2014-5-3 Alpine Lookout (Nason Ridge)

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I am way behind on the blog so the description will be brief for this and the next few trip reports. Colin and I were hoping to hit Mount Howard and Mastiff but due to a less-than-ideal forecast and questionable snow conditions we played it safe and started from the east end of Nason Ridge. We decided that we could be content with reaching the lookout, and if time and conditions allowed we could continue on from there. Snow stopped the truck just before the trailhead. The trail was tough to make out but the route was obvious from the terrain and soon we were on the mostly open slopes of a big burn.

The summit of Round Mountain is devoid of views and very flat, needles to say we didn't hang around long. Along the ridge Colin noticed a man-sized hole in the snow with bare rock on the bottom, about 7 feet below the snow surface. We explored this mini "snow cave" on our descent. As we continued up, turbulent clouds slowly lifted from the surrounding peaks exposing Icicle Ridge and the Chiwaukum Mountains to the south.

Before long the lookout came into view across a saddle with quite a bit of exposed rock and some huge cornices. We found a few short sections of melted out trail along the ridge at and beyond the saddle. The door was locked, so we set up for a break on the porch out of the wind, and Maverick promptly began to nap. Before leaving we dropped down on the North side of the ridge to explore a little column of rock which a goat must call home. The sky around us remained mostly filled with turbulent clouds.

On the way out we jumped into the little snow cave, which Maverick wanted no part of. Then we broke off some big cornices, riding them a whole 10 feet down to the little runout below. As we began the final descent back into the large burn, The sun really started to come out, bringing with it double and triple rainbows.

~9 miles ~4000 ft elevation gain

Lookout Mountain and Mount Clifty 9-22-2013

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The first time I made an attempt on Lookout Mountain and Mount Clifty the weather was similar to today's, and I turned back after only a few miles when my "waterproof" gear failed me. With a fresh nikwax treatment I was feeling much more confident as Colin and I left the gate below Hicks Butte under gray skies. At the junction for Trail 1334, we left road 4510 for Trail 1326.

Shortly after we passed Trail 1377.2, the rising Sun brought a deep red glow to the clouds and mist over the North Fork Taneum Valley. As we continued along the ridge top, the light pouring in from the east turned orange and then brilliant gold. A heavy wind hit us from the west and Lookout Mountain emerged from the clouds just before we left the trail for the summit.

 
At the top we found the most pristine benchmark I've ever seen. Colin dug up a small summit register

5-25-2013 Dirtyface Peak

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I climbed Dirtyface Peak today with my pup Automahn. I bailed on this one a few Weeks ago sure to poopy conditions on Stevens pass, and I was reminded last night when I read the recent report from nwhiker ree.





Weather was so cooperative it was almost eerie . It started with beautiful blue skies and patches of overcast that made way for sun breaks that ran like clockwork. When we reached the former lookout site at 11am I could see light rain approaching from behind Mount Mastiff and Howard. I hurried along, hoping to get as much distance and elevation behind me as possible before the rain could show up and slow me down. To my surprise, as the front left Nason ridge it parted around Lake Wenatchee and left us untouched, continuing NW over Napeequa Valley. For the remainder of the day I watched rain clouds engulf the surrounding mountains and ridges, and we found ourselves under only one five minute sprinkle and an even shorter lived snow flurry.




After dropping into the basin to the North we lost another hundred feet or so to avoid some cliffs,we crossed two short snow fields then re-ascended earlier than planned and continued along the top of the last half of the ridge to the base of Pt. 6223 without issue.  From the next saddle over we also hugged the top of the steep ridge to the true summit. Auto needed help with two small moves along the way, and the scramble up the last 200 feet of the summit is way out of his league so he paced around and cried to anyone who might listen while I ducked out of view to sign the register and snap some pics.





We scrambled up Pt 6223 on the return, which is pretty dog friendly except for the last 5 feet. There is a survey marker here, although I didn't see one on the true summit which is just under 20 feet higher.




Nearly everything North face is covered in 2-4 feet of well consolidated snow. Under thick canopy the surface is too firm to get a solid bite with microspikes, and we found ourselves in several steep exposed traverses that made an ice axe indispensable. On the way out I noticed footprints from at least 2 others on the trail below the lookout, and met a group of 4 at the TH on their way up for an overnight.



~14 miles round trip
~6000 feet elevation gain
10 hours car to car with plenty of time for pictures and sunbathing.

pictures soon to come

Tolmie Peak Lookout 11-27-2012

I Left the gate at 8:45 and started up the dry road. Snow showed up around 4000' feet and got as deep as 2-3 feet at the summit. Several others, including a few with snowshoes have made this trip since the bulk of the snow fell, a tightly packed trail to follow with little-to-no postholing. The overcast ceiling was well above Rainier and it was surprisingly warm compared to my recent trip to the Teanaway Valley. I used the Grindstone Trail to bypass the switchbacks in the road and before long I was looking at Mowich Lake.

 Some elevation was lost on the way up to Eunice Lake, which is completely frozen over. I was a little tempted to walk a short distance out, but being alone that would have been silly and dangerous. Even with the snow softening up a bit the short climb to the lookout tower and the true summit beyond it took less effort than I expected. 

Eunice Lake

 The tower has been shuttered for the season and the door sealed with a few nails but the back side luckily provided some decent shielding from the intense wind that seemed to begin as soon as I approached the top. Views were astoundingly clear in all directions. This was my first look at Mt St Helens since childhood. I dug around in the snow on the true summit for a register but had no luck, so after a few rituals I hurried back to the shelter of the lookout tower.

The true summit from the lookout