klenke Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Climb: "Snugtop" (Pk 2880+) and some dumpster tops Date of Climb: 3/26/2006 Trip Report: You may begin laughing momentarily. 3…2…1… Opening the dumpster What is the definition of dumpster diving? As pertains to peakbagging, it is undertaking to climb the lowest of the low, the least worthy of the worthless, the brushiest of the brushy. Let it be known, I’m not sure what the true cut-off for “lowness” should be. Clearly, a 3,000-ft peak in the Appalachians has more value to the locals there than an equally elevated peak here in Washington. What makes a peak, then? A peak is NOT defined by whether or not it has a name on a map. It is defined by its relation to nearby landforms. That is, how much it stands up on its own regardless of whether it has been officially named. One method that has been developed to relate landforms is the idea of prominence. Simply put and without going into technicalities, a landform’s prominence is the difference in elevation between the landform’s highest point (its summit) and the saddle connecting it to the next-higher summit along the divide. This method is completely scientific and so works. For a more thorough explanation on prominence go here or here. In Washington the unofficial standard cut-off for a landform or summit to be considered a peak is 400 or more feet of prominence (i.e., >399P). So with that background in mind, let it be known that several of us peakbagger types take the time and effort to dumpster dive small peaks with >399P. These are your veritable “bike ‘n hikes” and can be quite relaxing. So, in that regard, even non-peakbaggers can find them entertaining. But you first have to know where to look. And once you find them, you’ll be surprised at how many “peaks” exist in our fair state. Fortunately, we peakbaggers have some research resources, not the least of which is Jeff Howbert’s peakbagger’s asylum. Click any quad on this map to see what I mean. A preliminary dive On Saturday I set out for Tacoma to take care of some business at my parents place. On the way there I stopped at Evergreen Heights Elementary School in Federal Way. I took a short stroll behind the school to a long berm/mound beside the soccer goal. I was bummed there was no dumpster atop that mound because, as I stood at its highest point amid blackberry creepers, I had just tagged my 493rd summit: ”Evergreen Heights” (Pk 540+, 460P). Now that’s low (yet still not the lowest elevation “peak” I’ve climbed). Go ahead and laugh. I deserve it. Let’s just say it was something I would need to do eventually and Saturday seemed like a good time. But, if you think about it, this school’s campus is the highest point of land in that long uplift between the Puget Sound and the Kent-Sumner valley. I should thank John Roper for pointing it out a few weeks back while we were on our way to climb a completely un-prominent named summit on the USGS map called Gove Peak in Mount Rainier National Park. Really, Gove is just a point at the end of a ridge. But this report isn’t completely about dumpster diving in the back of a school. It’s about doing an FPBA (First Peakbagger Ascent) and thereby getting to name a summit for “mountaineering” posterity. But let me step back a bit. Prior dives On February 19, 2006 I traveled to the Elbe locale WSW of Mt. Rainier. Down that way, on the Mineral quad, there are six prominence peaks with “top” in their name. All but one of these names are unofficial peakbagger designators. After that day I had done all but one of them, Roundtop Mountain. I knew I’d be coming back soon to get it. There was also a peak just north of Roundtop that Howbert simply refers to as “Anderson Lk. Quad 6” (see here). Two days later I went to a pub club at The Canterbury and ran into a friendly face. She asked me what I had been doing lately. I said I had just been down in the Elbe area climbing most of the remaining aforementioned peaks with “top” in their name [i had done ”Doubletop” (2180F, 860P) in 2005]: ”Stumptop” (2080+F, 480P), ”Towertop” (2608F, 1088P), ”Laketop” (2120+F, 640P), and ”Spiraltop” (2703F, 1143P). Then, in a flash of inspiration, I mentioned to her there is one top down there that doesn’t have a name and hasn’t been climbed by anyone in the peakbagger clan. I said if I could get up there first (ahead of Stefan, who plans to climb it later this year), I could name it for her. So, the “Snugtop” plan was set in motion. Here’s Snugtop bookended by an FPBA’er and an FNA’er You want to know what an FNA is? Do you really want to know? I dare you to click here. I double-dare you to click here. Ugh, now that you’ve closed down those gallery windows (I knew you couldn’t resist the second one after the first one )…fast forward a few weeks… Recent dives Last week, I notified Snugtop that I was going down Elbe way again to climb her soon-to-be namesake. I invited her along. She showed initial interest. But she must have blenched at the idea after I accidentally tossed out the word “brush.” No matter, I would go and tag that top on my own. I arrived at the logging road gate at the west foot of Roundtop Mountain. I could see Snugtop’s snug top from there. It was as snug as a bug in a forested rug. ”Snugtop” from where I parked I decided to climb Roundtop first. I took my mom’s girly bike up the logging road around its southwest side to a spur that ended woefully below the top. I could see a log landing on a promontory on Roundtop’s south ridge. Hmmm, I could just haul the heavy-ass bike up the steep clearcut to that landing. And that’s what I did. Lesson learned: don’t haul a heavy-ass bike up a steep clearcut! I perspired but persevered. Leaving my bike at the landing, I ambled the long ridge north to the highest point of Roundtop Mountain (2670F, 910P). Roundtop Mountain from the NW While on the way down the mountain I snuck a good view of “Snugtop” and could see a logging road on her south side that would save me 200 vertical feet of foot travel than my planned route on the southwest side. ”Snugtop” from Roundtop I hopped on my bike and soon was at the end of that logging spur. The orange dot in the picture above marks the highest point of the logging road where I left my bike. Ditching it in a grassy dead end, I crossed through a regrowth area and into the thick woods. Hardly any brush in the underforest. Works for me! It was simply a 900 vertical foot forest tromp past several really old [overgrown] logging roads to get to the highest point, which I surmised was at a stump. I built a cairn on top and inserted a film canister register proclaiming proudly that THIS PEAK SHALL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS “SNUGTOP” (Pk 2880+, 720P). Here’s me on top of “Snugtop” No, this FPBA was not also an FNA. You gutterminds! OK, stop laughing at me now! Naming peaks for friends is an important matter. Snugtop: consider this my gift to you for that major event coming up in your life. Other dumpsters Afterwards I dumpster dove two more peaks down thattaway before returning home. I’ll spare you the details but these were what they were: Pk 2720+ (400P) and Dobbs Mountain (2767F, 447P). The former was brainless; the latter was quite brushy (just like I like ‘em). Cheers, Klenke Additional pictures of dumpsters Gear Notes: bicycle, lobotomy (a "labotomy" is a lobotomy done on Labradorians) Approach Notes: Drive to Elbe, take a south on Hwy 7, turn left to go to the town of Mineral, drive past the town to the prominent old volcanic plug known as Roundtop Mountain, find a gated logging road, pull out your bike and start biking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 JEEZUS! Klenke, you're weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Post deleted by Off_White Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Pics of the bike please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Did you ever know that you're my hero? Way to get after it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fettster Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Heh, nice report. Great to hear about all the fun you had. I as well would like to see the picture of the bike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Unfortunately, I think I've been hunting near there. Reminded me of Kentucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 As requested, here's me on my mom's bike (from another bike 'n hike last Thanksgiving). Note how I'm trying to obscure the fact that I'm on a girly bike. I could have taken my own down there but since I was passing through my parents' place I could use one of theirs. My mother's is actually a more comfortable ride than my dad's. However, my mother's is not as easy to carry because there is no horizontal crotch bar. This makes carrying the bike up a steep-ass clearcut quite exhausting. You can't hoist it over your shoulder. It should be noted that I mostly pushed my bike with much exasperation as the front wheel would get stuck on the downhill side of xylo-debris that one always finds haphazardly strewn--especially right below a log landing. The last couple hundred feet of hauling to the landing was quite steep at about the final angle seen in the picture above of Roundtop from the NW. Here is a picture of "Snugtop" from the NE with "Laketop" at far right. The Nisqually River Valley (leading to the Longmire entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park) is below. So Snugtop is quite visible as you drive to/from Ashford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 nice tights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Shameless tilt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 A real inspiration to the unenthused, and minimally satisfied. You rock my hill world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Shouldn't the first ascent go to the logger that cut down that tree? I think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted April 17, 2006 Author Share Posted April 17, 2006 Reading for comprehension, my man. Reading for comprehension. Try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicoli11 Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Is that new snow on the ground or the remnants of an exploded meth lab?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Reading for comprehension, my man. Reading for comprehension. Try again. I think you need to contact the logger and ask him about naming. Maybe he wants to call it Mt. Schmidt after his favorite beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted April 17, 2006 Author Share Posted April 17, 2006 I think you need to....STFU now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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