Basic Snowshoe - Olallie Lake
Wed, Apr 20, 2022
A party of seasoned veterans snowshoed to Olallie Lake, gaining 2.100’ in a little under 6 hours round trip.
A party of seasoned veterans snowshoed to Olallie Lake, gaining 2.100’ in a little under 6 hours round trip.
The flowers are out, and so are the birds in the evening.
Beautiful views of Mailbox, Revolution, Thompson Point, Russian Butte and the lakes below. Close to home and straightforward. Worth a try when conditions are good.
Friends Friends (+) 4-16-22, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA, USA: Amazing sail on Flash, a J-43, in heavy squall with hail and then sun! Thanks, Jerry Mckay and Chona for the hospitality and training! ⛵️
Student sail #1
All smiles on this beautiful hike with bluebird skies and fresh snowfall. After several weeks of cold, rainy and snowy weather in the PNW, we all were extra giddy hiking to Snoquera Falls under blue, blue skies with very light wind.
Glorious clear skies and rising temperatures caused multiple small point release avalanches in our area. We abandoned our trip 2-300 feet from the saddle.
A great bad weather conditioner (~12 miles/~5000’), especially with such easy access. The less frequented Blowdown-Dixie ridges also gave us a bit of navigation practice (no boot/snowshoe tracks from other parties).
Good combo of a short traffic channel crossing and a long fetch up a relatively protected inlet.
Fun, wintry day at Big Creek with five Olympia Conditioning Hiking Series (CHS) students!
https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2022-04-13-2417712913
Tacoma Conditioning Hiking Series hike to Little Mashel Falls was successful.
Beautiful Evening for Dinner by the Falls
Arrived at campsite around 10:30am Saturday All tent sites, design and construction were very good.A happy, fun group. Everyone seemed to learn a lot. Students were encouraged to come back and instruct Group kitchen got high wind during dinner. Most folks had a challenge with stoves and dinner. We learned what not to do. (where not to do it) Everyone learned about cold wind, fuel, stoves, hot water bottles, and oh yes dinner.Departed camp around 1100am Sunday Lazy Sunday morning, everyone was sleep deprived. So, we slept in and relaxed. Temperature got down to around 28º F with 10 inches of new snow and 10mph wind with 25mph gusts.Avalanche danger - Considerable (we did not travel in avalanche terrain)
Arrived at campsite around 10:00am Saturday All tent sites, design and construction were very good. Great snow for blocks and construction. Very nice group dinner table and seats constructed by the class, Everyone learned about cold, fuel, stoves, hot water bottles, and oh yes dinner. A happy, fun group. Everyone seemed to learn a lot. Students were encouraged to come back and instruct.Departed camp around 9:00am Sunday 6 inches of new snow 15mph wind 25mph gusts 25º F to 30º F with wind chill 19º F. Avalanche danger - Considerable (we did not travel in avalanche terrain)
Roads are pavement until the last couple of miles when it becomes gravel (recently graded). Bathrooms at the Lake Cushman picnic area before parking for the trailhead. Dry Creek trail is beautiful. Start thru a residential area of cabins along the lake until the trail is met. Follows along the edge of the lake for a good distance & then elevates steeply up into the woods. Many fallen trees on the path - climbing over, under & around. It was a jungle gym trail. We didn’t make it to the water ford part of the trail - too many downed branches & trees obscuring the trail.
Started at 8:30. Few cars in parking area, privy in good shape. Snow on the trees, but trail is clear.
A wide variety of mosses and a display of fawn lilies were the stars of this meander from oak uplands to a sunny but chilly lunch on the Sound near Nisqually