Feuchtblog

I decided to retrieve most of my resupply buckets for a canceled PCT hike, and it happened that I was also able to drop off a PCT hiker that I met three years ago at her new starting point of Kennedy Meadows. Intrepid flew into Las Vegas, and after a day of rest, we ventured off on a direct path to Kennedy Meadows (South). This entailed going through Death Valley in the heat of summer, so I decided to make the journey as early in the day as possible. We left at 6 am in the morning, traveling through Red Rock Canyon, Pahrump, and then down into the south end of Death Valley. This allowed us to see the lowest point in the USA, 262 feet below sea level, at Badwater Basin.

There were several significant climbs in order to get out of Death Valley. This put us into the Owens Valley leading us to the curvy windy mountain road up to 6000 ft elevation to Kennedy Meadows (South) (KMS). Here, we had lunch at Grumpy Bears and wished Intrepid goodbye. We picked up the KMS resupply bucket and headed off to Independence, CA where we had the second resupply bucket left at the Courthouse Motel. We spent the night there, then traveled north to Bishop for breakfast at a Dutch Bakery, then took a short bypass to Mammoth, stopping at the Minarets Overlook. We crossed over Sonora Pass, a VERY tortuous, windy road (even worse than the road to KMS) in order to reach a Resort and Packstation, but ALSO named Kennedy Meadows, which I term Kennedy Meadows North (KMN). After retrieving our third resupply bucket and having lunch, we learned that there were no cabins available there, and the campgrounds were entirely full. We were prepared to camp but realized that this was not the place to camp. Off we drove, eventually making it to Mariposa, CA by the afternoon. While driving to Mariposa, I pointed out a cloud of smoke rising in the distance, noting that it was a forest fire, but we thought nothing of it. The hotels in Mariposa were mostly full and hyper-expensive, but we didn’t have much of a choice once we found a room.

In the morning, we wake up to learn that the forest fire is real, and that they shut down the roads to the south end of the park, as well as the Wawona Hotel where we were going to spend the first night, as well as the Mariposa Grove. The hotel reservation was automatically canceled, and we had no choice but to find something else to do for a day, knowing that we could definitely NOT enter the park. We drove to Merced, found a cheap hotel, and decided to get up very early the next day to have a full day in Yosemite National Park. The morning drive to the park was glorious, going through the very narrow V-shaped valley of the Merced River, and then entering the broad glacial carved valley of the Park. What we didn’t realize was that the forest fire smoke had engulfed Yosemite Valley and that we were unable to see anything. We did numerous stops, visited the Park center, and then checked into our cabin at Curry Village. Meanwhile, we were oblivious to our surroundings. That evening, some of the smoke temporarily cleared, offering a view of Half Dome and Glacier Point. Wow!

The next day, we checked out of Curry Village, and took a hike up the Mist Trail (the actual name of the trail) to Vernal Falls. We then checked into hotel #2, the Yosemite Valley Lodge, across from the infamous camp 4.

The next morning, we did a relaxed departure, spending time admiring El Capitan, and checking out the climbing routes up the face. We did not see any climbers on the rock. It was very hazy again. We departed the park by driving over Tioga Pass. This afforded views back into the Valley, including Half Dome. The views were quite clear from high up on Tioga Pass. We drove all the way to Tonopah, NV where we spent the night at Tonopah Station, a historical hotel but otherwise a real dive. It was an easy drive back home the next day, stopping only at the Area 51 Alien Center.

The trip was wonderful and relaxing. I was able to get in a little bit of walking, and Betsy and I were able to go places and see things that we’d never seen before. Because of the forest fire and visibility issues, the trip definitely whetted our appetite to return. The trip to the Valley from North Las Vegas would take about 7 hours of driving, easily done in a day if the passes were open from snow. A day later, we again watched the movie of Free Solo with Alex Honnold climbing the Freerider route up El Capitan without a rope or any protection. Being there gave us the perspective to realize what an awesome feat he actually accomplished.

Sadness and sorrow are emotions easily felt but difficult to express on paper. It takes a poet to do that, which I am not. I have had a significant amount of grief in the last few days regarding hitting the trail again. There were moments when I thought that I had found a solution: I found a far more comfortable pack, and I found someone who would be hiking (sort of) with me. I knew that before I returned to the trail, I needed to try hiking some trails close to home with a full pack. That I did yesterday, only to find that strength-wise, there was no problem. Instead, back pain, neck pain, and pain radiating down the arms from the brachial plexus was an issue. True, it was a pack that weighed in at about 30 lbs., something that I would need to be carrying through the Sierras. It would not be an issue if I were doing a 2-4 day hike, but to be doing a hike with multiple segments, some of which would be 5-7 days in duration, will probably no longer be feasible for me.

Dreams die hard. Perhaps next year I will find a solution. Perhaps not. It is in God’s hands. Betsy certainly is happy that I am not hiking. Don’t get me wrong; my favorite person is Betsy, and my favorite times are with her. The adventure side of me rages on. What would that trail look like? What would it be like going over Forester Pass or hitting the region of the high Sierra? My hike through the Southern California desert was filled with great joy, though I developed momentary problems that demanded rest. I had mastered the art of long-distance hiking, which is a skill in and of itself, very much unlike regular backpacking. I had devoted hours upon hours to training hikes and preparation. Perhaps my biggest mistake was not doing more training hikes with heavier packs; the pack I used weighed about 17-20 lb maximum.

To assuage my sorrow, Betsy and I went down to the Strip to see Rich Little. He was quite funny and nice to listen to someone with a conservative mindset. In 1.5 hours he had us all laughing and enjoying some political humor, while he reviewed his life story of coming into show business, and then imitating all of the really famous stars that he had gotten to know (and there were MANY!). We got to sit within 6 feet of him, and he even ended by shaking Betsy and my hands. Super-cool! Go see him if you are in Las Vegas, as he won’t be alive too many years more.

I appreciate the supportive comments that many of my friends have sent me. Sadly, a few people have tried to offer instructions to me as to what I’m doing wrong, though clearly having no clue as to what it involves to do a thru-hike. Adding insult to injury is something that only Fortunato would do, but unlike Amontillado, I will not vow revenge.

Why did things go wrong? I consider several issues were problematic here. First, perhaps more extensive training with a heavier pack should have been done. Secondly, our life had a tremendous disruption because of our recent move to Las Vegas, and that was always on my mind. Thirdly, I knew that Betsy was uncomfortable being alone in a new city, something that pricked my heart well. Fourthly, there was a huge psychological aspect to the hike which I did not account for. The fire to abuse myself and suffer great pain was diminished. I had no cause that I was hiking for. I felt like I was endlessly engaged in a self-flagellating procedure that offered me no redemption. The joy of having a friend or comrade with me was completely absent. All of these things added up to the extinguishing of a dream.

So, I am exploring options with Betsy. I need to pick up my resupply packages, and in traveling to Kennedy Meadows (South) will take Intrepid with Betsy and me to help them start their hike. I will pick up most of the resupply packages that I sent. I hope to get in some car camping, though that is not Betsy’s forte. I will be looking for short trips (1-2 nighters) that I could do, perhaps with the grandchildren? Maybe I need to start cycling more? I love cycle touring, and it is easy to break up a trip into small segments, thanks to the liberal bicycle policy of Amtrak. Who knows what the future holds. I’ll try not to waste the rest of the summer moping. I welcome friendly and informed advice.

P.s. “Anfang und Ende” means “Beginning and End” in German

14June2022 Betsy dropped me off at the Centennial Hills Transit Station where I boarded an express city bus to downtown. Connecting with the Amtrak bus was not a problem. The bus also picked up passengers at the South Transit Terminal, and stopped in Barstow for a 40 minute break before heading to Bakersfield. The bus also stopped in Mojave and Tehachapi before arriving in Bakersfield on time. I was able to hop a city bus up to Lake Isabella and found my motel without a problem.

Early the next morning I was fully packed, back at the bus stop. By 7 am, I was at Walker Pass Trailhead, eager and willing to hit the trail. Thru-hikers who had camped at Walker Pass were now up and also eager to hit the trail. I started up with vim and vigor.

Within about 10 minutes, my back started to kill me. It was something that I just could not ignore, as it got worse and worse as hiking when on. Soon, the pain from the backpack dominated all thinking. I knew that something was wrong, and that I could not go on with the status quo. So, after about 1.7 miles and an hour on the trail, I turned around. I caught an 8:50 bus back to Lake Isabella, and was able to get back home by 1 am the next morning, though it would have been much sooner had I realized the problem with taking public transportation through the Strip late at night. The Strip is a zoo at night.

So, what am I going to do? I have a lot of options available. The first thing is to change how I did things from the start. This morning, I repacked everything in the Gossamer Gear Gorilla. To my surprise, everything fit. I figured out additional means of lightening up the load. I’ll probably only take four liters, and hopefully not start on a very hot day. Doing the trail with somebody could help. Training hikes with a full pack will be necessary, which I’ll start in the next few days. With the aching bones, being careful to maintain a Ibuprofen on board will be totally relevant.

If I find that I can’t manage, then I will do a road trip to pick up my resupply mailings at Kennedy Meadows South, Independence, and Kennedy Meadows North. The VVR package will be left for a needy person or two. It’s in God’s hands. Meanwhile, I’m home with Betsy, the love of my life, and life doesn’t get any better than that!

It is now only two more days before I depart for the trail. Suddenly, there is much on the agenda. I need to take care of the final resupply packages, which include a bucket that I’ll mail on Monday as well as four boxes that Betsy will send later on. I have not gotten in a few last raining hikes, but still think I’m ready. The forecast suggests that my first few miles will be hotter than average, meaning that I will need to limit my hiking in the heat of the day. Thankfully, the weather is cooling off a bit as I write this.

I made my final review of all my equipment. I set up my tent out on the golf course late one night. I tried out the Sawyer squeeze and realized that it was old, didn’t work, and needed to be replaced. I played around with my stoves, decided to get a 750 ml titanium cup with handles to use with the MSR pocket rocket stove. The final weight (without the fuel canister) is now 7.2 oz compared to the 13.1 oz I used for the Jetboil Flash Lite stove that I was previously using. I blew up my air mattress to make sure there were no leaks. Everything packed nicely into my backpack, so I now feel ready to go.

Other chores involved taking care of odds and ends around the house with Betsy, mailing my final resupply, and assuring that my electronics were up to speed. Finally, I am doing this post on my iPhone as a warm-up to doing this every night on the trail. I think I’m ready, and tomorrow I catch busses to take me to Lake Isabella. You can follow me on this blog page as I will NOT be posting to Facebook. My public InReach breadcrumbs which will tell you exactly where I’m at at all times (if I’m on the trail) can be found at share.garmin.com/PuyallupPilgrim

I welcome your prayers. You are welcome to contact me but please don’t use Satellite messaging unless it’s an emergency. Also, it may take a week or two for me to get back to you.

On 14JUN in the early AM I will be hopping a city bus down to downtown Las Vegas, where I’ll be connecting with a Trailways bus to Bakersfield. From there, I’ll take a Kern County bus up to Lake Isabella where I have a motel room (I’ve stayed there before) awaiting me. I will also pick up last-minute supplies in Lake Isabella, such as some fresh fruit, for the trail. Very early on 15JUN, I will be boarding another Kern County Transit bus to Walker Pass, where, at about 7 am, I disembark and start my journey north on the PCT.

Preparations have been extensive. I needed to obtain a consent to hike the High Sierra through Yosemite. I needed to prepare resupply provisions. True, I could have picked up many things on the fly while on the trail, but then, that can become another hassle that I’m trying to avoid. The four buckets go out on Monday to Kennedy Meadows South, Independence, Vermilion Valley Resort, and the Kennedy Meadows North. I am using buckets since these items are going to remote locations which are prone to injury and vermin. I almost certainly will be leaving a lot of food for fellow hikers, but then, better to have too much food than too little.

I’ve posted both on this blog site and on Facebook a few of my training hikes. I thought that there would be a problem finding training hikes in Las Vegas, but the opposite proved to be the case. I’ve worn out a pair of Altra Lone Peaks and will be starting the trail with a fresh set.

Generally, a day on the trail consists of waking up, resisting the urge to stay in the sack, making a simple breakfast (I do like hot chocolate or coffee), oatmeal or a granola bar, collapsing the tent and packing my bags, and heading up the trail. I will usually sing a few dittys (the Doxology, the Nicene Creed, the Gloria Patri, and Schönster Herr Jesu), while I start out slow on the trail. Then, it is about 8-12 hours of just walking. I try to take lots of photos. I stop once in a while for breaks and for lunch. I generally am deeply engaged in thought, or brain fog, during the walk. Having free time to think, I can also engage in prayer for family (beloved wife, 5 siblings, 4 children, 13 grandchildren) plus prayer for friends that I know are going through various trials in life. Hiking is always a time to reflect on God’s goodness to me. Serious attention is always paid to the trail and whatever dangers it may present. Once I feel that I’ve hiked far enough (a distance ranging from 15-25 miles) I find a decent campsite, set up my tent, and cook dinner, which is usually very simple. I don’t cold soak my foods; perhaps someday I will. Climbing into my tent, I’ll write my blog entry for the day, perhaps get in some reading, and struggle for some serious shut-eye. I usually wake up 2-3 times at night to urinate; hey, that’s what geriatric male hiking is all about.

I usually will do some reading in the evening, and that I will do on my iPhone Books and Kindle apps. I read a chapter or two of Scripture and then some serious book. My future blogs will talk more about what I have set apart to read. I find that I don’t read too well while hiking; I am usually too tired and the brain fog prevents serious reading. I’m not sure how some people can pack large paperbacks; that just isn’t congruous with my way of doing things.

You will be able to follow my journey on the trail. The InReach mini will leave bread crumbs as to my current and past locations. That is accessible at https://share.garmin.com/PuyallupPilgrim . I will also be sending my wife and a few select friends a text when I hit the trail and retire from the trail every day. I mentioned that I have a theme song this year that I will be keeping in mind. Here are the words (auf Deutsch), and then my verbatim (not poetic) translation. The usual English translation is poor.

Schönster Herr Jesu,
Schöpfer aller Dinge,
Gottes und Marien Sohn!
Dich will ich lieben,
Dich will ich ehren,
Meiner Seelen Freud und Wonn.

Alle die Schönheit
Himmels und der Erden
Ist gefaßt in dir allein.
Keiner soll immer
Lieber mir werden
Als du, schönster Jesus mein!

Schön ist die Sonne,
Schön ist der Mond,
Schön sind die Sterne allzumal:
Jesus ist feiner,
Jesus ist reiner
Als die Engel im Himmelssaal.

Schön sind die Blumen,
Schöner sind die Menschen
In der frischen Jugendzeit;
Sie müssen sterben,
Müssen verderben:
Jesus lebt in Ewigkeit.

Translation:

Beautiful Lord Jesus, creator of all things, God’s and Mary’s son. You will I love. You will I honor. You are my soul’s joy and ecstasy.

All of the beauty in heaven and on earth is held in you alone. Nothing will be more my affection than you, beautiful Jesus.

Beautiful is the sun[shine], beautiful in the moon[shine], and especially beautiful are the stars. Jesus is more spendid, Jesus in purer than all the angels in the sky.

Beautiful are the flowers, more beautiful is mankind in their fresh youth. They must die, they must rot [or spoil away]. [Only] Jesus lives forever.

The hymn certainly was NOT sung by the Crusaders but did originate in the 1600s or before. It is a fitting song for pilgrims on pilgrimage. And thus, Pilgrim will use this song as the 2022 hiking theme.

Kudos to the Hiking Rev on YouTube for being an inspiration for me to do “it” this year. His vlogs are awesome coming from another old geezer (Alte Knacker), and most of his advice is consistent with what I’ve discovered while long-distance hiking before.

I have no idea whether I’ll accomplish my goals for this year. It doesn’t matter. My wife, family, church, and friends are the most important thing to me. I am older now, and various parts of my skeletal anatomy hurt constantly. I have the strength to do as planned, but other circumstances may prevail. Only God knows what will ultimately become of my hike. Soli deo gloria.

Some people are a touch agast when informed that we just moved to “Sin City”. Actually, we don’t live in Sin City (Las Vegas), but in the town of North Las Vegas, and are about 1/2 hour drive from the Strip. People outside of the Strip almost never visit the Strip except when entertaining friends and family. We have now lived in North Las Vegas for slightly more than a month. If you would have asked me a year ago about moving to southern Nevada, I would have responded with an “absolutely not” answer, that is, until Betsy and I took the time to check it out. We are totally loving our new abode, and couldn’t be more content with our decision. Yet, an answer is in order as to why we changed our mind about our decision to move.

A year ago, we were still living in Puyallup, WA, but noted that the town was being very poorly managed. Traffic was becoming unbearable, taxes were out of control, and der Führer of Washington, Jay Inslee, felt quite comfortable with oppressive declarations that defied the US constitution. I loved living in the shadow of Mt. Rainier and loved the beauty of the woods. Still, the weather restrained outdoor activity, and 8 months of the year, trails in western Washington demanded either long hikes through snow, or else slogging through endless mud puddles and swampland. Roughly about last May, we received notice that my brother Gaylon from Portland, OR was moving to Ocala, FL, and soon afterward my brother Lewis (also from the Portland area) decided the same thing. We realized that a move was in order for us also. Much of my hiking in 2021 was placed on hold as we quickly decided to put our house up for sale and get out of Dodge. Our house was able to sell quickly. In the meantime, we (Betsy and I) sought desperately an alternative location to live. We considered Idaho, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and even out of the country (like Belize) as well as Nevada. The decision was to first live in an apartment and then gauge from there as to a more permanent location. We did a trip to Las Vegas and nearly signed on an apartment when I decided that perhaps a temporary move to the Spokane area might be a wiser decision.

We lived in Spokane Valley, WA for six months with mixed feelings. There were lots of outdoor activities, yet the fall and winter proved to be quite cold. I got in some snowshoeing but found that the trails were even muddier than in western Washington and less conducive to vigorous activity. Betsy found Spokane more akin to living in a refrigerator. I was VERY uncomfortable with the two churches we attended in Spokane. Thus, the thought of moving across the border into the Coeur d’Alene area was immediately stricken. We saw several options still persisting. Boise, Idaho? I would have loved Boise, yet it was colder in winter than Spokane, and hotter in summer. We wished for easy access to our grandchildren, some living in western Washington, and some in northwest Iowa, which was not convenient from Boise. Iowa? Iowa was VERY tax unfriendly to retirees, and bitterly cold in winter, with summers that were hot and humid. Perhaps Sioux Falls would be a good choice, though the weather issue remained. What about Florida? Florida was miserably flat, and though the weather is warm, it is also quite humid, and I tolerate humidity very poorly. We lived in the south (Biloxi, MS) for two years, and somehow did not find it as appealing as many others did. Arizona? Arizona is not terribly tax-friendly and is much more expensive to live in than many other places. So, that was out. Our thoughts returned to the Las Vegas area.

Originally, I didn’t want to live in a 55+ community, feeling that it would be desirable to have mixed ages. What we learned in the apartment in Spokane is that a broad community can be quite noisy, and crime is also much higher. Thus, we both felt comfortable with the possibility of a retirement community in Las Vegas. On another trip down to Las Vegas and a tour of several 55+ communities, we fell in love with a home in North Las Vegas in Sun City Aliante. It was not a gated community, yet the crime rate was very low, the HOA fees were very low, and housing prices were not astronomical. The 55+ community was not so isolated to leave one feeling that you had no one but old fogeys around you. It was close to outdoor activities, and we could move in within a month. Betsy and I both agreed without hesitation to make the move.

We were able to terminate our lease in Spokane Valley early without too great of an expense, realizing that in the long run, we would be saving a large amount of money by doing so. We had Gaylon fly up from Florida, and he drove a 26′ UHaul truck from Spokane Valley to Las Vegas. The route was simple with only one turn, driving east on I-90 to I-15 and then south to North Las Vegas. Gaylon was a real trooper for which we are deeply grateful. There was minimal furniture damage in the process, and we were able to arrive home in NLV completely intact. The back porch of our home overlooks the golf course, which is actually owned by the city, and thus of no cost to us. Here is our floor plan…

Our home actually has the optional casita, which is a perfect guest house. This means that if you come to visit us, you have your own little “hotel” room, with a kitchenette, bathroom, and entertainment tv screen (which was there when we arrived). The garage is the only issue to me, in that it is a little small, yet ingenuity is allowing us to make-do quite nicely.

We had to quickly make some house modifications. There were tv mounts in almost every room, none of which were usable. We took one down, changed several others, and thus left a tv in the living room, in Betsy’s den, and in the casita. We pulled up the rugs in the master bedroom and master closet as well as the second bedroom (my office) and put in vinyl planking. The house is 17-18 years old with minimal improvements. It was originally owned by the madam that ran the brothel in XXX, NV, and she didn’t seem to do much to the infrastructure of the house. We will be replacing the air conditioning/heating unit, installing solar panels, and eventually putting in a garage floor surface, and possibly pavers for the driveway and patio between the house and casita, as well as extending the back patio. All in all, it has been a joy to be able to make a home again that has a personal touch, while simultaneously improving the home value.

Public transportation will take us down to the Strip or to the airport/bus station allowing us to easily get to either Iowa or the Northwest or to Florida, or anywhere else in the USA. Las Vegas tends to be very accessible by the airline! We are 45 minutes away from snow (present 8 months of the year) on Mt. Charleston (elevation 11,900+ ft), 30 minutes from Red Rock Canyon, 1 hour from the Valley of Fire, 2.5 hours from the Grand Canyon, 4 hours from Phoenix, AZ or San Diego, CA, and 3-6 hours drive from the Utah National Parks. Thus, we remain close to outdoor activities. Hopefully, I can get Betsy back into camping!!!!!

Those who know us well also know that we consider church to be of great value. We had our hopes on one church about 20 minutes distant, only to learn that they were turning more radical and of a theological flavor that we had learned to dislike. It is a church that would have worked if there was nothing else. Contrary to what seems intuitive, there are a number of orthodox, Reformed churches in the Las Vegas area, and we were able to find one a bit closer to home. The pastor is blind but has a real heart for God. They are Baptistic in their orientation, but we can live with that, should that be their only theological fault. Almost by accident, we discovered that one of the deacons of that church is also one of Betsy’s cousins! It’s a small world. It will probably be the church that we stay at. Las Vegas is a veritable mission field; one need not go overseas.

Summer tends to be hot. We know that, but it is less hot than Phoenix, AZ where Betsy grew up. This summer, I plan on completing more of the PCT. Betsy plans on visits to the grandchildren. Even in the heat of summer, mornings and evenings can be quite comfortable since the humidity is very low. There are very few bugs, so we don’t need screened-in areas in order to sit outside. I sit outside now almost daily and read. We just purchased a small Recteq barbecue (Lew’s recommendation), and hope to be making animal sacrifices quite soon on the bbq.

You are welcome to come to visit. Our casita (guest house) is begging for visitors, especially children, grandchildren, and siblings. Summer is not the most advisable time of the year to visit, and chances are high that we will be gone at least part of the summer. Neither Betsy nor I have a burning interest in acting as Strip tour guides; if you wish to visit the Strip, you are on your own. As we have learned, there is so much more to Las Vegas than the Strip. Please notify us in advance. You do not need a personal invitation from us, and we will let you know if the timing would work out for us.

The Red Rock Canyon Grand Circle Loop, hiked on 16APR2022

I am now starting to do longer hikes in preparation for the summer hiking season. Today, I decided to hike the Grand Circle Loop, which encompasses all that would be seen should one choose to drive the Red Rock Canyon loop, yet there is much more that can be seen.

It was a beautiful day but very windy, with gusts up to 60 mph. The wind was a blessing, as it kept me feeling quite cool. The route was mostly very well marked, though there were just a few areas in the Calico Hills where I had to retrace a bit to find where I was going. Here are some photos…

This was a most enjoyable hike, and I will definitely do it again, probably in conjunction with the White Mountain loop to add on a few more miles. Desert hiking can be quite cool, but hydration is most vital, and shielding oneself from the full brunt of the sun, using a broad-rimmed hat and long sleeve shirt with full length pants. It seems like it would be hotter being fully clothed, but it is just the opposite, so long as you are not wearing cotton.

Close by (within 10 miles) is Charleston Peak, at an elevation of over 11,900 feet, and still with snow on it. I will probably soon start attacking that peak. There I will encounter less of a desert environment and more of a bristlecone pine forest terrain. If I can talk my hiking friends to come visit, a chance to do the Grand Canyon will be in order, which is only a few hours drive from us.

27JAN2022 Dishman Hills Iller Creek Loop, 5.5 miles, 2:30 time, 1368 ft elevation gain. I did the hike to the Rocks of Sharon last week but was unable to go any further because of dense cloud cover. Thus, I decided to return on a day with less cloud cover. This time, I was able to actually see the Rocks of Sharon as well as the Spokane Valley and Mt. Spokane, and then to identify a parallel trail that ran down along Iller Creek which took me back to the car, making the entire trek a loop. The day was beautiful and I could see in the far distance. I obtained just a few photos of the Rocks as well as the trail back.

01FEB2022 – Mt. Spokane State Park Snowshoe trails; 6.3 miles, 3:13 timing, 1,263 ft elevation gain. This was another beautiful day though it was cloudy in the Spokane Valley. I was a touch apprehensive with this new area, but it quickly proved to be a favorite of mine. I wondered what took me so long to discover the snowshoe paths of Mt. Spokane, save that I mistakenly thought that it was going to be a repeat of the snow conditions in the hills around Spokane Valley. It wasn’t. The snow was powder, there was little ice, and snowshoes were the perfect travel modality for these conditions. The trails were quite well defined. After parking in the snow park lot at the Kit Carson trailhead, I headed out. The trail was at first a snow-covered road. Following my nose, I eventually reached Smith Gap. There was an outhouse here, but there was also supposed to be a warming hut, which I didn’t notice. The trails went in three directions, but I chose a single file path upwards, with an arrow indicating that Mt. Carson would be ahead. After many curves and much climbing, I reached Saddle junction, where the road permitted snowmobiles. Throughout the trip up, beautiful glimpses of Mt. Spokane were noted but did not afford a photographic moment. A short side trail to the summit of Mt. Kit Carson was not yet broken in, so I decided against that route but did locate yet another alternate route back to the trailhead. This again went smoothly, save for the terror of having to cross a narrow log across a creek (see photo below). I reached the car feeling awesome and regretting that I had to depart. There were tears in my eyes all the way back home when I contemplated how much I loved the mountains, winter and summer.

I’m already studying the maps, looking for more opportunities to return to this area. I see more trails, more adventures, and more discoveries awaiting.

Adventures of Ken the Mountain Guide in the Snow… I did three short hikes recently…

10JAN2022: Antoine Peak, 3.72 miles, 2:09 minutes time, 840 ft elevation gain. This was my first adventure since childhood on snowshoes. It was a sunny day, and most of the time, I really didn’t need the snowshoes. If I got off the beaten path, then the snowshoes were very nice to have. There were only a few other people out that day.

21JAN2022: Mica Peak Trail, 4.63 miles, 2:05 minutes, 856 ft elevation gain. This day was partially sunny, and I used Kahtoola Exospikes on my hiking boots to survive the snow. I had tried to venture down a little-used trail near the summit of my hike, and was post-holing too much to continue for long and so turned back. On the lower elevations, it was nothing but mud or hard ice. The Kahtoolas worked great. Visibility was good. Next time, I’ll need to figure out a way to carry the snowshoes so that I might be more of an adventurer. I never encountered another soul on the trail.

24JAN2022; 5.08 miles, 2:15 minutes, 1270 ft elevation gain. Today was completely overcast, and I ended up in the clouds the further in I went. I also used the Kahtoola Exospikes, though on this adventure Microspikes would probably have been a better choice, as the trail was either hard ice or hardpack snow for the entire distance. It was also well below freezing temperature for the entire hike. With the clouds surrounding me and snow covering all the trees and ground, there was an ethereal sense of beauty. I wasn’t sure how far I would make and was surprised to have made it to the Rocks of Sharon. I would have done a loop but didn’t feel that the other trails were open. I encountered only one person and his dog on the trail.

With all of this snow, you’d wonder where global warming disappeared to. Greta doesn’t want you to think about this!!!!

Regardless of what Greta thinks, I will be doing a few more snow adventures, including heading up Mt. Spokane on snowshoes. I need to take advantage of the closeness to snow in this area, and play as much as possible.