[TR] Chikamin Peak - south, from PCT 8/11/2012

[wolffie]

Trip: Chikamin Peak - south, from PCT

 

Date: 8/11/2012

 

Trip Report:

A lifetime ambition to watch the Perseid meteor showers from a mountaintop realized purely by accident.

 

Bivouacked on Chikamin's NW 6925' summit with Al the corgi, perfectly positioned but oblivious to the opportunity, when 2 improbable passersby mentioned the meteor shower.

Awakened by spectacular orange crescent moonrise with Jupiter at 1:30 AM, I kept watch until 3 AM. They really do radiate from a quite small spot in the sky, between Perseus and Cassiopeia. Ordinary meteors catch your attention ("Hey, guys, you're goin' the wrong way!"). Many left plasma trails. The late crescent moon (unfortunately close to Perseus) did not brighten the sky catastrophically. A meteor every minute or three, and we saw only the bright ones. Dark enough to see the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye. You need mountaintop, no moon, clear weather, right date.

I recommend: if you don't know your way around the night sky, figure it out. Not difficult, way cool.

The route up the SW slope of Chikamin is not obvious from the PCT. It diagonals up the slope, but disappears around a corner into a gully. I could not spot the route visually, and went by memory. When there's snow, you'll definitely want ax and maybe crampons.

Al claims the 1st failure on Chikamin by a Pembroke Welsh corgi. We tried the rock on the S, bad idea. We went up the steep snow finger on the N to the notch, ice ax and crampons, but Al kept getting his feet tangled in his belay leash. Bad idea. No place for a dog, not recommended. It was just my ego.

Retreated in good order, but remember that descent is much more difficult for a dog. The runout was only sort-of-OK.

Even on the S approach scramble, you have to be extremely careful with a dog. They are stupid about rockfall. You want nobody below you. Al, in this case, dislodged almost none. A bigger dog would be more dangerous IMO.

 

Gear Notes:

ice ax, crampons

dog chest harness with quick-draw belay leash

Outward Hound collapsible dog bowl

Chillybuddy dog cooling vest (it works)

El Cheapo Camp K9 sleeping bag

Pawz emergency dog booties

Freeze-dried raw meat dog food

 

Approach Notes:

PCT from I-90. Enough water. Juvenile martens.

 

It's a Katwalk, you dummy:

Right foreground is Alaska Mt. Center is Huckleberry. Shark fin is Chikamin. Broad center skyline is our 6926 bivvy:

Huckleberry & Chikamin from Alaska Mt on PCT:

Al claims 1st failed ascent by a corgi on Chikamin Peak; don't try this at home, it was a bad idea:

You can see our footsteps up the steep snow finger. It was a mistake:

A corgi will slip neatly out of this chest harness in a vertical hang; not OK for high log crossings. On steep snow, the dog gets its feet tangled in the belay rope. Poor technique.

Snoqualmie sunset:

Sunset:

Sunrise:

Sunset:

Sunrise:

Solitude and Company:

Chikamin Gap on PCT:

Edited August 15, 2012 by wolffie

[tanstaafl]

Corgi ascents rock! No need for an expensive sleeping bag when you've got a dog.

[markwebster]

Cool! Nice tr, and I even liked the dog pictures, which is weird. I have become a bit burned out on mean barking crag dogs.

 

I've never seen a mean Corgi, perhaps they are the exception to the rule.

[wolffie]

I have seen objectionable corgis, all rescues.

Ours are almost entirely silent. Al didn't bark at the Blue Grouse chicks, or the marmots, or the deer outside the tent. S'pozed to be a herding dog, but he seems to have low prey drive. Passed his Porcupine Test (good dog!). Hiked 9 days around Glacier Peak, and his one single sharp bark -- into the silent darkness outside of camp -- really got my attention.

Al will occasionally freak and attack another larger dog with no warning or provocation, so I always have a quick-draw leash, and we practice. You have to know your animal and be responsible, esp. around horses.

I know many people don't like dogs -- I used to be one of them -- and they have their reasons, presumably good ones.

[num1mc]

Corgi's rule. Too bad my friend Roy loves to roll around in any kind of poop. The absolute worst was when he covered himself in human feces at the Allen Basin yurt. Why someone couldn't use the outhouse is beyond me.