Forum Index > Trip Reports > Love The Icicle! 5-7-2017
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Bootpathguy
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Bootpathguy
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PostTue May 09, 2017 12:53 pm 
Saturday's weather was forcasted to be pretty decent statewide. A few days prior, I studied the maps looking for something off the beaten path. The Icicle was extremely appealing and I've been missing it. Decided on a repeat and exactly 365 days ago. Went to bed @ 10:00 pm. Alarm went off @ 4:00 am but I was awake long before that. Getting little bits of sleep between 1:30 and 4:00. Anxiety and excitement set in, and, in that order. I tried to get a little more sleep but it turned out that I just laid there for another 30 minutes. My trepidation holds me back from things I'll never get the opportunity to experience. I've learned to accept and live with it. Sometimes I wish I had that, "throw caution to the wind" attitude. I'll leave peak bagging to the bravest of souls. I'm a lake bagger. I had all my gear packed in the truck the night before. I got up, got dressed. Picked up my phone and sent my wife a text, her phone sitting on the kitchen counter, giving her my hiking plans. Only thing I hadn't packed was the cooler with a couple beers. A tradition for my after hike treat. Packed the cooler and filled it with ice. I pulled out of the driveway 10 after 5:00 f### I'm tired! Grabbed coffee and a banana bread at the Monroe Starbucks Wildlife sightings on highway 2 between Monroe and the Pass were a deer, a coyote trotting along the railroad track and of course the guaranteed early morning homosapien with backpack. See them during all types of hours. All types of weather. Not sure what it is about that stretch of highway, but it's become a game of sorts with the family when we drive through there. A betting game Misty clouds with rising sun @ Stevens Pass was pretty.
A waterfall in Tumwater Canyon that goes largely ignored and seldom seen if you're not looking for it at the right time of the year. Flowing heavy right now. Dury Falls. I'd love to get to the other side of the river and scramble up the mountain to experience it. From Google Earth, it appears to have multiple tiers. I'm sure some of you here have explored it.
Water through Tumwater Canyon and Icicle Creek are swollen and raging. It's absolutely beautiful righ now. Stopped along the rivers for some video.
Arrived at my pullover spot just before 8:00 and the song on the radio at that time was Queens, "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the lyrics "Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango" was the last thing I heard as I shut off the engine. Got out walked to the rear of the truck and dropped the tailgate. Sat down on it, kicked off my flip-flops, put on my socks and laced up my hiking boots. During this time I'm thinking about Scaramouche. What a silly name. Then I started thinking about other odd and obscure folklore and fictional names. Quasimodo and Rumpelstiltskin came to mind. Then I started thinking about, Trolls, Gnomes and the Smurfs. By this time I'm already hiking towards my destination. Then I started thinking about.... What if little tiny humanoid people existed. Dwelling in boulder and talus fields. Living in harmony and coexisting with marmots and pikas. Would they be shy and scamper away when we got too close? Be friendly and come and eat out of our hands? Would they be evil little creatures. pelting us with little pebbles as we passed by with their teeny-tiny sling shots. Or even worse, several of them working in cooperation levering massive boulders to roll down the slopes attempting crush us. Then I started thinking that if they did exist and I was stranded in the backcountry starving to death, could I actually roast one over the fire and eat it. Then I started thing about Gullivers Travels. I'll sum it up and just say that I didn't take a nap when I arrived at my destination. Sometimes when I'm out in some of these bootpath destinations I think that I "might" encounter others. Sometimes I know I just won't. This is my second time doing this route. It's just as steep as I remember it. Route finding is just as difficult as I remember it. First trip I had a partner, this time I'm solo and I'm a bit nervous. It's only 4 miles from civilization but once your in there, it feels like, and might as well be, 400 miles. It feels very wild. It is wild. I head up. Straight up for 2 miles. No switchbacking on this route. The views start immediately. It's wonderful. Micro-spikes went on @ 4,600'. Wish I hadn't left my crampons at home. Area is mostly open on the east slope and exposed to the sun at the get-go. Snow stayed mostly frozen. I kicked stepped much of it. Snowshoes went on at 5,200'. On average, the snow was manageable with the proper equipment and travel technique. The final traverse to my destination, for me, makes me nervous and extremely cautious. Lots of probing and testing. Side hilling, I slipped and slid just a few feet on one steep slope. Pissed off at myself that I didn't have my ice ax in hand. Still strapped to the back of my pack. No harm no foul. But annoyed at myself on what could have been. Snow has covered massive boulders and some areas it's going to be a ten, fifteen ( maybe more ) foot drop down and in between them if the snow were to collapse. If you go later this spring, when the snow bridges are less supportable, get across the talus and into the forest as soon as possible and then make your way to the basin. Or, just rope up if you have a partner. There are area here that will swallow you. 10 to 12 feet down to what I could see, then the hole turned into a bottomless abyss.
More things that will eat you
In the talus section I came across 2 dens excavated into the snow. Nor big enough to be a bears. This area was shaded and the snow was a hard ice crust so I couldn't see any visible sign of animal tracks. The only 2 animals, as far as I know, that would be at 5,500' elevation making snow dens would be river otter or wolverine.
4 hours later I was at my destination. I love it here. In my opinion, the setting is just as beautiful as Colchuck. I rested here for more than a hour. Enjoy the solitude, sun and quietness. Periodically the silence is broken with a loud crack and rockfall from the mountain peaks. Heavenly!!! I was surprised exhaustion never set. Adrenaline high I suppose
I headed out and my equipment came off and exchanged for the other in the reverse and at the same elevations as my ascent. Snow became punchy and postholing facing and descending down the slope was becoming dangerous. I know what lay beneath that now soft snow. Down timber a that criss crosses in a tangled mess. I didn't want to punch through the snow at the uphill side of a downed tree, lose my balance, fall forwatd and snap a leg. I turned and faced into the slope and descended backwards much of the steep snow slope. If I did punch through, and I did, and get my leg caught between some timber, at least my leg would bend like it supposed to. I was disappointed that I didn't see any wildlife. Saw some sign though. Cougar scat and what I first thought was elk droppings and now think could be moose droppings. Sent a photo to a wildlife expert just to satisfy my curiosity. Also asked him about the snow dens.
I was back at my truck @ 5:00pm and enjoying a ice cold beer in the sunshine on the tailgate of the truck and being serenaded by the roar of the Icicle. Fantastic weather. Perfect conditions. Warm but not too hot and it never got windy. Just a slight gentle breeze. Fantastic spring hike and a great destination to kick off the spring and summer hiking season. 9 hours truck to truck.

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostTue May 09, 2017 4:39 pm 
up.gif Looks like a cool spot you got there. I like you're meandering thoughts about tiny humanoids living in the boulder fields. Maybe you'll find them someday. Hopefully not because they attack you. Drury Falls is big w/ ice climbers during the winter.

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awilsondc
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PostTue May 09, 2017 9:38 pm 
Looks like a beauty! I love those hidden gems where you can find solitude in a gorgeous setting like that. Great way to spend a day! up.gif

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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostTue May 09, 2017 10:21 pm 
Bootpathguy wrote:
Then I started thinking about.... What if little tiny humanoid people existed. Dwelling in boulder and talus fields. Living in harmony and coexisting with marmots and pikas. Would they be shy and scamper away when we got too close? Be friendly and come and eat out of our hands? Would they be evil little creatures. pelting us with little pebbles as we passed by with their teeny-tiny sling shots. Or even worse, several of them working in cooperation levering massive boulders to roll down the slopes attempting crush us. Then I started thinking that if they did exist and I was stranded in the backcountry starving to death, could I actually roast one over the fire and eat it.
haha! Such an imagination. Thanks for sharing that. wink.gif Great trip report and photos. Those holes you passed certainly could eat/swallow you. Good analogy. Views like this make me want to go there. ~z
Bootpathguy wrote:

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Nancyann
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PostWed May 10, 2017 1:11 pm 
Interesting trip report, Bootpathguy. Beautiful pictures of a very special place. Speaking of little tiny humanoids, when my daughter was old enough to hike without being carried, I told her there were little fairies and elves living along the trail to keep her motivated as we were hiking. She loved it, and uses that tactic on my grandson now!

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Get Out and Go
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PostWed May 10, 2017 7:55 pm 
tongue.gif I recognize that place....But only from photos! confused.gif Guess I need to do something about that.

"These are the places you will find me hiding'...These are the places I will always go." (Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart) "Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you cry. Half of me is ocean. Half of me is sky." (Thanks, Tom Petty)
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HitTheTrail
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PostThu May 11, 2017 11:17 am 
Nice photos. up.gif And I think your timing is about right. That trip is probably easier on snow.
Get Out and Go wrote:
tongue.gif I recognize that place....But only from photos! confused.gif Guess I need to do something about that.
Get Out and Go - Let me know if you want any company. I have been on all sides of the area but never actually stood at the lake outlet. That means I have not yet "bagged" the lake. Boo!

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HitTheTrail
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PostThu May 11, 2017 3:35 pm 
Bootpathguy wrote:
I'd love to go again. Wink-wink
Well...now we have a party of three. And you know another lake in that area is on my bucket list.

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Bernardo
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PostThu May 11, 2017 4:31 pm 
Nice report. The thoughts of the solo hiker were well portrayed.

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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostThu May 11, 2017 5:41 pm 
Bernardo wrote:
The thoughts of the solo hiker were well portrayed.
Exactly! He's got a lot of practice. wink.gif ~z

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HitTheTrail
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PostThu May 11, 2017 7:48 pm 
Bootpathguy wrote:
biggrin.gif Would it be this one
Nope! Actually it is above and drains into the lake in this TR. Maps don't seem to like to put a name on it. And in fact there is some disagreement on the spelling of the name anyway.

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ZakG
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PostFri May 12, 2017 10:41 pm 
I think those little holes were made by marmots. In May of 2015, we watched marmots come and go from holes like those while sitting at our campsite near the foot of (what's left of) the White Chuck Glacier.

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