College, SAR and Hiking

I might be able to hike tomorrow but it will be a short hike. I have to be back in Olympia before 5:30 and I can't even start my hike until I pick up my Jeep from the Mechanics. But I can not pick up my Jeep until I go get some cash. I have a great mechanic who gives discounts for cash payments.

I start search and rescue (SAR) training on Saturday so I can't hike on Saturday. My husband will watch the kids while I am at SAR training and there is no way my husband will agree to babysit both Saturday and Sunday so hiking on the weekend is out.

College has started up again so hiking during the week is mostly out of the question.

I think this quarter is going to be better. The prof is good and my fellow students are people who want to work to make the world a better place. Last quarter I had an inexperienced prof and some of the students were too competitive.

I was dreading the start of the quarter but now I'm happy to be back. I won't have to do as much difficult work this quarter. I have to read about 300 pages a day and keep a journal to prove that I read the stuff. Easy as can be when compared to the nightmare statistics assignments I had last quarter or spending all day in the field with bossy snot nosed drug abusers.

I am studying politics and power in America and I think politics is what Evergreen excels at. Well liberal politics anyway.

Snow is very deep even at 1000 feet right now so where ever I go I know I will be using my shoes.

Pine Lake Almost

Two feet of Snow








My tracks



Alder blocking the trail






5 miles 450 feet elevation gain and way too much snow.

I placed my 100th geocache hide here today.  I was trying to get to the lake but it was too much effort even with snowshoes.     I was going to do Dose but I got up too late.

Some rednecks shot down a tree right in front of my car while I was out hiking.




Live tree that was shot at while I was hiking



Snag that was shot down



Shotgun shells at the scene of the crime

My 2007 Hiking totals

My 2007 Day Hikes
Miles, Elevation Gain

Mount Ellinor 2.6 2419
Lower South Fork Skok 5 283
Pine Lake 6 600
Putvin 6.3 3800
Mildred Aborted 6.3 2100
Copper Creek / Shady Lane 6.5 2300
Mount Rose 6.5 3501
Mount Rose 6.5 3501
Mount Rose 6.5 3501
Mount Rose 6.9 3483
Big Creek to Ellinor 7.6 1800
Church Creek 7.8 2500
South Mountain 8.2 2480
Jefferson Ridge 8.3 2800
Rialto 8.3 103
Gold Mountain 8.4 1400
Upper South Fork Skok 8.4 1141
Camp Muir 8.5 4600
Lena Lake 8.7 1300
Colonol Bob 9.3 2600
Lower South Fork Skok 9.3 450
Green Mountain 9.6 800
Big Creek to Upper Ellinor 10 2800
Dungeness Spit 10.5 160
Green Mountain 10.6 602
Green Mountain 10.6 805
Duckabush River 12.3 3100
Mount Muller 12.8 3200
Dry Creek 12.9 2600
Lower South Fork Skok 13 408
Brothers Camp 13.2 2400
Mount Jupiter 13.2 3618
Big Creek Quinault 13.3 2284
North Fork Skok 13.5 848

Average Miles for Day Hikes
9.04
Average Elevation Gain for Day Hikes
2067.26

Plus Backpaking trip of 32 miles with 2114 feet gain
2007 totals
Total  Miles 339
Total Elevation Gain 72,401 feet

Snow Tires are Good! LSF SKOK

Today I got to test out my new snow tires and I'm pleased. I never would have tried to drive in this much snow with out them.

There was about 16 inches of snow at the trail head and I did a lot of post holing. I only made it 5 miles round trip but my legs feel sore. When I stopped to decide if I was too cold and needed to turn around a tree lobbed an ice ball at my head. That made up my mind. Before I turned around I was sinking up to the top of my thighs in the snow. This was only when I had to go off trail to avoid trees. Alder trees bent over the trail formed impenetrable barriers in several places.

The weather changed from sunny and bright to dreary and gray several times. The snow on the ground was melting but snow was still falling from the sky. That always makes for a cold wet hike.

My feet and hands got very cold but I was prepared with dry socks and an extra pair of dry gloves. I changed into my dry gear during my brief lunch break. My new Seattle Sombrero worked well. It is size large and has a very wide brim; the brim really keeps the rain off. It's not an actual "Seattle" it's actually a "Nimbus". The Seattle is gortex and costs more. I got my Nimbus on sale for $17.00.

I tried to melt snow for my tea but it was a mistake, the water never boiled and I got really cold waiting for it. I'm going to switch to a different cook set and stove for the winter. My Heineken can pot and stove are great in the summer.

I've not totally recovered from my intestinal bug but I'm almost there. My entire family has been quite sick over Christmas Break.

On my drive out I saw dozens of people enjoying the snow. A lot of families had
Parked on the side of the road and built toasty campfires. The adults stood or sat around the fires while the kids went sledding. I want to try that some time.

The clear-cut where I did my research project has turned into a sledding hill.

5 Miles RT with 283 feet elevation gain.

"Stewardship" Logging

Project Name: Pine Creek Stewardship Project

In the name of stewardship they are going to log 179 acres and in return they will decommision .6 of a mile of one road. The road is already used as a trail but has some culverts. This road is where you park when you hike the Upper South Fork Skokomish trail. I'm glad they are going to convert it to trail but I don't think its worth the price of 179 acres of trees. I don't think logging should be called stewardship.