Great group on a nice summer evening hike on Little Si. Saw lots of beautiful ferns, climbers on rock, and reached the summit during the golden hour. 3 hours from car to car. One member was unlucky and got stung by a wasp near the summit through their sock. All in all it was a pleasant short hike after work.
A two day successful climb of the West Ridge route on West McMillan Spire. Tacoma Mountaineers group of five: Jeff Wirtz, Lance Garland, Jason Leubner, Spencer Kirk, & Jonathan Foster.
Long trip that scrambled Howard Peak, Rust Ridge, Alki Crest, and Florence Peak
A pristine alpine loop through the verdant meadows of Vernal Park, by way of Berkeley Park, Grand Park, Van Horn Falls, Windy Gap, Sluiskin Col, Old Desolate (south and north), Morraine Park, Mystic Pass, Mineral Mountain, Mystic Lake, and 2nd Burroughs. This strenuous 4 day trip was ~12,000’ of gain over ~40 miles.
Are you a burgeoning trad leader looking to gloss over trip reports and beta while at the same time, looking to make the jump from 3ish pitches up SEWS or the Tooth into double digit leads with little preparation?! Do you like loose rock, choss, and dirty gullies?! Then have I got the climb for you!
We picked a day with no current and minimal tides and the weather was perfect. Group stayed together well and was very congenial.
Trip was successful with sunny weather, mild winds, and close encounter with a whale!
Great trip, conditions were perfect and all student successfully completed their rescues with no issues.
Most of the snow along the Burroughs trail is gone. A couple of lengthy patches remain with a good boot track, go slow, wear lug-soled boots, use poles.
A long approach in great weather and a summit day in the rain. Great camping at Cub Lake.
Awesome day on Mt. Pugh with a great group of intrepid scramble students and grads.
Very fun 2 day trip including Mt Hinman and LaBohn Peak.
Klickatat (Mt. Adams) greets you at Sunrise Lookout, but Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) dominates the sky when you travel to the summit of Skyscraper Mountain!
Wild flowers are at the start of their bloom. There is a new bridge installed from Summerland to Panhandle Gap. Hooray!
Work on I-90, mosquitoes, and status of the blueberries...
Paddled from Conner Park to Goat Island and back, 7.3 nm. Trip included a short hike to Fort Whitman for lunch.
Trip favorites included the 4 volcano views, wildflowers, Olympic endemic wildflowers, and great exercise. We didn't take off from the trailhead until 10:30; an earlier take-off would have kept us all cooler. We partnered with the USFS and provided hikers with notice about the mid-August closer for goat capture. No goats observed on this trip.
The Fin is an excellent Basic Rock Climb, comprised of 3 full 60m pitches of stellar ridge climbing in the gorgeous Washington Pass area. I recommend this climb as a less busy alternative to SEWS and Kangaroo Temple.