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Bright River
goslowgofar



Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 223 | TRs | Pics
Location: above the pogonip
Bright River
goslowgofar
PostMon Jul 31, 2017 8:30 pm 
I rarely day hike, virtually all my hikes are overnights. This allows my knees time to recuperate and breaks up large changes in altitudes, but most of all most of the places I want to go are cross- country and time of arrival all any given destination , is uncertain. It allows a bigger margin of safety, especially as I am not as fast now a days. I am careful about packing all the things on overnights. On dayhikes packing, not so much. I decided to dayhike a climb of Dock Bute, and two peaks on either side, both with 3-400 feet prominence. When I arrived at the TH, there were about 20 people shoulder packs and heading up the trail. I changed clothes, shouldered my pack, and started walking up the trail, then realized I had left my trekking poles and went back to the car to retrieve them. About 30' up the trail, I realized I had left my water bottles. I start eating snow whenever I pass it. after 1 hour and 45 minutes, I arrive at Dock Butte to find the main body of some organization. I guessed right, they are members of the Mt. Baker Hiking club. I ask thenm if they ever have overnight hikes and the response is that" No, We are all too enamored of sleeping in our own bed, to sleep out". I ponder this, because it is really the reason I am dayhiking this day. Dayhiking lends itself to using trails, not so much to climbing , or first ascents, or cross county, or any other enveavor where the outcome is not so certain. As they head back ,, I ponder Peak 4760 - just south of Dock Butte, partially cut, and the North side steeper than the other sides. The problem was getting off Dock butte and traversing eastward along its south base. It appears easy. I drop and follow a meadowed shelf south; then drop steeply over the north slope of Dock butte and look for a way through a 100' cliff band. Finally, I find a edgey wrinkle in the cliff and this allows me to descend ledges and reach a diagonal meadow, where I edge along the diagonal base of the cliff. I traverse wet meadow and steep forest for 1 and half hour before I get any view at all - but it offers no information relative to a route. I know there is a logging road down below but never find it; spend 2 hours traversing eastward to try to get to peak 4760; Finally I get to the rockiest and steepest North side and exit the rock and wet meadow to BRUSH. This is the worst brush, and angle for anything that ameliorate the quantity, aND by this time , I am very thirsty. tedious, and time consuming, I realize I am now 4 hours down on this endeavor, and that getting back before dark might be a problem. I keep going , but rarely rest and have not eaten anything. The top is a group of trees, I use the rockier , less brusher north side to descend, but take a tumble when a trekking pole tangles in the bush and trips my leg - I land on my hand, and it is sore and swollen on one of the knuckles, I continue grabbing vegetation for a belay, and the hand really hurts and then the hurt goes away. I figure that I had dislocated the finger, and then traction it pulling on the brush - it is quite bruised now. From the peak, I can see the logging road - and set a course , deciding I will eat something, and use my ziplock map bag to get a good drink at the first creek. I look for the plants that I picked and put on logs as markers, and for the single red ribbon at the cliff face to mark the passage to the upper forest and the NW ridge of Dock Butte, I plan to climb by a second route, not using the trail. Can't find the ribbon, then realize I am in the right place, but not high enough to see it. I climb another 100 feet and into the meadow and see the ribbon. Then go as fast as I can and find out that is not very fast. At this point, I have been traveling hard for 6 1/2 hours and have 1 1/2 hour before dark , and I feeling very tired and "wooden"; my muscles do not seem to be working very well. I am rueing not doing my usual Overnight and having to hurry all day. I have been sweating all day and my clothes are wet. I climb the NW rib of Dock Butte and then descend using the trail; it is difficult to walk, I feel like I am walking on posts, and have very little flexibility - I try to take smaller steps with less downward impact which seems to stiffen my muscles. Back at the car at dusk and can hardly drive, everything is cramping, especially hands and legs. I get out a number of times trying to undo the camps and they just seize up again in the car. I stop and get some Magnesium out of my pack and hope that helps. I get home and take some Calcium, and go to bed utterly exhausted - but everything is cramping, when I release one cramp, another starts. After an hour of this, I go into the kitchen and make a solution of lite salt ( Potassium), and table salt (sodium), which affords almost instant relief; and then do it again. the thought of a nice sleep in my own bed has caused all the problems; a hurried sweaty day, poor packing, no water, but most of all, all my salt intake , which is substantial, is in my breakfast and dinner meals on an overnight.

..-and rest thee by many brooks and hearthsides without misgiving. Rise free from care before the dawn and seek adventures. Let the noon find thee by other lakes, and the night overtake thee everywhere at home. HDT
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chiwakum
not credible



Joined: 29 Jun 2009
Posts: 980 | TRs | Pics
Location: Ballard
chiwakum
not credible
PostMon Jul 31, 2017 8:44 pm 
Thanks for this. I've had very similar electrolyte experiences. Compounded by taking diuretics. Fun read.

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RichP
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 5628 | TRs | Pics
Location: here
RichP
Member
PostMon Jul 31, 2017 9:11 pm 
Take it easy out there, BR. frown.gif

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zephyr
aka friendly hiker



Joined: 21 Jun 2009
Posts: 3361 | TRs | Pics
Location: West Seattle
zephyr
aka friendly hiker
PostMon Jul 31, 2017 9:57 pm 
RichP wrote:
Take it easy out there, BR. frown.gif
Definitely. Your story is a bit unsettling. I hope your hand is okay. Take care. ~z

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