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“About your attesting to enjoying nature; well stated Ken, very well stated. Amen to being a humble man and simply enjoying where the adventure has lead over the years. I can only hope at the end of the journey I will have learned enough to have appreciated it all with no regrets.^^And, I understand my place well. Once, for example, standing beneath the great gendarme on the classic north ridge of Stuart, after 9 or so hours of climbing above the Stuart and Ice Cliff glaciers, and sensing that I just might finish that route in a day, I truly realized that being an ifinitesimal dust mote in the universe isn’t such a bad thing.^^That mountain, and route that July day in ’88 put everything in perspective for me. Sure it was an epic climb and took some digging deep down to finish in a day. I had run out of water two pitches below the Gendarme where, if one chickens out like I did that day. You can simply rappel into the gully that leads to the 4th class ledges and sandy gully’s and then places in the Olympics. The wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting and photographic opportunities are second to none in these places.^^I will enjoy taking a look at your web site.^^ “
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That’s a tough question McPilchuck. My favorite area tends to be the last place I visited and the place I want to go next is somewhere I’ve never been. I suppose if I were forced to pick a favorite area it would be the area inside NCNP because it is so rugged and beautiful but I’d have to mention some stuff in the Glacier Peak area and I wouldn’t be able to forget much of the Alpine Lakes and …
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“The Glacier Peak wilderness is tops with me. I like roaming the austere, remote high country of the Little Giant pass area and Garland Peak on the eastside. On the westside, the ridges separating drainages such as Buck, Downey and Sulpher creeks.”
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“I failed to mention the magnificent Picket Range in my last post. This in the North Cascades. The Terror Creek Cirque peaks (West Mac, Inspiration) The Crescent Creek cirque peaks (Terror, Degenhardt) and the climb to the Ottohorn-Himmelhorn col onto the upper Mustard glacier are out of this world. I’d be remiss if I did not mention Mounts Challenger and Whatcom peaks anchoring the north end of the range. That Azure Lake is sure beautiful. I wonder if there are any fish in that gem? Regards,”
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“Come to think of it McPilchuck, the Olympic Mountains are high on my list of places to roam too.^^In the Buckhorn Wilderness: the Tyler Peak-Baldy traverse, Charlia Lakes, Goat Lake (and ridge dividing Royal basin from the Dungeness),the upper Milk Creek drainage basin as well as Buckhorn Peak region make for interesting roaming.^^In ONP proper I’d have to say the upper Elwha (snow finger, Dodwell Rixon pass, and peaks overlooking the upper Queets river)is tops. Especially if done during September. The rich distinct aroma of fall is heavy in the air then. And the Elk are bugling.^^The area of Mounts Mystery and Deception, if approached via obscure X-country routes, make for spectacular and lonely trips well worth the effort.^^The Scout and Hagen lakes basins are interesting when approached via the Putvin way trail off the Hamma Hamma.^^^^That’s it! I’m outta here. Got to go pack for a trip.^^^^ :)”
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“Ah, you certainly hav hit it on the head. Ed Cooper (noted climber with many first ascents) says the Southern Pickets are the wildest place in the lower 48s. And I think he’s right by from what I’ve heard and seen. As for the Olympics, they too are indeed grand. For further reading, mostly off trail stuff, see a list of treks with photos located under Trek Talk at my site: http://www.alpinequest.com“
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“I can well agree with the comment regarding Ed Coopers assesment of the Southern Pickets.^^Once one leaves the Goodell Creek trail (or any trail for that matter) and heads upward (NE) to the Alpine the level of commitment is intense. Crossing the Barrier”” headed for the Crescent creek spires keeps one’s attention riveted to the task at hand. I was last in there August of ’98 and was truly amazed by the lack of signs of people having ever been in there.^^The elevator shaft off of the divide between Mount Terror and Degendhardt into McMillan Creek? Luna? is awe inspring.^^On our way out, after spending 7 days in there, we descended the “”Barrier”” into Terror creek and exited via the Goodell creek trail. We ended up having to Rappel three rope lengths off of that thing. Oh well! It’s worth it.^^^^The only other area that appears to be as infrequented as the Southern Pickets (in my experience and opinion) are some places in the GPW near Dome, Sonny Boy and uckindy Peaks as well_as certain places in the Olympics. The wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting and photographic opportunities are second to none in these places.^^I will enjoy taking a look at your web site.^^ “””
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“Mike, your statements and about some of the trips you’ve been on or areas you’ve been in, I can see you are not no BSer. Glad to talk with you, hope you can come to the Trail Blazers meetings as I don’t think we’ve met yet? Speaking of Terror, a fellow Trail Blazer (Mike Swayne) who is also an attendence regular at the meetings, did the first ascent of Terror with Cooper in 1961. That read is on my site contributed by Swayne.”
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“Ken,
I’ve been attending TB”” meetings since…, February I think. I’ll introduce myself at the next meeting in August. Hey! I enjoyed your web site and recognize a few of the places you have pictures of. Especially that tiny gem of a little tarn on the West side of the divide above Goat Lake in the Buckhorn Wilderness. The one that drains into royal basin and looks west north west towards Graywolf ridge. I’ve got a sunrise (4:00am) slide of the Dungeness valley (“”sea of clouds”” I call it) from this area. I’ll show it to you sometime.
Surely, one of the quickest ways to gain a bad rep is to lie or stretch the truth too far when discussing past climbing ascents or …heck, anything for that matter.^^I’ve had guys tell me they’ve climbed this peak or that peak or hunted this place or that place or caught fish in this stream or that stream. When an incisive line of inquiry is made into their trips, especially about approach routes, most can’t recollect how they got to or from those places. If they simply said I don’t care to tell you. That would be fine with me. However, most just fumble some explanation that pointedly shows they either don’t know what they are talking about. Or, their memories about the subject…?^^Photo documentation and a well marked USGS quad have sure helped me in the past when someone doubted the veracity of my statements about where I’ve been.
Regards,”””
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I ran into a guy lying about where he’d been on another discussion board a few weeks ago. He was trolling for information on a lake. I guess he figured if he claimed to have been there someone might be willing to give him more info. He hadn’t realized the lake was frozen solid at the time he claimed to have been there. When pressed on details it became clear the guy had never even looked at a map in any detail.
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“Brian,^^Interesting? I usually accept someone’s word for where they have been and don’t think about them BSing, but I guess some are full of it. I have noticed however, some people hit me with inquires about the many places I’ve been, similar to all your exploits. And though I haven’t been everywhere by no means, I’ve been doing this stuff for 40 years so the places do add up. Because of this, people like you and your father and I a well as some others inthe club, have developed a rep like Mike has alluded too. Humbled somewhat by the thought, I can only attest that I am just a simple man who has spent a lifetime enjoying just being in nature, where that leads me is only part of the journey or quest.^^^^Mike, I see by your post about the pot that drains into Royal Basin tht you must have been there to see th same view. Noted, you are the first I’ve known to have stated they know ehere that is at. You got my vote!^^^^Photo documentation and a well marked USGS quad have sure helped me in the past when someone doubted the veracity of my statements about where I’ve been.””^^^^I certainly hope, nobody doubts my adventures, that’s all they are, adventures…many are documented in the Trail Blazers Annuals now going on almost 25 years. My web site is only a fraction of them and most have been scrutinized with many just left off because of routes to fragile little lakes and or sometimes fishing information.^^”””
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“I’ve hiked in many of the out of state places you mentioned. I haven’t done the Cabinets, yet, but I’ve hiked in the Missions and the Great Bear Wilderness that are both fairly near. I’ve done a lot in the Selway-Bitteroot, and the Sawtooths. Easily the greatest out of state trip I’ve ever done was the Gates of the Arctic NP in Alaska. It taught me what true wilderness is and it was the first time that I realized what we call wilderness in the lower 48 is just are sanitized recreation areas that we pretend are wilderness. In the lower 48 parts of the Bridger in WY and the Absoroka-Beartooth in MT should also be mentioned. Mike, we’ll have to compare notes on some of the places we’ve been.”
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“Brian, your definition of true wilderness”” in the lower 48 is consistent with mine.^^””True”” being the operative term.^^^^Yes, lets compare notes sometime.^^In the Missions, which I’m headed to on August 6th again, I’ve only visited the Lucifer Lake basin below Mountaineer Peak. Good CT waters draining the West side of the crest.^^^^In the early and mid eightees I was fortunate enough to serve in the USAF at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho as a Combat Security Policeman. And, other than a couple of tours to the middle east and central america,^^I stayed in Idaho during my service commitment and roamed the Sawtooths whenever I could. “””
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“My wife reminded (corrected) me that our family vacation is August 10th through the 17th. Not the 6th as I indicated earlier. Details!^^A couple of those vacation days will be spent (with proper tribal permits secured and no current griz activity in that area) in the Lucifer Lake basin. My cousin (by marriage) lives at the base of the Missions just outside of St. Ignatious (SP?).^^We are headed back to Lucifer and the lake that drains into it, Picture and the little pot near it.^^Thats all.”
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“I have many favorites… I’ll just mention a few. A beatiful hike [but often far too crowded] is descending down through Grand Valley, then going back up to Grand Pass and following the ridge back to the trailhead. Another favorite is the Pasayten. It is an easy area to take cross-country, and there are many breathtaking vistas of different peaks and river valleys… Ramon Lakes, Larch Pass, Black Lake… The list is endless. Lastly, the Mt Rainier Area is spectacular. One of my favorite treks is to George Lake via Noble Knob. There are just too many hikes too name… And too little time to hike them.”
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“Brian,^^^^I’m researching a trip to the subject destination for next year, ’03.^^Ive been on top of the Summit of same name; traversing south from Dome to the Suiattle. However, I’ve not yet commited myself into the drainage for one reason or another.^^Typically, because I’m carrying a centerfire rather than a fishpole.^^The guidebook””, 2nd edition, indicates that RB and CT have been present.^^^^Could you put me in contact with the TB’r who sponsors that body of water? Is this a cyclic body of water? If so, when was the last stocking?^^^^michael.g.quinn@boeing.com”””
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“You beat me to it, Dave. I was going to mention Lime Ridge. Nothing to brag about on the fishing side, but nice scenery and not hard to do. It also is among my favorites because Con Mattson and I made what I call the North Trip (to Box Mtn Lk to Twin Lks to Milk Creek and out) and South Trip (up Milk Creek to Mica Lk to Twin Lks to Milk Creek and out). Trail Blazers who have been around awhile will understand why I enjoyed those trips–with Con. On the South Trip, I took 8 oz of Black Jack so I could share some with Con; Got to one of the Trail Blazer Lakes, dug out my cache, and Con dug out his cache, 8 oz. We had a VERY enjoyable evening. Chikamin was worth the trip, too.”
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