Forum Index > Trip Reports > Whiskey Dick and West Summit - 01/25/2018
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



Joined: 13 Feb 2007
Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics
Location: Stuck in the middle
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostSat Jan 27, 2018 5:05 pm 
Richp was here last April and had a hunch this area might get some sun while the rest of western Washington was continuing to be rained on. He was right and I was shocked at the lack of snow. We enjoyed many sun breaks and got in about 2000' of elevation gain on an 8 mile loop starting out near the gate. The most challenging part of the day was getting over Snoqualmie Pass and back -- we saw a few vehicles in the ditch, but chains were required and most people were driving cautiously.
Route to Whiskey Dick (right) and West summit (left). We took a cross country route back.
Route to Whiskey Dick (right) and West summit (left). We took a cross country route back.
Parking spot a little ways past the gate. Richard knew that you could take the chains off and drive in. But we didn't drive farther because it was a muddy and rutted road and we wanted the exercise.
Parking spot a little ways past the gate. Richard knew that you could take the chains off and drive in. But we didn't drive farther because it was a muddy and rutted road and we wanted the exercise.
Walking up the rutted road
Walking up the rutted road
Yellow lichen on a rock outcrop
Yellow lichen on a rock outcrop
West summit across the valley from the ridge we walked up.
West summit across the valley from the ridge we walked up.
Whiskey Dick summit is up there somewhere -- it's a very vauge summit area
Whiskey Dick summit is up there somewhere -- it's a very vauge summit area
Final stretch to Whiskey Dick summit
Final stretch to Whiskey Dick summit
I guess fence posts are hard to place in the rocks so they are built this way
I guess fence posts are hard to place in the rocks so they are built this way
Lots more windmills to the northeast
Lots more windmills to the northeast
Small constructed wind break on what we considered to be the summit
Small constructed wind break on what we considered to be the summit
Along the fence line there were occasional heavy duty rock cribs to anchor the barb wire. But the fence is not being maintained anymore.
Along the fence line there were occasional heavy duty rock cribs to anchor the barb wire. But the fence is not being maintained anymore.
On the way to West summit from Whiskey Dick
On the way to West summit from Whiskey Dick
West summit only has about 180' of prominence which is all from this pass. It's too bad there's not more, but it's a pretty cool summit anyway.
West summit only has about 180' of prominence which is all from this pass. It's too bad there's not more, but it's a pretty cool summit anyway.
On West summit
On West summit
West summit benchmark and register / geocache
West summit benchmark and register / geocache
West summit register. It was too wet to sign.
West summit register. It was too wet to sign.
West summit geocache
West summit geocache
From West summit we continued west to a couple more minor bumps
From West summit we continued west to a couple more minor bumps
We finished by going cross country back to our car. This required dipping through a couple drainages, each of which had a small dam
We finished by going cross country back to our car. This required dipping through a couple drainages, each of which had a small dam
The small dam in the first valley
The small dam in the first valley
Cool looking moss or something that is growing on the basalt rocks. The mice must like this too because the is a lot of mouse scat here too.
Cool looking moss or something that is growing on the basalt rocks. The mice must like this too because the is a lot of mouse scat here too.
The second drainage dam. This one had a little bit of ponded water.
The second drainage dam. This one had a little bit of ponded water.
The second dam either had a blowout at one time or someone deliberately breached the dam.
The second dam either had a blowout at one time or someone deliberately breached the dam.
White bones of what was probably a deer
White bones of what was probably a deer
Final bit back to the car, visible on the right near a pickup
Final bit back to the car, visible on the right near a pickup
Lower down we saw a lot of mouse runs
Lower down we saw a lot of mouse runs

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RichP
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 5628 | TRs | Pics
Location: here
RichP
Member
PostSat Jan 27, 2018 6:17 pm 
This was a nice ramble through the sagebrush. It is always amazing to cross into dry and sunny weather after being in near white out conditions at the pass.
Hedgehog cactus.
Hedgehog cactus.
Monty on the road.
Monty on the road.
A moment of sun on the way down to Whiskey Dick West Peak.
A moment of sun on the way down to Whiskey Dick West Peak.
Walking the west ridge down to make a loop.
Walking the west ridge down to make a loop.
Back in the shrub steppe.
Back in the shrub steppe.

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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostMon Feb 05, 2018 6:48 pm 
I remember that TR and was trying to get down there and do a big loop but never made it. Hopefully this year.

Living in the Anthropocene
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