HILLS HURT, COUCHES KILL hiking log

Nice, where you going?

 

Went a bit further east and did Navaho Peak via Stafford Creek trail - amazing vistas into the Enchantments Wilderness range. Clear day Saturday, rain opened up in the evening, but crystal clear for the hike out on Sunday.

Not a bad weekend at all.

 

I've been busy with stuff, but still got out last weeknd.

Kid went 7 miles in 3 hours like a champ on Sunday



The dog and I climbed Alta Mtn yesterday. The whole Rampart lakes basin was full of snowpack.

 

Wait until she gets some longer and stronger legs under her ... "hey ... wait for me!"

 

Got a two-week Eurotrip in. Spent the first week walking around Venice, Milan, Geneva, and Annecy and the second week hiking Chamonix-Mont Blanc, Zermatt, and Grindelwald. Did a lot of long afternoon descents, which really made me appreciate my new hiking sticks, and got a good amount of wet weather hiking in, which made me appreciate the raincover I picked up for my new bag and not second-guessing myself and bringing shoes instead of my waterproof boots. Lost 9.5 pounds, too, which feels great, too. I wouldn't necessarily say that these are the best 16 photos from the trip, but they are ones that crop nicely for the web.

 

Hiked the back way up to Cave Ridge and Guye Peak. About 2,500 ft climbing, 7 miles in 3 hours

Guye Peak sticks up like a thumb right above the highway at Snoqualmie Pass and Alpental ski area.


Mt Rainer in the distance


Red Mtn on the left, Kendall Catwalk and Kendall Peak to the right


Snoqualmie Mtn




Cave Ridge has an actual cave of course


The opening is quite narrow, I'd have to squeeze through there


View of Guye Peak from behind on the ridge


Nice meadows the father up you go

 

I don't know how I missed this. Rad man.

Two things.

Taking a cable car from the Chamonix floor to 10K is not hiking. It also makes me jealous as hell. lol

The Matterhorn certainly lets you know it's a mountain. One of the most iconic peaks in the world.

 

The cable car and cogwheel trains are definitely cheating, but they made things a lot more manageable in the timeframe we had. Rest assured, we still got a lot of miles and elevation change in. That being said, if we do it again (maybe in five years), it'll probably "just" be the Tour du Mont Blanc or Zermatt. While it was really cool to see all these places, having either a base camp for a week in Zermatt or going point-to-point-to-point around Chamonix would be more ideal, especially since we've already knocked out a lot of the touristy stuff.

 

Just got back from a week long camping road trip through the Canadian Rockies - pretty epic along the whole way. Some glacial lake swimming and endless views. This shot is from the Parker Ridge hike along the Icefields Parkway

 

Hiked to Spectacle Lake (out and back) on the PCT yesterday. 34 miles in 13 hours, about 6-7k ft climbing.

 

Hit Marmot Pass / Buckhorn Mountain via Big Quilcene trail on Saturday - 12 miles RT, 3500ft gain … then Olallie Lake on Sunday in the Alpine Lakes wilderness - 8 miles RT, 2500 ft gain

 

Lucky puppy. Much more interesting than the local park.

 

Yup, a leashed dog is about the best you can get for bear deterrent

 

In PHX right now pup-pups wear pup-pup-socks because of the 110-degree temperatures. Not necessary with temperatures in the 90s.

 

Thought about it but I'm glad I didn't bring my doggo with me yesterday. Not much water and no shade up on that trail.

 

His favorite place to be… dragging me down trails. But it requires time in his least favorite place… the car lol

 

Wandered in the Sierras for a little over 26 miles the past few days, mostly looking for places to ease the lady into backpacking. Found several good ones, so that part of the mission is accomplished.

 

Glacier Lake via Mineral Creek Trail. 16 miles in 7 hours. Wanted to make it to Chikamin Lake but had to bail about a mile short. It was hot and doggo wasn't having fun on the hot granite slabs you have to scramble. We found a nice clear pool just above Glacier Lake for him and he was happy

Glacier Lake



Doggo






Tarns full of tadpoles



Park Lakes Basin





Huge Conk right off the trail. I could taste the dust from this thing when I walked by

 

Finally made it to Chikamin Lake the next weekend. 18 miles and a long day on the trail..

Most of the info I found online was hesitant to describe the route in detail.
I actually kicked over a few cairns, which is something I don't usually do. It just didn't seem appropriate to disturb the area like that. 1 or 2 cairns in a 1/4 mile is one thing.. you don't need 1 every 100 ft..

In my opinion if you can't find it with some basic route finding skills then you really shouldn't be up there. Sometimes it's OK for places to be a little out of reach..

Infinity pool and water fall on the ridge approaching the lake basin





Unnamed tarns and granite everywhere





Pictures don't do it justice, the area is really special. Maybe it was the personal buildup for me trying to get up there for over a year, but the place felt sacred. Like the mountains were talking to me. It's not a huge lake but I felt small sitting at the shore quietly eating lunch with Lemah Mtn towering over the basin.

 

Hiked around Chair Peak yesterday with the dog. Parked at Denny Creek, pedaled up the road about 4 miles to a different trailhead, ditched the bike in the bushes and took off on foot. About 16 miles total, up around Snow Lake and through Melakwa Pass