Tacoma Pass PCT North 2015-10-23

11.53 miles and 2,638 feet of elevation gain

Another gravel road ride out to Tacoma Pass, this time to hike north on the Pacific Crest Trail.  We have now hiked all of the PCT between Stampede and Tacoma Passes.

Time permitting, we were going to attempt to reach the top of Snowshoe Butte.  I planned a short bushwhack from the trail to an old logging road but lost track of where we were so we just followed the road from where it crossed the trail.  At the end of the road there appears to be a faint boot path that continues up the hill at least for a short distance.   On the way back we bushwhacked downhill for about 100 feet.  It was pretty easy and saved over a mile and 200 feet of elevation.  

Google Maps link

Taking a break at the base of Bearpaw Butte with Mt Rainier in the distance

Looking back on Bearpaw Butte.

All the 'boys' enjoying the view.

The Stewart Range in the far distance.

pub 3/29/2016

Blowout Mt 2015-10-15

13.78 miles and 2,676 feet of elevation gain

Continuing our quest of hiking as much as we can of the southern portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, we drove out to Tacoma Pass and headed south.  Tacoma Pass is 13 miles from I-90 on gravel roads with only a couple of signs and many forks in the road.

A couple of things were unusual about this hike.  First, when we started up the hill from the pass I noticed how quite and calm it was.  When we stopped and just stood still there wasn't any sound.  Absolute dead silence and not the slightest hint of a breeze.  This continued until we were almost to the top of the hill.  The second was having a fighter jet pass almost directly overhead at a fairly low altitude.  Not tree top level but lower than what I would expect.  We were walking in trees along the top of ridge when it passed overhead, I couldn't see the jet so they couldn't have seen me.  A practice run with thermal imagery or is it time to put the tinfoil helmet back on?

Google Maps link

Tacoma Pass, drove right past it.  Earlier there was a sign indicating Tacoma Pass in one mile.  Nothing at the pass and no visible signs for the PCT.  On the right, you can barely see the PCT heading north.

The parking area.

The super quiet part of the trail.

I'm sure this is a PCT hiker made sign.  There isn't any water for many miles on either side of Tacoma Pass.

Sly enjoying the cool water.

 Gravel roads cross the PCT in several places and some have a campsite.  This was the biggest by far.

Some views along the last leg to Blowout.

The 'ascent' to Blowout Mountain.  Okay, it is more of a high spot on the PCT, but does have clear views on the north side. 

Views from the top

And a view south to Mt Rainier.

pub 3/28/2016

Stampede Pass PCT South 2015-09-24

12.77 miles and 2,677 feet of elevation gain.

This is our nice walk in the woods hike.  We did meet a couple of guys hiking the entire PCT, generally we don't meet anyone on the trail.  The trail trend is excellent for the most part and the hills aren't too steep.  The downside is that views are very limited.   

Google Maps link

On the trail

 As we headed down the dip before Snowshoe Butte we started to hear a couple of chain saw that were running almost constantly.  It turned out that it was a major thinning operation over many acres.  So many trees were cut that it would be impossible to pass through the area. 

They were currently cutting at least a quarter mile away from the trail.  They did a good job of clearing the trail.

 Heavy duty carrier for oil and fuel on the top of their van.  The whole area wreaked of two-cycle fuel. 

I assume the other areas will be cut and piled like this to give other plants a chance to grow and allowing larger animals to move around. We'll see next year.

The last of the huckleberry leaves looked vibrant in the sunshine.

I don't believe this is an edible mushroom, but something has been eating them.

The Stewart Range of in the distance.

pub 3/28/2016

Bearpaw Butte 2014-11-01

15.85 miles and 3,060 feet of elevation gain.

It was a Saturday, so I wanted a quiet hike and since the weather wasn't very good, we weren't going to be miss any great views.  We hiked south on the Pacific Crest Trail starting at Stampede Pass.

The original plan was to hike to Snowshoe Butte and see if we could find a trail to the top.  I decided I would turnaround after three hours.  This portion of the trail is a pretty easy hike.  It does cross a few roads and power lines and at one of roads we ran into hunters in a pickup truck.

After the trail had been following the top of a ridge for about a mile, the ridge gave way to a large hill and the trail started to descend.  We had been on the trail for almost three hours so I checked the GPS and realized we had passed Snowshoe Butte and were now at Bearpaw Butte.  I looked for a signs of a boot path to the top but after bushwhacking for a little while I couldn't find one.  Time to turnaround.   

Google Maps link

Sly's monster.  He would not go within twenty feet of this broken tree.

 Up close it does look pretty scary.  Although not to Blue.

Interesting mushrooms, the big one was 6-7 inches in diameter. 

Cameras have automatic just about everything, why not auto level?

 

 A few patches of snow for dog "drinks".