JasonG

Nice! The hike in or out of Plateau is no joke. I'm lucky my wife didn't divorce me on the spot. Glad you ticked the summit, it's a proud peak! Did you get to Aspiring?

Surely a latte was involved?

Trip: Sulphur Mountain - Old Lookout trail Trip Date: 12/14/2017 Trip Report: At the tail end of the high pressure last week, ski conditions weren't great, but you really can't waste a nice day in the winter around here. Unfortunately, all the usual supects were busy on my free day.....What to do? A mention of Green Mountain on the NWAC avy forecast the night before got me thinking about the Suiattle. The old lookout trail up Sulphur Mountain! I'd seen that trail on the map many years ago and always thought it would have a good view. But then the 2003 flood isolated the TH for a dozen years and I'd forgotten about it. I'm not sure what it was about the Green Mountain mention on NWAC that jogged my memory, but I'm glad I finally was able to hike this somewhat forgotten trail. It was worth the wait. Dakobed: Dome: Sinister: The old Sulphur Mountain Trail: Suiattle: Gear Notes: SNOWSHOES......sigh Approach Notes: Old Sulphur Mountain Lookout trail. Still in good shape and easy to follow. Looks to get periodic maintenance. Last week, no snow to 5000'! That is no longer the case, however....

If I remember correctly, she has stories about when they filmed it! I think she said it caused quite the stir in Darrington at the time....

Wait.....you wrote up your TR in eBook form?

They have to fill out NEPA paperwork, which is a fate worse than death.

Rumor is that the Darrington Ranger station may have a copy. Talk to Phyllis. I would like to see it as well!

Trip: Big Snow! - Jefferson Smootship Trip Date: 10/31/2017 Trip Report: Calling all Smooters! You don't have to hide any longer, list motivated peak bagging is all the rage now. Just look at those thousands of Bulgers out choss polishing each summer......and many of those peaks are pretty unpleasant and would hardly ever be climbed if it weren't for the hallowed list. In contrast, Mr. Smoot has compiled a list based on nothing other than WA peak bagging for the sheer joy of it. Such a good list, I might add, that I was more than halfway done with it before I'd even heard of "Climbing Washington's Mountains". But even an ardent Smooter has their limits, this ain't the 50 Classics after all. So, I typically pace myself, ticking off a couple a year in the shoulder seasons when I am looking for straightforward, yet interesting, diversions among the lower elevation summits of our home ranges. Which is why I found myself with Scott and Kit at the end of this past October hiking up the Dingford Creek Trail, en route to Snowflake Lake at the base of the north side of Big Snow. The gating of the Middle Fork at Dingford Creek has meant that the north side approach is the shortest route to the Big Snow summit these days. While likely not as dramatic as the Hardscrabble climber's path, it is still more scenic than I would have thought. I think it took us about 4-5 hours to camp or so, where we quickly set up camp at Snowflake Lake (where you can be yourself) and set off for the summit in the late afternoon. A bit of brush wrangling just about the lakes (would be snow covered in early season) found us on a minor rib scrambling surprisingly decent rock upwards to the broad summit ridge, less than two hours from camp. A quick check of our phones revealed that the indomitable Fred Beckey had passed away peacefully that morning while we were walking to camp. Gazing out across the Middle Fork at the Snoqualmie Alps (Lemah, Chimney Rock, Summit Chief, etc.), we raised our flask to Fred and his incredible life. We were all lucky enough to have run into him over the years and felt standing on a Cascadian summit was a fitting place to remember a legend. After all, the brown guide was what had gotten us to that very point. Crag on the NW side of Big Snow, I've heard someone has been up to this wall an climbed a bit: Kit on the interesting approach to Big Snow Lake: Scott surveys Big Snow Lake: Snoqualmonix! Gear Notes: ice axe and crampons Approach Notes: Dingford Creek to Myrtle Lake. Leave trail and stay low until right below Big Snow Lake. Go up cool talus gully to lake and follow your nose to Snowflake Lake, where you can be your very own snowflake. Up and left from the lake to a minor rib then directly up mellow slopes to summit. Would be doable in day with longer days of early summer and more snow. Great relaxed fall trip.

For sure, War on Drugs has been putting out great records. Also a big fan of Kurt Vile in recent years:

Damn. That is some obscure vinyl! A change of pace, but do you have this one (my favorite Lanegan Album):

Another classic!

Thanks! Seeing them in a small venue at that time was great. You could tell that it wouldn't always be that way......

Approximate year for the show at the Velvet Elvis?

Was it as good as I remember? It was a long time ago, so maybe I've mythologized it..... Remember the dude from MCD lighting his organ on fire!!??

After all these years, my all time favorite show was MM at the Croc with Murder City Devils opening. 1997 I think? It was the record release party for Lonesome Crowded West, if I remember right. Issac Brock looked like he wanted to tear your face off and played like it. It was a powerful performance I've yet to see equaled.

I think the problem was that I was inserting it as a link. I just needed to cut and paste it directly into reply!!

I can see you're serious!

Interstate 8 EP! Hmmmm, maybe my memory is wrong. I thought that was where I saw it originally.... Ah, Other People's lives 7"....

you're standing by the grey ice water out in the wind above ground out in the weather you had yourself a crazy lover becoming frozen trying hard to forget her you got a job up in alaska it's easy to save what the cannery pays cause there ain't no way to spend it at home on a boat, it's a fish trap you took the path of least resistance on the phone cutting out talking short to long distance on the arctic blast ....