Katy Clark
For April, because it was National Poetry Month, I shall take a dip into D.H. Lawrence’s “The Enkindled Spring” to reflect on the top trip reports from the month. His spring bursts up in “bonfires green,” all flame-filled bushes, emerald trees, and watery flicker. It is the combustion of life.
I like this version of April. Not tidy, nor especially comforting. Just everything all at once, overbright, and slightly disorderly, which feels, to me, like spring in the Pacific Northwest. New leaves are almost impossibly green and everything is damp, shining, and sometimes a little too much. It makes me understand why Lawrence reached for fire instead of flowers. Lawrence asks, “what fountain of fire am I among / This leaping combustion of spring?” And what am I, inside all of this greening and thawing and blooming? Am I also alive like this? Am I burning, growing, changing? Or am I only a shadow moving through it, “gone astray, and lost?”
Let’s go out and meet May headfirst: find the snowline, the green flame, the creek running too high, the trails not yet summer-smooth. Let this month ask in you what is still burning, then come back and tell us what you find in a trip report.
Winter Scramble - Fools Day Peak - 4/1
"In the spirit of the day, cries for help led to a faux emergency in which all the scramblers simultaneously became stuck in tree wells." - David Judish
We love the continuing tradition of a Fool's Day summit, and carefully choreographed clownish photography is always a bonus in our books.
Snowking Mountain (Exploratory outing) - Climbing & Scrambling - 4/4-4/5
“An exploratory outing to see how bad the approach is. Answer: not (too) bad!” - Peter Erickson
The old Snowking approach sounds worse than it is, which is not the same as saying it sounds good. This report explains how a boulder-blocked road, a way to avoid a sketchy broken bridge crossing, and some trail angel flagging make this North Cascades route worth reconsidering.
Elwha River - Packrafting - 4/10
“We inspected the various metal debris along river left. Scary stuff. Inflatable boats and metal rods don't mix well.” - Logan Degrand
Interesting to see what remains of the old Elwha dam, and a cautionary warning to anyone is anything puncturable.
Sea Kayak - Snohomish River - 4/12
“The water level basically dictated where and when we could go as we went along which made the exploration more of a fun adventure I think.” - Lisa Johnson
This is perhaps the most detailed trip report yet, and includes parking information, wildlife sightings, and some good paddling information.
Day Hike - Cougar Mountain: Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trailhead - 4/12
“Jim passed away only five days earlier, so it was heartwarming that someone had placed commemorative Himalayan prayer flags on the Wilderness Peak summit.” - Nancy Lloyd
How lovely to see a Jim Whittaker tribute on the trail on his namesake trailhead. Thank you for sharing with us all, Nancy.
Day Hike - Whiskey Dick Mountain - 4/18
“We started at 9am, traveled 10.4 miles, and returned at 3:45pm. Not bad considering how often we stopped to smell the flowers.” - Delwin Elder
A trip to the eastern side of the crest to catch the first blooms of the season. Even if not as showy as last year, it still sounds excellent.
Day Hike - Pratt Lake Trail - 4/24
"Coming back, the snow was starting to get slushy anywhere the sun hit, icy in the shade. Nobody put spikes back on, and we ended up laughing anytime anyone postholed - which was all but two of us. Funny story to share at the end and a great learning experience, but with less experienced folks this could have been unnerving or ended in strains or pulled muscles." - Courtenay Schurman
Early hikes where trail repairs have not happened yet and snow still remains can have their own set of hazards. Be aware and watch your step!
Whitewater Packraft - Cispus River: Twin Cedars to Copper Canyon Creek - 4/26
"About five miles into the run (a bit more than halfway) there was a submerged log that we paddled over. Eight out of nine participants did so without incident, but one caught the boat on a small knob or branch and somehow tore a massive hole in the boat, a rip maybe three feet long on the outside of the tube, even reaching into the tube to make about a 1.5-inch rip on the paddler's side of the tube as well! I've never seen anything like this from wood, it was like it was done with a knife." - Alex Bond
Despite the torn boat, this is a great location for a good time, including many drama-free swims, an overnight campout, and some fun runs.
Alpine Scramble (Snow) – Sky Mountain - 4/26
"A highlight of the trek was discovering fresh bear tracks along the route. We crossed these tracks multiple times during both the ascent and the descent, adding a thrilling sense of adventure to our spring outing." - Ritu Bindra
We couldn't hope for better than a bluebird day for a first snow scramble, even if post-holing was involved. Congratulations on checking that off the list!
Alpine Scramble - Cowboy Mountain - 4/26
"Five new scramblers completed their first scramble on Cowboy Mountain in glorious weather. Yee-haw!" - Mary Lou Biggs
A glorious day outside, with a life-expanding, confidence-building, successful scramble, is a win for everyone! Giddy up!
Want to see more top trip reports? Check out our Top Trip Reports Library to get ideas for next week, next month, or next year!
