2016.7.24-25 Ruth Mountain - double take

7/23, Saturday, cloudy (partly sunny was in the forecast). 5:45am alarm (not necessary). A hearty breakfast. No traffic on the road. A stop at Glacier ranger station (already a lot of people at 8:20am!). Started hiking shortly after 9am from Hannegan Trailhead (lots of cars). Getting to Hannegan Pass is straight forward. Flowers were blooming along the trail, mostly penstemon and pearl everlasting. Patches of paintbrush, yarrow, columbine.

Took a side trail down to a tarn (camped here last fall). Up an almost vertical gully - being made worse by all the climbers. This is probably the most difficult stretch. Route around the Point, trail covered with snow. Enough boot tracks to lead the way. Set up our camp behind the Point, above the ridge leading to Ruth. Around 5700'. Less bugs than around Hannegan Pass. The view here is spectacular.

~1pm. Repacked and headed to Ruth. Reached the summit in less than 2 hours. Two geological survey markers. Two single tent sites (with rock walls). Some small flowers clinging on the rocks. Cloudy. Put on rain jacket and waited for the partly sunny weather for an hour. Clouds only got thicker, threatening to pour down. The visibility was very poor on the way down. I heard thrusting sound, only a good 5 minutes later saw a group of 6 on ropes heading up. They were going to camp at a knoll SW of Ruth on the way to Icy Peak, as described in Ruth Icy Traverse. Barely an hour later, back to tent. I'm glad to have brought my Kindle along. After an early dinner, sat and waited for the clouds to blow away, but they never did.

7/24, Sunday. Sunny and warm, not a shred of cloud. Woke up at 3am. Bright moon, shining stars, not cold. Got up a bit too late for the actual sunrise. Walked up to the Point before 6am to enjoy the landscape in the morning sun. Heathers were starting to bloom. The moon was still high. A fat marmot.

Didn't make hot breakfast, as the day was warmed up as we prepared. Before 9am, reached the top of Ruth again. Spent another hour on the summit. The view is stupendous. Shuksan's jagged north face seems within an arm's reach. Baker behind it. To the south, Rainier, Glacier Peak. To the east, Challenger Glacier, Pickett Range, and many peaks of North Cascades. To the north, Canadian mountains. Saw a group of climbers descending from Icy Peak, and some down camped at the knoll along the traverse. Shared the summit with 3 very talkative brothers and 2 silent climbers, all of them carried harness (not used) and wearing climbing boots (no crampons). They are quite more experienced than I am, almost running down the snowy slope. I walked down one step at a time. The view downhill is also splendid.

Coming down the gully is not easy. I slipped twice, got very muddy, one scratch, otherwise no damage. Instead of continuing back up to Hannegan Pass and onto the main trail, I decided to try the boot track towards Hannegan Camp. The trail is discernible, a bit overgrown. I picked up a torn black garbage bag. So I think I was on the right track. But soon, I couldn't make out the trail. Bushwhacking a bit, following a creek to the meadow where the camp is. It's very pretty here. Flowers are coming, so are mosquitoes. At this time, part of it was somewhat swampy and muddy. This cut-off is definitely shorter, and no elevation gain.

Met many hikers and campers coming in on our way out. Reached the car ~3pm, 80°F. Lots of traffic on I-5 at various points, due to lane closing this weekend for WDOT work (I didn't see a single worker!). My bus to Portland had to find an alternative stop due to the Chinatown Seafair Parade. For a good 10 minutes, I was worried that I couldn't find the bus, as this is the last one of the day (8pm). Searching and talking to people with luggage works, asking police is useless. Slept most of my way south: not comfortable.

2016.7.17. Paradise Park from Timberline Lodge

7/17, Sunday. Overcast with thunderstorm warning. It turned out to be great hiking weather. Even there're threatening clouds at times, not a single drop of rain. Total 4 of us. Very slow, as our hike leader is in her 70s. She's a botanist, so I learned a lot.

When we arrived at Timberline Lodge around 10am, it was sunny. Clouds were below us. Before descending to Zigzag, at the edge of the canyon, the view is superb. Many people choose to return at this point. To get to Paradise Park, you have to zigzag down to the Zigzag river, cross it, and go back up. The river crossing is easy with two installed small planks. At the trail junction of PCT and Paradise Loop trail, pick the right trail and go up. It starts to get very lush. We saw fields of Jacob's Ladder. There's another creek, with a good campsite before (closer to water) and after the easy crossing. A mile or less further, the view is more open, but plants are more sparse. More campsites. I did find a tiny creek with flowers next to it, probably will dry off in a month. I turned around after climbing on top of the Split Egg rock. The clouds were menacing by then. No thunder, nor lightening. By the time we regrouped and got back close to the lodge, the clouds dissipated.

Met two ladies camping at Paradise Park near Mississippi Head (further than I went). They were very friendly and chatty. We had a drink on the balcony overlooking the west (the wrong side to see Mt Hood): clouds lay below us like a thick blanket.

My phone registered about 25K steps. So maybe 12 miles.

Flowers should peak in 2 weeks.

2016.7.16. Loowit Falls at Mt. St. Helens

7/16, Saturday. Cloudy, 20% chance of rain is in forecast. Cloudy weather is ideal to hike in Mt. St. Helens, as there's no shade to be had there. 13 of us walked about 9 miles from Windy Ridge, a lollipop kind of a loop, with the spur to Loowit Falls and back. Not a single drop of rain.

Flowers lined along the road as you drive in, as well as walking the first mile of 207 (the people at Mt. St. Helens Institute can drive this stretch of gravel road). This loop is entirely in the blast zone (you are not supposed to go off trail here, so no camping). Near the falls, the trail is more rugged: rocky. We saw two groups of goats, from 226 (Loowit Trail). There're a couple of easy creeks to cross, one of which is lushly green with blooming pink monkey flowers. Otherwise, it's more or less barren.

The northern part, along 207 and towards 207, flowers were covering the rocky ground for miles and miles, heavy scent of lupine. Mostly blue, some yellow and red. We really hit the jackpot for flowers today. Here you can see Spirit Lake, and briefly Mt Rainier, and Loowit Falls from afar.

Since it's a long drive (3 hours), we stopped at Cougar for dinner. I happened to sit next to a table with two Mazama hikers aged 67 and 73. They were staying in a cabin here, and hike every day for 14, 15 miles. They look very enthusiastic and fit. Both of them usually hike twice a week, and do a ramble or 2 a week, plus going to gym. A lot of exercise!

2016.7.9. Portland day tour

7/9 Saturday. Overcast. Walked around Portland with one of my college roommates and her parents.

First stop: Reed College. Nice big lawn and good looking buildings.

Second stop: International Rose Test Garden. Lots of people.

Late lunch at Rogue Distillery and Public House, the 3rd brewpub we tried (the previous two each required 45 minute wait). Great service. We tried Chocolate Stout, Good Chit Pilsner, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Pendleton Pale Ale. We didn't like Chocolate Stout. Afterwards, walked along waterfront, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Director's Square, and South Park, where a Bastille Day celebration was going on.

Last, Nike campus. There was a high school elite football competition going on: The Opening, which was to finish this weekend.

2016.7.2-4. Eileen Lake + Middle Sister summit

7/2, Saturday. Partly sunny. Temperature is in the upper 70°Fs. Drove OR-242 for Obsidian Trail. First stop: Proxy Falls. Well signed parking area. Short trail (~1.5 mile RT). I was wearing sandals: not a good idea. The upper falls is small and ugly. The lower falls is splendid, wide and tall. Lots of rocks to play with and get sprayed on. Many people here.

Obsidian Trail starts with leveled and smooth trail in the young forest, for about 2 miles. It soon enters the the shaded area on the map, which is by permit only. I've obtained 2 day use permits, one for hiking in and one for hiking out. Overnight permits were all taken. Then trail then goes over a lava flow, slowly gaining elevation, until reaching PCT. Met a group of 4 day hikers. That's all we encountered on this Saturday. Turned right (S) on to PCT, hitting more snow. Soon you can see The Husband to your right (W of PCT). Turned right again at Linton Meadow trail, going downhill. Linton Meadow is lovely. Sun was already setting, casting a pink hue to South and Middle Sister. More and more mosquitoes. Eileen Lake is another half mile west, passing a couple of smaller meadows. Saw two tents at the east end of the lake. Water is very shallow (ankle deep?) and warm. Tons of mosquitoes, but they quieted down after 9:30pm. Good view of both South and Middle Sister. Need to come here after the mosquito season, and earlier in the day, for the sunset here would be beautiful. I tried to take star photos well into the night.

7/3, Sunday. Sunny. Eileen Lake bathed in the early sun looks lovely. However, too buggy. Packed everything and ran away at 7am! Husband Lake seems to be more than just one lake, right at the foot of The Husband. Quite pretty as well. Saw two tents at two different spots.

Linton Meadow is probably my favorite spot this weekend. It's broad and green, crisscrossed by little streams. Flowers are coming up, so are mosquitoes. Need to come back later after the bugs. Saw a girl by her tent at one of the smaller meadows, where we lost our trail. She said she was lost too. Later this day, met 2 runners, and a couple of backpackers and day hikers on PCT. Set up camp by PCT at a stream of snowmelt, with the backdrop of Middle Sister. Cooked a late breakfast / early lunch.

Climb Middle Sister. Didn't find a good approach from the west side. Ended using the SE ridge, same approach as from Camp Lake (where I started 2 years ago). Met only 2 groups (2 and 4) during my slow ascent, no one else getting to the ridge for climbing. Lots of snow getting to the ridge, but no snow whatsoever from there to the top. All rock piles, many loose. Pick your rock, no trail. Somewhat dangerous. The reward is the splendid view of South Sister, Broken Top, Camp Lake (thawed), 3 Chambers Lakes (still half frozen), all the way up. At the summit, 360° view: North Sister, Mt Washington, Jefferson, Hood to the north, to the south Mt Bachelor, Diamond Peak, and more big pools of water further. Windy. Coming down is equally dangerous. Took me 4+ hours to get to the top, and 3+ hours back to camp.

Back to camp at 8pm. Started a camp fire. Mosquito is not as bad as by the lakes which are 1000' lower. Nice sunset to the west. Didn't bother with photographing the stars tonight.

7/4, Monday. Sunny. Hiked out, and complete the Obsidian loop via PCT and Glacier Way. This stretch of PCT is very scenic. Obsidian spring, a couple of ponds, heathers and paintbrushes, not too many mosquitoes. Good place to camp. Going downhill via Glacier Way to catch Obsidian Trail. Partial view of Jefferson and Washington. Back on the lava field, and out to the carpark.

Continued on 242 towards Sisters. Stop at Dee Wright Observatory for photos. Lots of people here. I love this observatory with its tiny windows pinpointing the mountains they open to. Refueled at Three Creeks Brewery. Tried some seasonal beers, one of which is call experimental.