|
HIKE |
McClellan Butte |
|
ROUTE |
Main trail, around the ridge, scramble up. |
|
DATE |
6/30/2005 |
|
ATTENDEES |
Chris, Damon (first time out - good to have you back!), Dan S., Don, Larry, Maren, Mark and even Matt showed up for a hike! |
|
NOTES |
Muggy muggy. |
PHOTOS
TRAIL REPORT
June ended on a high note as we took on McClellan's Butte, 5162 ft el, and 9 miles roundtrip. It took TNAB several tries to summit the Butte, and it retains much of that prestige. Matt was in town on business, but he made time to join us (and suggested this hike - so don't blame me). The weather was partly cloudy and warm, hinting that we might have a view or two on the summit...
I was very pleasantly surprised by the large turnout. Dan G. and Maryann returned to claim veteran status, while newbie Erin found us via a Craigslist link. Rounding out the 11 participants were Chris, Damon (first time out - good to have you back!), Dan S., Don, Larry, Maren, Mark, and the aforementioned Matt. Double digits two weeks in a row - very cool.
We caravaned out to the trailhead off Exit 42, and started hiking around 6:00 PM. By this time, it was still warm, but considerably more overcast. Over the next hour, the crew spread out along the trail, each person finding their own pace. Maryann's dog, Roy, seemed to be on a never-ending quest for streams and puddles.
The hike up is a bit of a slog - a couple road crossings, lots of switches, and then the contour around McClellan's ridgeline. The trail was in decent shape, though muddy in spots. By 7:30 PM, we were starting to turn the corner and make the final approach to the summit. Not unexpectedly, there was no snow (but lots of mud!) on the westside of the mountain.
A glance up dashed any hopes of bountiful views - the summit was enshrouded in fog. Still, we hiked and climbed and scrambled our way to the top. By 8:00 PM, we're on the summit! All in all, 8 of the 11 would find the top. Woo! To celebrate Matt's visit, we passed around a couple bottles of that TNAB favorite, Arrogant Bastard Ale. Good times!
Around 8:30 PM, it was time to leave, still fogbound. It didn't take long for folks to peel a layer as we lost the fog and found the humidity. The rest of the descent went well. We held off brandishing headlamps until nearly 10:00 PM. By 10:30 PM, we were back to the cars. Great hike, everyone, let's hear it for newbies and new vets! :)
Next Week, and Beyond: OK, here are the next three hikes (don't pay attention to the website): West Defiance (7/7/05), Red Mountain (7/14/05), and Defiance (7/21/05). There, I don't have to think for three weeks. :P
R&R,
-Mark