The Anxious Mountaineer

backpacking

Chelan Lakeshore 2023-05-18/20

It all began with a trip cancellation. We were supposed to go there about two weeks before. The weather seemed nice - Warm and sunny. Suddenly, the weather forecast turned foul. The NOAA issued a flood warning watch sue to the warm days. There would be an intense atmospheric event

Little Si Scrambling 2022

Just some pictures here. The trip was unremarkable except for wet slimy rocks; this made for a slimy exposed route to circumnavigate the open book. We helped all the students make it through the open book by holding their boots against the rock for better grip.

backpacking

Enchanted Valley 2022

This trip is one that I will remember forever. It all started with a bear spray. We reached to the car-camping place close to the trailhead one night before. We were setting up camp on our old tent, getting ready to sleep and recover for the long hike to come.

mountaineering

Mount Baldy May 2022

This trip happened on a Sunday, but it all started on a Saturday really. Karla had her snow field trip aka self arrest practice. I volunteered to help with the course so we both spend the day out in the mountain tossing around in the snow and kicking steps. In

winter

Winter Camping Class

We helped with The Mountaineers winter camping course this year and had a beautiful day to camp, and this is a lazy entry once more. The forecast called for rain and overcast day, but we got a beautiful sunny and warm day Unfortunately the hike up took too long, and

mountaineering

Guye Peak winter attempt

Lazy entry, Attempted a winter climb of Guye Peak. The day was mostly cloudy and foggy in the morning. The avy danger was moderate for all levels. NWAC advisory highlighted that the sun was coming out and wet loose were more likely to happen. We had a bunch of pinwheels

snow

Artist Point + Huntoon Point Jan/2022

Lazy entry. Artist point with Axel, Ahtziri and Abraham while Karla attended AIARE I Beautiful day, very hard snow. Used crampons on the morning and transitioned to snowshoes once the sun was above and softened the upper crust. We made the best of the hard snow and low avy danger

backpacking

Lake Ingalls Oct 2021

We got to the trailhead at 7:10 and it was full already. We parked about half a mile away from the trailhead! The trail was crowded, the permit sheets were gone. Of course, it was prime time for the larches' colors and it was probably the last sunny weekend

backpacking

Ozette Triangle

It all started on a mamamovil - We rented one and we all drove to the camp on it. It made for an enjoyable drive, instead of a long daunting one. We rode the ferry into Bainbridge. Being a Friday and in the opposite direction of the commuters, the ferry

backpacking

Enchanted Valley

We slept at the car at Pacific Beach State Park to avoid doing the long drive in the morning to the trailhead. We were a party of four. We started a bit late due to the logistics of a full trailhead and disposing of last night's trash. We had boots

backpacking

Lake Ingalls Aug 22 2021

It all began with a trip to Spider Meadows. Spider Meadows??? Yep, everybody canceled that trip and we end up doing this instead. The hike up to the pass is somewhat boring. It starts next to a creek and quickly departs it. You go through rocks, more rocks and some

backpacking

Tuscohatchie thru hike

The plan: Hike from the Talapus Lake Trailhead to the Franklin Falls Trailhead Day1 in red - Day2 in blueThe planned stats: Day 1Day 2I was hoping for 4 - 4.5 hours hike days. Boy I was wrong... The reality was: 8 miles each day, 6:00hrs each day.

backpacking

Navaho Pass + Peak

It was a clear, sunny day. The trail is in great condition and it's mostly dry with only some muddy sections. The snow is mostly gone and we found some very small patches at the meadow. We made about 2:40 from the car to the meadow, which was pretty

hiking

Colchuck+Stuart Lake

Woke up at 4:30 to meet in Bellevue at the Wilburton Park and Ride. After a restroom stop and a stop at Safeway to pick up some beers, we made it into the trailhead around 8:20. The parking was full, as was expected. Most people parked on the

mountaineering

Humpback Mountain 6/2

The drive from off I-90 to what would be the "trailhead" takes about 20-25 minutes. It is full of potholes, but not too terrible. The first section of this trail feels like an abandoned forest road. It is not wide enough for a car, but it is nice and flat.

backpacking

Duckabush River - 5.5mi camp

We arrived at the Duckabush River Trailhead (End of Duckabush Rd) by 9:40 on a Saturday and the lot was full. While we were putting on boots and gaiters we saw people arrive and turn around. There's the stock parking 100m away or so. She was so looking forward

mountaineering

Guye Peak

Snowy scramble up Guye Peak's north route. Guye Peak seemed from a parking lot, Snoqualmie Mountain to the left of itWe got together and started discussing our plan and concerns at 8:00 on Alpental's parking lot; right at the Snow Lake Trailhead. There was snow right from the beginning,

Baker Lake - Maple Grove

This trip was planned to depart from the northern shore, on the Baker River Trailhead and hike up to Silver Creek. The trail was devastated and some people hardly made it to Noisy Creek. We changed plans at the last moment to hike from the south trailhead and stay at

backpacking

Jay Lake

We started very early as we had three cars and the parking lot at Wallace Falls State Park fills up very quickly on weekends! We took a loop hike; going on on Saturday through the Woody trail up to the upper falls, taking the boot path to the old forest

backpacking

Reflection Lakes Snow Camp

We arrived at 8:30 to Longmire. We would pick up our overnight permit there with the rangers. Somebody in our party was to loan out a bear cannister. The idea was to have everything ready and ride to Narada Falls parking lot at 9:00. The time they open

snowshoeing

Commonwealth Basin Snowshoe

Today was a perfect day for snowshoeing at the Commonwealth Basin!

snow

Avalanche Forecasts on an InReach

I am imagining when Alvaro and I attempt Mt. Adams. It will at least be an overnight trip, perhaps a two-nighter. Anxious me was thinkin: How will I know what the current avalanche problems are? I can ask for the weather on the InReach, but nothing for avalanches. So I

hiking

Poo Poo Point

Once again we took a hike just to see nothing. Fortunately on this occasion the hike was a 4 miles round trip one. We made 1:30 to the top, so it wasn't that bad. The original plan was to go and hike on the dark to catch the sunrise.

hiking

Dirty Harry's Peak

This was a Mountaineers trip, and we were a party of 7! Arriving to the parking lot is a bit confusing idea on my head. The mountain and trailhead being on the north side of I-90 you must take the exit to the south and then cross below the highway.

hiking

Teneriffe Falls (Aka

I navigated to the trailhead with Google Maps set to Teneriffe Falls trailhead. That was a mistake, since that trailhead has no parking space and connects directly to the Mount Teneriffe Trailhead. That is where I wanted to go and park. The parking was mostly empty (weekday!), there are some