White Salmon Snowshoe Work Party 02-23-2013

What better way to spend a foggy winter day in the mountains than helping out a couple local clubs to brush out and flag a snowshoe trail?

Sharon Robinson, Bud Hardwick and a handful of others from the Mount Baker Club and the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club met up in Maple Falls and then carpooled to the White Salmon Sno-Park located just beyond the Hwy 542 DOT Maintenance shed.

We geared up with our snowshoes or skis and a variety of tools and then proceeded to spend the next six hours improving signage and clearing branches to make the snowshoe trails easier to locate and follow.

Photo ops weren't the priority for the day so there are only a couple images worth sharing, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Kudos and thanks to all of you who helped establish and maintain these great trails!  Keep up the great work and I hope to join you all again soon!

My route included about 8 miles of travel and 800 feet of elevation gain.

**Sno-Park permits are required for parking at the White Salmon Sno-Park.**

~E

Itinerary for 3-10-2013

Current plan (pending weather and what-not) is to explore Goat Mountain outside of Lyman - about a 10 mile round trip (out and back) to a high point just below 5,000 feet with views of three volcanoes if the weather cooperates.

Access is mostly via logging roads that begin off the Baker Lake road near Grandy Lake (about 5 miles from Hwy 20).

Backup plan would be to reach the top of Cavanaugh Mountain (off the Lake Cavanaugh road) via logging roads.  While in that neighborhood (and depending on the time) maybe a visit to Bald Mountain might be in order.

The first challenge will be to get out of the house at a reasonable time (given it's daylight savings transition time)  and I have to drop off something at church (without bursting into flames for hiking in lieu of praising) on my way out of town.

Heaven help me.

Don't worry though.  I'll be praying throughout the day (mostly for sunshine).   That's a joke... the sunshine part, not the praying part.  :)

Happy hiking!

~E

Huntoon Point Winter Sunshine 01-23-2013

A long time ago in a mountain range not far away, a day of winter sunshine provided an unforgettable opportunity to enjoy the beauty of living in the great northwest!

This blog has numerous trip reports to Austin Pass, Artist Point and Huntoon Point so I won't bore you with all the same old details.  The route is the same, the avalanche dangers remain if you follow the road instead of taking 'Cardiac Hill' (renamed to be more family friendly) and the popularity continues. 

Here is a 'quick edit' version of my favorite photos from that outing - there were quite a few of them.

The sun was just breaking through the clouds as the chairlift came into view.

 Table Mountain awaits...

 The below group was part of an Avalanche Training class.  Their yells that announced they 'just saw an avalanche and people are buried' certainly captured my attention.  I was about ready to charge down the hill to assist before I concluded that they were only simulating the scenario and not actually in need of my help.  Whew!

 An artistic shadow.  The texture of the snow really adds to the depth of the image, but you may not be able to appreciate it in this web-sized version.  "Ya had to be there."

 Ascending next to the Blueberry Cat-Track.

 Shuksan showing off.

 The burning winter sun.

 Snow curves, trees and more texture.  Unbelievable.

 Mount Baker!

 Rime Ice on trees along the route to Huntoon Point.  Shuksan peeks over the horizon.

 Other outdoor recreationists that I don't know but they certainly made for a great addition to this image.

 Wind scoured snow, and it's shadows.

 Tree of Icicles

 Lots of snow up at Mount Baker... and this was 'before' all the snow showed up.

  Departing the ski area at the end of a fantastic day.

 Twilight Alpen Glow on the Twin Sisters just after passing through the hamlet of Acme.  No roadrunners or coyotes were sighted.

Before heading home I did a little exploring along the Heather Meadows loop, but it proved to be a much longer loop than I anticipated so I called it quits at The Firs cabin before there was too much elevation loss.

Daylight Savings Time is rapidly approaching.  Be sure you enjoy the snow before it all turns to mashed potatoes and sun cups. 

Happy Hiking!

~E