Nollie and I decided to go hiking yesterday. We started at the remaining pile of snow from this year's Holy Oly Quarterpipe, which was at Summit West if you recall (refresh your memory of 2008's event
here). Nollie ran around like an idiot not realizing there was 6 or so hours of hiking remaining, and I tried to decide where we were going to go hiking. It was the warmest day of the year with pass temperatures in around 76 degrees around noon. Through trying to avoid avalanche prone areas, forest service road closures, and long drives, we decided on Kendall Peak Lakes. The first half of the hike had hot temperatures and patchy snow. I don't know if Nollie is really out of shape or was too hot or just pretending, but she was dragging ass and only carried her pack for about a mile. Then I strapped all her stuff to my bag, and she was happy to follow close behind. The last half of the hike turned into a snowshoe expedition. Nollie stayed close behind the whole way, though I could tell she was growing impatient with my photographic exploits on the way up and the way down. For safety's concern, we got to the general area of the lakes but stayed away since everything was covered in snow. Instead, we snowshoed off a little higher to see a great view of Mt. Rainier peaking above the Central Cascade skyline. I don't know if you've heard the song
Seattle by Perry Como, but yesterday I did see the bluest skies and the greenest trees I've ever seen in my life. Photographic documentation below.
Nollie on one of her many lay down in the snow to cool off breaks.
Kendall Peak Trail No. 1344.
"The bluest skies you've ever seen are [near] Seattle. And the [trees] the greenest green, [near] Seattle."
Kendall Peak(-ish). Don't ask me which is what. Different maps were saying different things, but I don't need a map to tell me it's pretty.
Do I wanna what?
Gold Creek Valley, Keechelus Lake, Central Cascades, and Mt. Rainier in the distance.
See? Mt. Rainier.
Oh yeah, I was there too. And don't look surprised, you should know Memorial Day kicks off mustache season.
These shots cost us an extra half hour. Thankfully, the sun sets sometime after 9p.
OK, seriously. Put your stoopid camera away, and let's go home already.
1 comment:
The trail leads to a pair of small alpine ponds nestled in a deep cirque on the flank of towering Kendall Peak (5,675 feet). The mountain dominates the skyline from the lakes basin, as well as along the last mile of the trail leading into the basin. But Kendall isn’t the only peak on the horizon. To the east is Alta Mountain and the long line of Rampart Ridge.
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