Best trip: easy choice this year -- Sahale Peak on a perfect day. I had the entire mountain to myself. The tremendous views of the North Cascades are something I cannot ever forget!
Worst trip: an attempt to climb Mt. Persis. I rode my bike from the gate at Hwy 2. For some dumb reason I thought this would be relatively easy, then I could zoom up the trail. But no, the bike ride is more than I bargained for and it took 1.5 hours to climb up, much in first gear. Then I took a wrong road and ended up at NOT the trailhead. 1/4 mile of "trail" then solid bushwack. I was hoping to find the trail and after this was so discouraged I just rode my bike down the hill. The ride wasn't fun either as I had to ride the brakes much of the way. I drove over to Lake Serene and had a really nice hike instead!
Most attempts: Fred and I tried FOUR TIMES to get up Marble Peak! The first time was in winter when we turned back at an avalanche area. The second time we bushwacked and lost the route several times. It took hours just to find the outlet of Marble Creek into the Stilly (after we had climbed way up and back down trying to find the one and true route). The third time other party members weren't quite as eager as us and got discouraged by our enthusiastic bushwacking. So we turned around. The fourth time we finally made it to Marble Pass. Eureka! But the summit stymied us as we were stopped by class 4 areas.
Climbed way too many times: Mailbox Peak. After last year's avalanche, there were numerous attempts to retrieve the lost gear. Finally, on the sixth try, Beth and I found the last item, Mr. Ice Axe!
Scariest trip: Bald Mt. For some reason, a combination of the exposure on this snow slope and the unstable snow conditions really did a number on me. First time I've experienced a sick and dizzy feeling. Later in the day I took a fall and pendulumed quite a ways. But I was masterfully belayed by Bob. On the way back to the car I tripped while skiing across a bare section of Deer Creek road and landed on me noggin. For some strange reason I had my helmet on though!
Best rock climb: Outer Space on Snow Creek Wall. Now I understand "good" rock. This deservedly classic climb was beyond my ability, but my expert companions Bob and Kevin managed to haul me up. Too bad it had to rain the last pitch, but I loved the chicken heads up there anyway!
Longest trip: Pacific Crest Trail. 250 miles with a very light pack. Mileage per day ranged from 7 to 36. Had no idea I had that kinda range on foot! Met numerous interesting thruhikers who were doing u to 30 miles per day from Mexico. They have their own subculture which was fascinating to partake in for a couple weeks (thanks to "Goforth").
1998 trips, some with stories and photos
| No. | Date | Hike | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 12/30 | ****^ | Mt Persis another spectacular but icy day, w/B |
| 99 | 12/29 | ****^ | Evergreen Mt spectacular day, could see for miles from lookout, w/F |
| 98 | 12/27 | ** | Wilderness Cr Trail w/k&L |
| 97 | 12/24 | *** | Tiger Mt all six Tiger summits |
| 96 | 12/19 | *** | Tiger Mt Nook, Section, Seattle View, Bootleg, Dwight's, TMT |
| 95 | 12/18 | ** | Stevens Pass w/avalanche class |
| 94 | 12/13 | *** | Tiger Mt TMT, W 2, One View, Poo Poo, Bus Rd |
| 93 | 12/11 | *** | Commonwealth Basin snowshoe w/k |
| 92 | 12/05 | *** | Evergreen Mt. w/F |
| 91 | 12/04 | ** | Wallace Falls |
| 90 | 12/01 | ** | Cougar Bear Ridge,SurpriseCr,AA |
| 89 | 11/28 | **** | Mt Dickerman Whole Cascades to myself, struggle though |
| 88 | 11/24 | *** | Squak May Valley,Perimeter,Bullitt,Central Pk,Phil's Cr |
| 87 | 11/23 | ** | Cougar 144th, DeLeo,FC viewpt |
| 86 | 11/21 | *** | Mt Si long sleepy rest on top in snow |
| 85 | 11/15 | *** | Alta Mt very close to summit when clouds descended |
| 84 | 11/14 | **^ | Big Chief, Cowboy Mt gorgeous day |
| 83 | 11/13 | *** | Double Eagle Lakes and Double Eagle mine, very wet! |
| 82 | 11/8 | *** | Mason and Rainbow Lakes very wet! |
| 81 | 11/7 | ** | Hope Lake/PCT wet snow |
| 80 | 11/1 | **** | Lake Byrne deep, fluffy snow, surreal Glacier Peak |
| 79 | 10/30-1 | *** | Goat Lake overnighter, got snowed on, found Penn Mining Co. camp |
| 78 | 10/24-5 | *** | Snow/Gem lakes awesome full moon |
| 77 | 10/24 | **** | Red Pass and down to 3300' on backside |
| 76 | 10/17 | *** | Silver Creek,Blanca Lake traverse tried Silvertip, had to backtrack on BL traverse, w/F |
| 75 | 10/16 | ** | Ice Caves tried ice climbing for 1st time, w/B |
| 74 | 10/16 | ***^ | Sperry Peak Tried a speed attempt, but snow... w/B |
| 73 | 10/11 | *** | Cup lake Fall foliage! |
| 72 | 10/4 | *** | Del Campo |
| 71 | 10/3 | ***1/2 | Sharkfin Tower areaw/A&co, did not summit |
| 70 | 10/2 | ****^ | Sahale Peakw/F&co |
| 69 | 9/18-20 | *** | PCT |
| 68 | 9/13-15 | *** | PCT (L)blasted through this section |
| 67 | 9/7-12 | **** | PCT (K)w/Goforth, S, F in perfect weather |
| 66 | 9/3-6 | **** | PCT (J)w/Goforth rain and snow! |
| 65 | 8/30 | * | Stillaguamish attempt snowed, got cold, turned around |
| 64 | 8/28 | *** | Marble Peak got very close to summit w/F |
| 63 | 8/21-23 | ****^ | Image Lake/Suiattle Pass/Vista Ridge/Milk Creek climbed Plummer Mt. |
| 62 | 8/17 | ** | Exit 38 rock climbing |
| 61 | 8/14 | **** | Aasgard/Enchantments dayhike |
| 60 | 8/13 | **** | Snow Creek Wall, Outer Space s/B&K |
| 59 | 8/8-9 | ****^ | Tuck/Robin L, Trico Pk outstanding scenery, w/S&S |
| 58 | 8/7 | * | Ashland Lakes poor weather, shouldn't have bothered... |
| 57 | 8/1 | ***^ | Green Mt. great views, fast ascent |
| 56 | 7/31 | *** | Subalpine Meadows Manning Park, no marmots! w/k |
| 55 | 7/29 | ** | Columbia Icefields Stomped on the glacier! w/k |
| 54 | 7/28 | *** | Point of Six Glaciers Lake Louise, made it to the end! w/k |
| 53 | 7/26 | *** | Appekuny Falls Excellent ranger-led hike, Glacier NP, w/k |
| 52 | 7/25 | ** | Trail of the Cedars interpretive trail at Glacier NP, w/k |
| 51 | 7/25 | ** | John's Lake Ranger-led trip at Glacier NP w/k |
| 50 | 7/19 | ***** | Sahale Peak out of category! Had to invent a 5-star trip! |
| 49 | 7/18 | ***^ | The Triad summitted E peak w/B,K,J |
| 48 | 7/17 | ** | Marble Pass yet another try w/F,S,M |
| 47 | 7/12 | *** | Lake Serene cool at lake, hot on trail |
| 46 | 7/12 | * | Mt. Persis crummy bike ride, couldn't find climber's path |
| 45 | 7/11 | *** | Marble Pass w/F. Massive bushwack, but found the trail!! |
| 44 | 7/10 | **** | Monte Cristo bike ride w/G,P,C. Found Sunday Falls. Fun trip! |
| 43 | 7/4-5 | *** | Ingall's Lake w/B,R,F,S |
| 42 | 7/3 | ****^ | Stillaguamish Peak or, was it "Not Stilly, silly" peak? |
| 41 | 6/26-27 | ** | Lena Lake w/G,P and F,S |
| 40 | 6/21 | **** | Mailbox Peak Found the axe!! w/B |
| 39 | 6/19 | **** | Mt. Dickerman Great daytrip, then rescue/all night descent |
| 38 | 6/14 | ** | Mailbox Peak mmm.. two chocolates in the mailbox |
| 37 | 6/14 | ****^ | Silver Peak w/R. What a day, what a glissade!/I> |
| 36 | 6/13 | *** | Static Pt "On Line" 5.7, 5.7, 5.9, 5.8 |
| 35 | 6/12 | **** | Pugh Mt. trail maintenance w/G,P,C!! |
| 34 | 6/7 | ** | Cougar loop hike |
| 33 | 6/6 | *** | Surprise/Glacier Lakes attempt Sparkplug Mt, lotta snow! |
| 32 | 6/5 | ** | Mailbox Pk look for axe! |
| 31 | 5/24 | ** | W Tiger 3, Poo Poo Pt lounging in the sun! |
| 29,30 | 5/22,23 | ** | Nisqually Glacier crevasse rescue practice w/Boealps |
| 28 | 5/16 | **^ | Pinnacle Peak Tatoosh, w/Boealps |
| 27 | 5/15 | ** | Stevens Pass snow play w/G,P |
| 26 | 5/10 | ***^ | Middle, West 1, South Tiger 28 mi incl bushwack |
| 25 | 5/9 | ** | Robe Valley historical RR trail, w/F |
| 24 | 5/9 | ** | Marble Peak attempt snow conditions unfavorable, w/F |
| 23 | 5/8 | ** | Mailbox Peak axe still buried |
| 22 | 5/3 | **^ | East Tiger, West Tiger 1 success, stayed on trails. 18 mi |
| 21 | 5/2 | ***^ | Mt. Baring not getting lucky w/weather. w/B & K |
| 20 | 4/26 | ** | East Tiger attempt got stuck in private land |
| 19.1 | 4/24 | ****^ | Devil's Pk gorgeous views! w/Basic class |
| 19.2 | 4/25 | * | Devil's Thumb weathered off, w/Basic class |
| 18 | 4/18 | ***^ | Bald Mt (Silverton) fear, sick, lost strength, took a fall! w/B |
| 17 | 4/11 | ***^ | Guye Pk w/Basic class |
| 16 | 4/10 | * | Ice axe arrest practice, Snoq. pass |
| 15 | 4/4 | * | Evergreen Mt. attempt. Ski/snowshoe |
| 14 | 3/29 | ** | Tiger hike, 6 mi |
| 12,13 | 3/27-28 | * | Ice axe arrest practice, Stevens Pass |
| 11 | 3/22 | ***^ | Middle Tiger 15 mi |
| 10 | 3/15 | *** | Tiger 1, 2 via Preston trail, 11 mi |
| 9 | 3/14 | * | St. Edwards Park bushwacking w/Basic students |
| 8 | 3/7 | * | Mailbox Pk metal detector didn't find my ice ax |
| 7 | 3/1 | *** | Tiger 3,2,1 8 mi loop |
| 6 | 2/28 | ** | Barklay Lake ski/snowshoe w/B |
| 5 | 2/21 | ** | Deer Creek Roadsnowshoe w/F |
| 4 | 2/13 | ***^ | Mt. Tenerrife w/Joyce&Janet |
| 3 | 1/24 | ** | Mt. Si (old trail) |
| 2 | 1/3 | ** | Mailbox Pk found some of our gear |
| 1 | 1/1 | ** | Cape Avala/Sand Point loop |
Send a comment to Steve. Back to Steve's home page