JasonG

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 ....

DAMN. That is some solid beta. I can see I need to plan a trip over there at some point. Sounds really cool!

Ah man, BANNED. That takes all the fun out of it. But I understand we have to protect those less Scottish than myself.

Tell your friends! CC.com is now 100% friendlier or your money back.

That's great! Glad you enjoyed the valley, it usually is pretty lonesome back in there. And the views are never bad on a nice day!

I guess that looks OK.

I didn't! Thanks! I've been trying to find the story of the infamous partner separation in Luna creek valley that ended up with a certain someone abandoning their pack loaded with partner's gear. It isn't in the TR on this site (I think on the personal website it is, in fine detail). I think it came up later in a different thread. But wow, is that ever a classic. I remember the online beating was particularly entertaining.

Wow, climbers are WAY more honest than I give them credit for.

The photo above was taken after I was nearly creamed by rockfall on the approach to the summit tower. I jumped into a moat to escape the barrage, only to cut my finger on my axe as I tumbled in. 7/12/2011 It's amazing what memories are jogged just by taking a look at a photo.

Since there was talk of Agnes above: