[TR] Mt. Ellinor and Mt. Rose - 5/31/2010

[Fairweather]

Trip: Mt. Ellinor and Mt Rose -

 

Date: 5/31/2010

 

Trip Report:

A driving rain in Hoodsport caused us to alter our plans and head for Mount Ellinor. Chirp, Pope, and I started in the rain about 300 yards from the upper trailhead (snow still blocking the road) and reached the top in a thick fog. The glissade is in. We then drove to the Mount Rose trail head near Staircase and began the 3500 foot climb. Snow about the last half mile or so. Good views of Lake Cushman from the top. Good times.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Boots and poles.

 

Approach Notes:

Snow line in the SE Olympics is about 3700 feet.

 

[chirp]

Great day of some nice vertical gain.

 

Found hand sized tracks on top of Ellinor, looks like Cougar (corrected by JBo6).

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2010 by chirp

[JBo6]

Pretty sure those are cougar tracks. Bear would have a larger heel pad on the rear foot and five toes I believe.

[chirp]

A friend sent me a link, looks like you are correct.

 

http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

 

[olyclimber]

I've seen a cougar on the olypen! They look too old, but then they pounce! You'll be powerless.

[robertjoy]

Comparing the snowy track with the link: bear-tracker etc., It looks more like a dog... "feline: the leading edge of the heel pad has two lobes, dogs have one"

[JBo6]

See claws?

[chirp]

Comparing the snowy track with the link: bear-tracker etc., It looks more like a dog... "feline: the leading edge of the heel pad has two lobes, dogs have one"

 

Did not see any claws, but the prints are wider than long so in comparison to the dogs, these seem really cat like.