williswall poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 1963 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
I'm slowly adding peaks to the Rainier 100 list, so looked at Florence and Sweet as easy ones to tick off (Florence is #66 for me). Crossing the nicely repaired road to the parking lot at Carbon River, I departed on an obviously maintained section of the Boundary Trail. The waterfall was awash and looked terribly slippery, so I dropped down a bit to get across the creek. Once past this I saw a much better place to cross higher up so made note of it for the return trip. The nice thing about tagging Florence is there's basically a way trail the entire way up Alki Crest. An easy scramble between the false and real summits deposited me on the true summit, where the summit register was obviously poking out of the rocks. I have rarely signed these and don't look for them but pulled the soggy sheets out and penciled myself in (my AKA that is). It was clear to the west but clouding in around the mountain but there was enough view for a 7.65 on the satisfaction meter.
Well that was so easy it would be nothing to break off and tag Sweet, so I read the description and ventured off to the nastiest bushwhack I've had in quite a while; mossy rocks, some snow, slide alder and gawdawful devils club. I think it took me an hour to cover maybe a quarter mile. When I finally got in position to see the ridge leading to Sweet, I saw more nastiness and it started to rain. "Screw this" was pronounced and I continued the 'schwack back to finally intersect the trail, very thankful to be out of the devils club. My experience was most likely the result of poor navigation choices so I'll have to pay more attention when I come back to tag that wooded summit.
My legs had recovered from last week's foray on the Nisqually Boundary Trail to explore that back way to Mt. Wow so I was able to trot the 4500' of downhill to the entrance. I hadn't been so sore in many years, the Nisqually BT is steep and those quad braking muscles were taxed to failure...I had hopped off a log and folded up like an accordion because the muscles just gave up the ghost when I landed. I mean days of soreness, grunting to go up two steps into the house, the "don't even touch my legs" soreness. This is all good, I've done consistent bike training all fall and winter and now I need to get the hiking/running legs up to speed....I'm aiming for maybe a sub 48 hour Wonderland this year for my 35th. All in all, a great day outside, even struggling through the tangled mess for an hour, which is always better when you think about it after its done. Stats: 11 miles/4500'
The Path Log end Polypores Giant Polypore Towards Puget Sound Rainier from Florence2 Florence summit Summit register Ranger cabin roof Carbon road repairs
I desire medium danger
williswall.com
neek, Pef, rubywrangler, fffej50, Now I Fly, John Mac, KascadeFlat
I desire medium danger
williswall.com
neek, Pef, rubywrangler, fffej50, Now I Fly, John Mac, KascadeFlat
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