TR_ Gee Point summit bivy

[curtveld]

The crappy forecast had killed our backpack plan, but Ty (10) and I settled for a short adventure in the form of a summit bivy. Gee Point is a retired fire lookout peak in the ragged FS logging country between Concrete and Darrington. The thread of a trail - 1.5 miles, but “felt longer” – has remarkable variety, especially the last quarter mile, which gains sudden exposure as it spirals around the summit pyramid.

 

Reaching the rocky 30’-wide summit, Ty concluded “crap, there’s no place to sleep!” But within minutes, we had found several improvable spots and were in business. That realization was a trip highlight for him, along with picking through the scattered debris of the destroyed lookout – blobs of melted glass, copper straps, an old bucket.

 

 

Though Gee potentially rivals Sauk Mountain among North Cascade view-spots, it was really smoky and we settled in to watch the stars emerge.

 

 

The handful visible at 10 had multiplied to millions when we woke around midnight. The bliss soon ended with the arrival of clouds and heavy mist. We huddled under our rainfly, but were soggy by dawn. At first light, we packed up and picked our way back through the dripping huckleberry bushes to the car, still smiling.

 

 

Equipment notes: Less cotton, more Gore-tex

 

[Tyson.g]

Awesome Curt!

I can think of no better way to spend time.

You guys look pretty happy in that last pic.

I look forward to the future and the days I can spend outside with my little girl.

Thanks for sharing this is great!

 

[genepires]

cool TR. good idea!

 

BTW, there is a booger in your nose in the last photo.

 

 

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I did stuff like that with my Dad a long time ago. I remember hiking up past some old ski lifts in Idaho once for a similarly awesome summit bivy. Thanks for the reminder!

[curtveld]

As a parent, I know my kids will get chances to bivy at some point. Best to introduce them to it in a safe supervised environment.

 

Gene, that's just my normal nose. Only thing I see that's amiss is the dorky scrunched up balaclava?

[JasonG]

Nice work! I'm still in car camp mode with a 3month and 2 year old . .. Shi Shi and Hobuck were our adventures for the summer. Baby steps I guess.