O.K. suggested Big Jim. The weather forecast was similar, similar distance and EG, + bushwacking, no crevasse, less drive. Doesn't look appealing to me. Then she told me that she may need to be home Saturday morning for a contractor, so we agreed to discuss later Saturday. I went to Teneriffe on bus. That's enough workout for a week. So, I suggested a flower hike (Easton Ridge), where weather doesn't matter much, based on this trip report on 6/6. Of course, she discarded this idea, she wants to bag a peak. We agreed on meeting up later Saturday and look for a less risky day-climb.
6/8, Saturday, O.K. text me from Alpental, and suggested Denny Mountain, which is in Alpental. Forecast is cloudy, 20% precipitation after 3pm. No thunderstorm.` 2 miles 2500', sounds easy. She arrived at my home ~8:30pm, from Alpental, after climbing Avalanche Mountain. I don't understand this driving back-and-forth. Why not just camp at Alpental area?
6/9 Sunday. We got up at 6am, as suggested by O.K. She forgot her wallet, and then I forgot my hiking pole.
By the time we drove off, it was 6:50am.
Parked in the big empty lot of the ski area. Less than 10 cars this early, will be almost full when we got back.
We headed out ~7:50am.
First followed the road up the ski slope. It's wide but rough, with creek running in the middle.
We kept on the road for too long. Turned left fairly high on fairly steep snowy slope.
A bit of bushwacking at time.
Once at the end of the Amstrong Express lift, continued flat-ish, to Edleweiss Lift.
The lift goes above some cliff, which we had to route to its left. You can see O.K. in this photo.
At the top of Edleweiss Lift, it's again a small flat area.
Turn left to go up to Denny. This is somewhat steep, but not too much. See this photo to the right.
We left spikes at the bottom of the rocks.
Climbed up the base of the rocks.
O.K. explorered a crack, but she didn't find a way up.
I went in and found a crack to the left which we could squeeze by.
I had to take off my day-pack, and dragged it behind me.
Once out of the crack, there's straighforward scramble.
In the photo to the left, you can see O.K. inside this crack.
On the way down, I picked a different route, without going though the crack.
The big cube rock that made a crack has an iron cable all around it.
Hold this, you can also go around.
The summit offers 360° view, including the cellphone tower.
The cable is to ancher the cell tower!
I ate my sandwich on the summit. OK left her pack below the crack, so she went down earlier.
Took the same way down to the top of Armstrong Express. OK continued our booktrap down. I instead tried to follow the track I downloaded, which connects to the summer trail. We agreed to meet at the car. I went down, more or less below Armstrong Express' lifts. Managed to find the summer track. It wasn't obvious, especially its higher reach was still in the snow. I arrived at the parking lot quite a bit sooner.
It was still early. Not yet 1pm. Sun was out. Olga suggested that we go to my recommended flower hike. So we did. But I didn't plan to go to 2 hikes, only brought 1L water, now half gone. We stopped at the WDOT restroom to clean up a bit. No drinking fountain. One server at the attached gift shop was very nice. Filled our water bottle. Then we drove half an hour east to Easton Ridge TH.
The small TH parking can fit ~8 cars. Saw at least 4 cars parked in small pullouts along the 1 mile dirt road leading to the TH. In early afternoon, people are usually done hiking. We found a spot in the shade. It was getting hot. Thankfully, you start in the shade here.
This TH is shared by multiple trails.
Turn right and go down to cross Silver Creek, both Baldy Mt and Easton Ridge, which shared the first 1.3 mile and 1100'.
Right before the bridge over the creek, there's a nice area for camp. Would be lovely in summer: shade, next to the creek.
After the trail split, it continues to go up.
Less shade now. Once awhile open view to the Kachess Lake.
Saw some strange quarry (green-ish chemical color), and 2 stretches of long rectangular tree-lined space.
The higher we went, the more flowers.
Saw many species. A lot of lomatium, larkspur, white phlox. Even trillium and balsamroot (only one clump).
Tons of silvercrown (but not in bloom yet). Some species of lewisia.
Some chocolate lily, white current, velarium, glacier lily (almost all withered).
Saw a few snowy douglasia (endemic).
Most notable is small blue-eyed Mary. Millions of them.
See the background of this sicklepod rockcress.
It's a treat.
Funny that O.K. didn't see any until I showed one to her. Then she said "Oh, they are everywhere".
We "bagged" the highpoint of the ridge, Point 4518.
Rocky, good view. O.K. continues to another point, a bit lower, not far.
I walked back, finding a shady spot to air my socks and boots (a bit wet due to the snow).
It's quite warm here.
Back the same way to the car. By the time we reached the car, it was ~5:35pm. Only 2 more car in the parking lot.
Stopped in North Bend for dinner. O.K. wanted Thai. Other than fried rice, she ordered Thai ice tea w/o ice. A bit odd, but they complied. In the photo, it's my dinner.
