Monday, October 10, 2011

A little bit of everything

Al sent out an email to all the Senior Trailblazers on Saturday to see if anyone might be interested in one last "extra" hike into the southern part of the North Cascades. South to us here in Bellingham, anyway. Another long day with two hours of driving to get there and two hours back, and the daylight hours getting shorter and shorter. Four of us decided that Sunday (instead of Monday) would give us the best possibility of decent weather, so we headed past Marblemount to Hidden Lake Peaks. This picture shows the tantalizing first views we got as we ascended into a meadow after climbing in mist, with occasional punctuations of sun. We were hopeful.
The higher we climbed, the more spectacular the views. We had crossed the meadow in the lower right to see some magnificent vistas. But the higher we got, the more the trail changed to rocky outcroppings, and then we saw it: where we were headed, a Forest Service lookout cabin on the tippy-top of a huge pile of rocks!
Taken with my telephoto lens, this pile of rocks looks impossible to climb, but we followed helpful cairns and wrestled with vertigo as we got closer and closer. Al took the next picture, and it was so incredibly dramatic and showed what we were dealing with that I asked him to send it to me.
On the right is the "trail" we followed to the cabin, and although the sky looks like it is clearing, we were at more than 6,000 feet of elevation (we were just below 7,000 at the summit) and looks can be deceiving at this altitude. And yes, that is a rather uncomfortable drop-off to the left. It was important to go slow and carefully. A look to the left of this picture and you could see Hidden Lake (my picture).
We were all finally at the lookout and had a quick lunch in the sheltered cabin. It's another one of those "first come first serve" places where the first group to arrive can spend the night, while others would need to descend somewhere else, like around the lake. Here's Al coming in the door:
Just after he came in to sit down, another hiking group of two entered to join us. One of them was a six-year-old kid (almost seven, he told me) with his father. He is quite an experienced hiker to have gotten up here, as we were all a little nervous about the descent and had pretty much reached our limit of our exertion, along with chills and thrills!

When we started back down, the clouds enveloped us and it began to snow. This made our descent even more harrowing and we hoped to be down off the rocks before it got worse, but as we climbed carefully downwards, it turned to rain. Before long we were all soaked, even with all our rain gear. After about an hour of this, the rain stopped and the sun tried to break through now and then. It never did, and just a half hour before we reached the car, I learned how HARD it can rain in the mountains. Reaching the car and getting warm again never felt so good.

Four soggy Trailblazers had covered nine miles and experienced clouds, mist, fog, rain, snow, exposure to the elements, being scared, being exhilarated, and around 3,500 feet of elevation gain and loss. That's why it was a "little bit of everything," but over our wonderful dinner in Marblemount, we decided we were glad we had missed out on sleet and hail. Okay, almost everything! In spite of it all, it was a great day, and I would go back in a minute... next year.
:-)

28 comments:

  1. Whew, I got a little light headed up in the clouds in all that 'thin' air!!!

    What a breathtakin' hike that must of been, not to mention, beautiful!!!

    Your pictures say it all sweetie, their just magic.

    God bless and enjoy your week!!! :o)

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  2. Oh wow! That was an amazing hike! I'd be terrified with that path, the snow, and the rain...but the view from up there--stunning!! Absolutely stunning!! And an "almost seven" year old climbed it! Wow! You guys must have been so thrilled to get to the car and turn the heater on. That was quite the last hike. I can't believe that you are done for the year now. But this was some spectacular and cold, wet icing on the cake. ;)

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  3. wow i got a little dizzy looking back down that mountain...what a view though...a little extra hike...ha...

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  4. That upper rock pile trail is one I would not be able to do. My sense of balance is too impaired. But once again you persevered, oh mighty hiker!

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  5. Well, good for you that you made it to the cabin and then back down to your car! Will wonders never cease? lol.

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  6. Oh wow. Beautiful, beautiful views - but I think I would be scared out of both of my wits.

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  7. Such a spectacular view, I wouldn't have the nerve to climb so high, you my friend are simply amazing !
    ~jo

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  8. This time of year you can always get some wicked weather. It seems to come up quickly out of nowhere. Sometimes when I get down after a hike like this I'm not only cold but very stiff.

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  9. I'm glad you're back in one piece. Since I have trouble remaining upright on flat groun this hike would not be for me. Beautiful pictures.

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  10. It looks scary to me..I am glad you all came back safely. That is a pretty little lake all hidden away:)

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  11. Oh DJan!

    My heart was in my throat as I gazed over the edge from my safe recliner! I can not imagine ever being brave enough to hike on those rocky trails. The weather conditions reminded me of a soaking wet hike over spring break a couple years ago, nothing so dramatic, but a steady four hour rain, and so much fog we could barely see ten feet ahead of us!

    You are the most amazing hiker woman I've ever known!

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  12. I'm glad y'all managed the trip safe and sound! The pictures are stunning. I really love the lake shot. We went for a drive in the mountains this weekend and at different places there would be signs telling us which mountain we were looking at...otherwise I'd have been clueless. So do you have books or something to refer to that tell you which mountain is what? Because I know you've not lived there long enough to know each and every one of those mountains you've introduced us to. I was just curious how that worked:)

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  13. You are one awesome climber, but you knew that. And a six-year-old up there? Wow. Not sure whether to think "amazing kid" or "crazy parents."

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  14. Wow, that was quite a day you had. It looks like a pretty challenging climb but those views would have been worth it.

    I'm glad you got to do this one before winter really hits.

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  15. The photos show that climb to be a frightening experience. The views are great and I'm glad all of you survived it.

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  16. Sigh, you're so lucky to be still hiking at this time of the year. Me? I can't. It's the weather. Well anyway I enjoy reading your story as well as with you're lush green pictures DJ. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. Your body must be thanking you all the time. And your mind.

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  18. Now that is some hike! I was feeling the exhilaration as I read. And great photos. Makes our plummeting temps down to the 50's seem not so bad!

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  19. I am back from our last trip and catching up, as always when I return. We walked around beautiful gardens and in streets too, but not close to mountains. Of course, this time, by knee was even worse than usual – it still hurts a lot, and walking is not easy. I never could go up those rocks like you do.

    We finally are getting some fall color - but snow! We’ll have to wait for a while. Your pictures really show how athletic you are. Thanks for coming to my blog – I enjoy reading your comments.

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  20. It never occured to me that you've have so much driving to get to all your gorgeous hiking spots. That makes for a very long day.

    Glad you all got now the mountain safe and sound.

    Thanks for the beautiful pics too.

    jj

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  21. Wow! This is absolutely breathtaking. Breathtaking because I know if it were me, I'd be out of breath. You are so amazing!

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  22. This has got to be the best hike of the season - took my breath away on that tiny path. OMGoodness, here I am dressing up the front porch for Halloween and I did accomplish the spooky effect, however, when I looked at that path...............NOW THAT WAS SPOOKY. Yikes, and a 7 yr old climbed that.
    Thanks DJan for that breathless hike. I sure enjoyed being there with you reading your post - GREAT

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  23. Gorgeous views ! And I know you're so glad you went... Thanks for sharing.

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  24. Amazing! I love your pictures.

    You're a braver soul than I am. That narrow path with the drop off on the left would have had me crawling on my knees.

    Thanks for sharing your adventure and the beautiful views.

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  25. Beautiful group of photos.

    Thanks for stopping and commenting on my post.

    √ Interesting thing that I didn't mention is all you see in the photo — bushes and shrubs etc were created by me. I didn't go to a nursery and buy them but did my cuttings and made my plants duplicates of themselves.

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  26. You are such a trooper! We plan on visitng the highest volcano/mountain in Costa Rica this year. But only plan to hike on it. Not up it.

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  27. fantastic photos but, although I admire you tremendously for being able to do this trek I'd never attempt it myself, not in a million years.

    My hat is off to you and your fellow hikers.

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  28. YOU are amazing! I'm jealous....those views are breathtaking! I'm glad you all made it back down safely albeit a little wet.

    Btw, I found your blog via Rita ~ :)

    Have a lovely evening,
    Serena

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