Thursday, June 16, 2011

Excelsior Pass attempt

I was so happy that finally, mid-June, the Senior Trailblazers would leave the Chuckanuts behind and drive up the Mt. Baker Highway to check out Excelsior Pass. Ken Wilcox, in "Hiking Whatcom County," gave this description of the hike:
There are two approaches to this extensive alpine ridge. ... Both lead to exceptional meadows and good views of Mt. Baker, the North Cascades, and peaks of the B.C. coastal range. ... Note that the snow on north-facing slopes takes longer to melt, which means the longer south route may be mostly snow free several weeks earlier than the north.
Well, ten of us headed up the highway to try out the longer south-facing route. This is what it looked like for a couple of miles, lots of green and really lovely, other than the fact that the sun didn't shine on us all day. No matter, it wasn't raining, which is always a plus. The hike begins at an altitude of 1,850 feet, and we didn't run into snow until we had trekked to right around 3,700 feet.
You can see the trail is becoming obscured by snow, but we figured we could get quite a bit higher, using Al's GPS tracking device to stay on or near the trail. However, by the time we reached 4,200 feet, the trail began to be less and less visible. We tried to break through some of the more dangerous looking snow, in order to make it safer for others, as well as for us on our return journey.
Here is Al breaking through the snow to the trail, but it wasn't long before the trail was only visible by pink streamers that had been placed by some intrepid hikers who went out some time before us and made it all the way to the ridge, I'll bet. By the time noon rolled around, we were still 900 feet from the top, because hiking through snow is slow going, and we made a decision to have lunch and decide what to do afterwards.
If you enlarge this picture, you can see the pink marker that was our only indication of a way to the ridge. As you might have guessed, once we had our lunch break, we decided to head back down through the snow to the trailhead and our cars. Fortunately we were able to follow our own tracks and were never in any danger of getting lost. I saw this really beautiful moss-covered rock on our way back down, with ferns strategically placed as if positioned by a guiding hand.
What amazes me is how everything grows so profusely in this part of the world. The rain helps, of course, and the low altitude, but I am constantly astonished at the beauty I am able to appreciate every single time we hike into the wilderness. Not to mention being in the company of good friends who are always filled with the same pleasure and joy that I feel when being together in the wilderness.

We covered only 5.5 miles and 2,600 feet in elevation gain and loss. We did agree that the snow for the second half of the hike made it seem twice as long. We didn't really have an incentive to make it all the way to the top, since the clouds would obscure any possible view. It really didn't make or break our hike; it has been a good day. Thanks for sharing it with me.
:-)

19 comments:

  1. Just beautiful. And I loved the final photo with the rocks and the ferns. Thankyou for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow. dont know how long i would last wading through snow...better luck next time...and that last pic is awesome...

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is so beautiful and refreshing to see snow - somewhere else - on a hot June day. Great pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do so love your photos of your hikes! The moss and ferns were magical. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The moss and ferns were beautiful. It does look like someone placed them just in the right spots. The snow didn't look too fun...but it seems you made the best of it and enjoyed yourself. Having good friends along always helps.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite is the moss and ferns picture. What's so amazing is the difference in terrain and foliage in that short span.
    I, too, got a walk in-I walked 5 kids to the park in the 85+ sunshine. The walk back was particularly nice since they were all sweaty, thirsty and in need of naps. I'm betting your hike was a bit more serene:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mt heart starting beating faster when I saw the snow on the trail, and thought 'oh, no turn back !!'
    3700 feet, I would need an oxygen bottle :)
    What a magical place you've shared, all the moss on the rocks, and cocooned by tall trees,a spiritual world.
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Slogging through spring snow is always an interesting experience. Once slogged through about 4 miles of snow. We didn't worry about the trail. We could see the exact point where we would cross the ridge.
    I can smell the lush growth you have in your photo.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Not sure I'd want to wade through snow. Didn't it get inside your boots and wet your pants?

    Here in Hawaii, it is sunny, bright, and humid -- a/c weather. But it is very colorful outdoors.

    My daughter sometimes hikes alone. I keep telling her it's dangerous to do that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The snow is beautiful, but not something I would slog through. Are there any estimates out there for when the snow will be gone?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good post. I must confess that the pictures of the ferns reminded me of pictures of other geological time periods so I looked at Wikipedia to see if I could identify it. Fascinating discussion about the geological time scale that I would not have thought about without your pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Boy it's beautiful up there...I remember living in Oregon and being amazed that you could ski Mt Hood just about ANY time of the year, even in the middle of summer!
    Loved the moss covered fern rock...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I enjoy these hikes vicariously! Love the pic of the moss and ferns. They look arranged, as if someone came along before your group and placed them there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The moss and ferns are beautiful, I always enjoy seeing the lush green forest on you side. Even with the snow to slog through (it can be a real pain) it sounds like a pretty good day.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The moss covered rocks and fern looked like a lovely tropical island. I don't think I would have gone past that pink ribbon either, DJan!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hate to say it, DJan, but "only" and "5.5 miles" don't go together in my mind. Five point five is a long way, uphill through the snow. For most people!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow! This reminds me of Yellowstone and Glacier! Gorgeous!

    Thank you so much for your visits and encouragement. I'm still so horribly jet lagged. I don't know what's the matter with me. I'm trying to get through the thousands of photos that were taken by three cameras and it's exhausting! Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank YOU for sharing it. I wouldn't be happy spending any part of my beloved summer seeing snow.. much less hiking through it. I love that last photo.. it's a beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Loved that moss on the rocks! The snow looks just like icing on a cake and the trees - they are so straight and tall!

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments! If you see a word verification box here, just ignore it. I don't use the darn thing and Blogger is trying to get us to use it, I guess. Ignore it and your comment will still appear.