named peak: What a blah name: Blah!!!!

Art is an adventure.
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Martin S
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Location: Out in the perimeter, where there are no stars
Martin S
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PostMon Nov 21, 2016 3:19 pm 
Hey now. That's such a cool name for a peak that there's two of them in the WA top 100!

"nothing's for certain" took the elevator down while "anything can happen" climbed the stairs - Ryszard Krynicki
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Redwic
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Redwic
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PostMon Nov 21, 2016 6:38 pm 
What?! No love for such great names like Whiskey Dick or Welldiggers Ass?

60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
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Brushbuffalo
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PostMon Nov 21, 2016 6:38 pm 
Martin S wrote:
Hey now. That's such a cool name for a peak that there's two of them in the WA top 100!
Yes, Martin is a great name for a peak. John Scurlock took a trip to the Blue Mountains two or three years ago, and wrote me that his hike was horrible and full of misery.... For "interesting" peak names, Mt. Misery and its close neighbor Mt. Horrible, both in Umatilla N. F. in the Blues, are hard to beat. At least Old Scab has its name for the corresponding 7.5' USGS quad.

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Anatoli
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Joined: 07 Dec 2016
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Anatoli
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PostThu Dec 08, 2016 8:17 pm 
Another approach to consider is from the east near Little Bald Mtn. There is a trailhead about 1/2 mile east of Flatiron Lake that will take you to the connecting ridge. Beautiful meadows and lots of elk.

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