Pond of the False Prophet
Pond of the False Prophet
Local views only today
The Mountain Goat branch of the Monday Hikers were going up to LOTA so I decided to join them. I left early so I could get a head start on them. My hike started at 8:30 and I made it to the lake before the Mountain Goats could catch up with me. I had a hot cup of tea at the lake (5,000 feet) and headed down before the Goats arrived because it was wet and windy up there.
I lost the trail for a bit on the way up, I think I inadvertently headed the way to go up Mount Stone but eventually I figured out where I was. I did not have any route finding problems the first time I did this hike.
It was cold at the lake but warmer down below. On the way back down I was able to take off one layer when I reached 4,000 feet and was back down to shorts and T-shirt by the 3,000 foot level.
But where were the Mountain Goats? I guess they decided not to come.
Oh well I had a nice hike anyway and took the time to take a lot of pictures on the way down.
It gave me a psychological boost to think I was not
on the trail alone. Sometimes I feel nervous about hiking alone.
I did not intend to ever hike this trail alone again after seeing what it
was like year before last. I’m glad I got to see the trail again anyway
and I would hike it alone again now.
on the trail alone. Sometimes I feel nervous about hiking alone.
I did not intend to ever hike this trail alone again after seeing what it
was like year before last. I’m glad I got to see the trail again anyway
and I would hike it alone again now.
I live down here in the bowels of Mason County carpooling from those spots would have
been silly. I drove to the trail head alone and missed out on something somewhere.
I need to give those folks my phone number I guess.
Fall mushrooms are out! I saw my first Chanterelle and Fly Agaric of the Season. There
was a marmot just above the lake and I flushed out two grouse at the same time. I wish those darn grouse would sit still and let me get close enough for a picture.
I smelled a bear in the meadow below the headwall. I also heard some noise in the bushes at the same time.
I did not see the bear though.
I did not see the bear though.
I’m stiff and sore after taking two weeks off hiking and then jumping right back into the frying
pan with this tough tough hike. 6.3 miles round trip with 3,800 feet elevation gain. This is a
rough trail with limited to no maintenance. A bit of rock climbing is required in one spot. As usual the Park and Forest Service Exaggerate about the difficulty on the trail head sign. They even go so far as to warn against wearing “tennis shoes” on the way down. Some how I survived the trip down in my tennis shoes.
This hike rates a “31″ on the Hike difficulty calculatorpan with this tough tough hike. 6.3 miles round trip with 3,800 feet elevation gain. This is a
rough trail with limited to no maintenance. A bit of rock climbing is required in one spot. As usual the Park and Forest Service Exaggerate about the difficulty on the trail head sign. They even go so far as to warn against wearing “tennis shoes” on the way down. Some how I survived the trip down in my tennis shoes.
At 3:30 I reached the trail head and my faithful little car.
Click on any of the images to make them larger
Should have crossed here.
Lake of Angels with permanent snowfields
Elevation profile log
Track Log
Oops I wore the wrong shoes
This tree knows what happened to Carl Putven
Lots of wildflowers on display
Fly Agaric- Alice in Wonderland Mushroom
The trail down
Hold on tight!
Muddy mucky cold black mud
Post hike muddy shoes and cold waterlogged feet.
The pond of the false prophet is a frog heaven at times.
They almost match, good day for the GPS
The following is from the Mason County Historical Society, which states the below information is from Vivian Boerger from Mildred Putven, daughter-in-law of Carl Putven. All the records spell Putvin with an “e” instead of an “i”.
“…There is a historical marker near grave site. It says “Near here is grave of Carl , pioneer, trapper and explorer b Sept 4, 1892 – January 10, 1913.”
Carl Putven lived with his wife and half brother and young son in a cabin in the meadows above the grave site. (Up what is now known as Putven Trail.) Carl had gone out for supplies and apparently stopped along the trail on the way home. He was found frozen to death sitting by the trail, the supplies in his pack. His family started to pack his body out but it was too difficult, so they buried him near the present site. A railroad track was put through the area where the grave was and the grave was moved nearby to its present site.
…Marietta Putven – mother of Carl married _ Moody in 1915.
Carl’s father had drowned while the family lived on Camano Island. Marietta Putven was born in Lower Lake, CA. Her parents were C.P. Stanton and Alice Floder. Carl’s wife’s name was Ada Richards and she was born in VA.”
Lake of Angels
Looking down on the Valley that sits above the head wall
Lake of the Angels
2 comments:
Carl’s father had drowned while the family lived on Camano Island. Marietta Putven was born in Lower Lake, CA. Her parents were C.P. Stanton and Alice Floder. Carl’s wife’s name was Ada Richards and she was born in VA.”
Ok: Yes Frank Putvin Sr and company's boat was over turned, he washed ashore and ultimately died from exposure.
Mary Etta Matilda Ann Putvin was born in Lower Lake, CA. Her parents are Carlos Porter Scranton and Allice Slater who died when Mary Etta was quite young.
Carl's wife Ada Richards was no proper mother, she abandoned her son, Lawrence Lorenzo Putvin and ran off with John Franklin "Jack" Countryman when Lawrence was a baby. Mary Etta raised Lawrence as her own.
Interesting. I sure would like to find the old cabin site. I wonder how far up the trail the cabin was?
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