|
HIKE |
Dirty Harry's Peak |
|
ROUTE |
Fire training road, logging road, various (talus/trail) summit! |
|
DATE |
05/18/2006 |
|
ATTENDEES |
Chris M, Chris S, Dan, Don, Drew, Joan, Larry, Mark, Sherry and Tom |
|
NOTES |
PHOTOS
Photo credits: Chris S.
TRAIL1EPORT
Hello, TNAB'ers:
It's official - the carefully constructed 2006 TNAB schedule is busted. Exhibit A: TNAB's latest adventure - Dirty Harry's Peak. We weren't suppose to get to this one until the end of August, but early season conditions (ie. leftover snow) is making it necessary to push TNAB classics like Snoqualmie and Pratt out a couple weeks.
Oh well! We'll deal...
It was a very warm and hazy night for a hike - great weather for May. Great turnout, too - 10 TNAB'ers on this one! The crew:
Chris M, Chris S, Dan, Don, Drew, Joan, Larry, Mark, Sherry, Tom
Parking outside the gate (does it ever close?) was crowded with hikers, climbers and skinnydippers. We weren't the only ones enjoying the sunshine! Shortly before 6:00 PM, our party of rowdies was under way.
It takes about 1 klick of road travel to get to the trailhead. On the trail, the forest closes in, providing lots of shade. However, an unfortunate by-product of the warm weather is that the bugs are out already - get the Deet ready!
We reached the fork to Dirty Harry's Balcony in about 35 minutes, moving strong and steady. Next up is the giant switchback that trends west to get around the Defiance ridge. Good views of McClellan along the way. Several small streams run along here, and they were riding high. At the switch, I remenisced about how we used scramble over the rock fall there - now, the trail is well-established off to the right. In short order, we were at the base of the talus field.
Here, we switched left again to stay on trail. This is the last section up to the summit. Not everyone went this way, though, and took the talus route, with varying degrees of success. Back on the trail, it initially doubled as an active streambed, dried out, then was covered in snow. The snow was firm, fortunately, so no postholing.
Nearly two hours after we started, the crew re-assembled on the summit. Woo hoo! Unlike it's neighbor, Mailbox, DHP's top is forested, but afforded peek-a-boo views of the surrounding summits, including Garfield to the north, Defiance ridge to the east, while McClellan Butte and Rainier were to the south. We hung out for 30 minutes or so, almost long enough for the bugs to find us, then it was time to head out. The descent went very quickly. The twilight seemed to last forever, so much so that some of us made it out without the aid of headlamps (not advisable). :) Although it was too late to hit the NBB&G, we were all out by 10:20 PM, which seemed just about perfect. Great hike!
Congrats, Tom - you're a TNAB vet now!
Next Hike: The democratic choice: Bandera! Don't worry, we'll pick up Pratt soon enough...
Cheers, -Mark