Sunday, August 28, 2005
Really High at High Camp
Upon examining the map at Trout Lake with Felicia earlier this week, I noticed a camp at some 7000ft called High Camp. Gotta go there.
I planned the hike for Saturday, the day after I returned Felicia to her mom's. Felicia would not have been able to make this hike and I would not have gotten as far as I did with Felicia.
We visited a friend on Friday who informed me by looking at the map that the hike when by a lake and a glacier. Can't wait!
I almost had myself talked out of it Friday night. Alone, anything can happen. What would I do if...? Considering my adventures on Hamilton Mountain a few weeks back, I wasn't too sure if I wanted to do this.
I woke up Saturday and the sky was clear. I got out of the house at 6:15am and noticed that there were a lot of clouds to the east. I didn't check the weather reports. Upon arrival at Cape Horn on Hwy 14, I stopped at the viewpoint as the clouds were not overhead, but literally travelling up the river. It was the most amazing sight! The sun shone on the river and the clouds looked like they were walking up a trail. I hopped back in the car and continued my journey. I took 14 to 141 and headed into Trout Lake where I stopped and got a Huckleberry Mocha at the espresso stand at the Y in the road.
I stopped at the viewpoint and told the mountain I was coming to visit.
I arrived at the Divide Camp Trailhead at 9:11. hahahahaha!
Two years ago, I had taken Felicia up this trail. I came across this ancient lava made outcropping of stone in the middle of the forest. I treated it very respecfully, talking, praying, whatever, when I noticed a tiny huckleberry bush growing in a crevice. I ate some of those delicious things and thanked the mountain for it's gift.
I saw what looked like a father and son team coming down. We smiled and told each other what great days we were having.
My next encounter with people was at the Pacific Crest Trail. There was a couple and an older man talking. I headed on down the trail to Adams Creek and ate some. The hike is mostly uphill, but not quite as drastic and tough as Hamilton Mountain. I couldn't see the trail on the other side of Adams Creek, so I headed South on the Pacific Crest where I ran into an older couple who were hanging out. They explained to me that I was to cross the creek on a couple of snags and man placed stones, then walk across what was obviously a dormant lavabed until I saw the trail, pretty much straight across. I did so, and found my way to the trail.
The first cool thing I saw was an outcropping of shale type cliffs above my head, which made me a little nervous about falling rocks. Way at the top, though, I could see this one rock move everyonce in awhile. I pulled on my binoculars and saw a Marmot. I realized, when I saw a falcon later in the hike, that he must have been the lookout. He'd look down at me occasionally, and even said something to me, and then I moved on.
There are many dormant lava flows and all sorts of cool flowers and plants and insects. There were grasshoppers that sounded like water sprinklers. There were places that I could feel were sacred. And the views! WOW!
I came across the lake which was on the Pacific Crest Trail. It was dry with the exception of a little somewhat moist soil in the middle. It was so cool. The soil was all cracked and drying. Not long after that, I was at the High Camp trail. Up I went. The beginning of the trail aint too bad, but then there are times where if there weren't stones piled by humans, you'd have to guess where the trail went. There were little offshoots from these trails were you could get the most spectacular views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier and the beautiful forested valleys for miles and miles. It was clear and beautiful. Heading up this trail, I ran into a couple of men who were heading that way as well. That was just above the first glacier and probably the toughest part of the trail.
The glacier was beautiful. What and gray from snow and stones. It was melting and you could hear the creeks formed on the glacier and see the water taking its journey downward. It was so beautiful. I can't begin to tell you. Somebody had written giant letters in the top of the glacier that I later recognized as the name Isaac. Above the glacier there were two offshoots, one on each side of the trail, but I walked along the ancient stones to the smaller glaciers a little above and touched them. With the current trends in global warming, this may become a rarer occurance. I remembered at about that point, that when I was 14 or 15 I hiked Mt. Jefferson wilderness, I believe, in which I had to hike up a glacier to a trail at the top of a ridge. That was the last time I touched one. It was different, though. It was white without the meltoff.
I talked with the two men who were up there and was told you could do some glacier hiking and find a tiny trail above them to continue on. I wasn't equipped really to hike on ice, so I went back to the splits in the trail, checked them out, then found a nice place to sit, look over the valleys and at the mountains so far away, eat some, drink some, and yes, smoke some. Afterall...it is High Camp.
Back down I went, which was much more difficult than coming up. I was wearing only tennis shoes (not a good idea as I could barely walk first thing this morning). I had to be very careful not to slip. I don't think there was a danger of getting killed, but one could get a lot of surface damage from a fall that would be very unpleasant to carry along with your backpack.
At the easier part of the High Camp trail, I saw a small group of young women and I think two older men. I immediately thought church group, but I don't know. As I headed toward them, they didn't notice me until I was about six feet from them. Their packs were off and one of the men was talking intimately to one of the women. Finally, one of the women turns and notices me. She had a kind of confused look on her face, and said, "Hi." I said hi back and went around the group. None of the rest said anything to me because I think only the one woman noticed me until I was past them. I think of the story she'll tell her friends of family. "There was this Indian. He appeared out of nowhere and was carrying a stick with a skull on it. I think they were coming out of the mountain!" Just before I got back to the Pacific Crest trail, I came across a couple with their dog heading up.
It is so sacred up there. At times I would stop and hear nothing. It is a rare occurrance that one can go outside and not hear a thing. Sometimes all I would hear is the wind, other times the creek. Amazing.
A the High Camp Trailhead, I decided to lean Harry... Who's harry?
Harry is my walking stick. He is from Indonesia and I believe carved out of Rattan. The top is a carved skull. I got him at the World Beat Festival back in early June in Salem. My housemate, Heidi, gave him his name. Originally she gave him two names, but Harry seems to have stuck. He also has a leather braid which acts like a pony tell when in the back, or a tie when in the front.
Anyway, I leaned Harry up against the High Camp and Killen Creek Trail signs and took pictures of him with my phone.
When I got to the dry lake, I took Harry to the center, pushed him down into the somewhat soft somewhat wet mud in the middle and took a picture of him. It was about this time I realized that my legs were really sore and I knew I would have problems with my left foot in the morning, but this wonderful hike is well worth whatever minor aches and pains I would receive later.
A little further down the PCT, I ran into a couple of men heading the other way. One said, "I think I recognize you." For a few seconds, I half expected the man to pull out a badge, but he didn't. Turns out he was a fan of the TV show, Native Nations, that I host with David Liberty. His buddy was a fan of the radio show, Mitakuye Oyasin, that I also host with David Liberty. Fancy that! Meeting fans way out in the middle of nowhere on a sleeping volcano.
I somehow missed the shale cliffs on the way back. I don't know how I managed that. I didn't recognize the creek crossing at first, but when I did, I took a picture of Harry at the creek crossing.
I also took pictures of harry on the signs where Divide Camp trail met the Pacific Crest Trail.
Heading back down the Divide Camp Trail, there is a meadow where another trail leads off to the actual divide camp, and in the middle of the meadow there is a metal pole that looks somewhat like a ladder. I'm not sure what this thing is. I took a picture of Harry against that and the sign. At this intersection, I also saw a very large mushroom. It seems out of season to me, but there it was. There was also a really cool mushroom at the beginning of the trail that looked like a model of the Epcot Center except it was beige and white.
Heading down the rest of the way, my body was really aching. Nothing like on Hamilton Mountain. I think it had something to do with the altitude. I'd occasionally stop in the forest and look around at all the beauty, but for the most part, I just kept my head down and trudged on out of there. I got back to the truck at 3:57, another interesting number. I ran into a hiker getting a late start who was going to spend the night somewhere on that wonderful mountain. I was hoping to be home by 5, but obviously it wasn't happening.
I ran over another chipmunk on my way down. It was standing in the middle of the road, and I slowed down to let him finish his run across, which he didn't, and poof, I was over the sucker. I looked in the rearview mirror and there he was just flicking his tail in the middle of the road. I could just hear him: "Hey, Garth! You gotta try this out, man! It is such a rush!" It made me think of the airport scenes in Wayne's world.
Back at Trout Lake I got another Huckleberry Mocha (MY GODS AND GODDESSES THOSE ARE SO DAMNED GOOD). About here, exhaustion was really setting in.
About an hour later, I was in Stephenson Washington, where I checked my messages and found out my Blackfoot Parents were in town and I missed them. They'll be back later, and possibly be on the show on Thursday.
I crossed the Bridge of the Gods, and arrived at home at 6:47.
Waking up this morning, my left foot hurt so bad that it took about an hour before I could walk on it semi-properly. My upper lungs ache, as do my shoulders and my legs. Small price to pay for such a fantastic experience. I feel like doing it again, right now, aches and pains and all.
I planned the hike for Saturday, the day after I returned Felicia to her mom's. Felicia would not have been able to make this hike and I would not have gotten as far as I did with Felicia.
We visited a friend on Friday who informed me by looking at the map that the hike when by a lake and a glacier. Can't wait!
I almost had myself talked out of it Friday night. Alone, anything can happen. What would I do if...? Considering my adventures on Hamilton Mountain a few weeks back, I wasn't too sure if I wanted to do this.
I woke up Saturday and the sky was clear. I got out of the house at 6:15am and noticed that there were a lot of clouds to the east. I didn't check the weather reports. Upon arrival at Cape Horn on Hwy 14, I stopped at the viewpoint as the clouds were not overhead, but literally travelling up the river. It was the most amazing sight! The sun shone on the river and the clouds looked like they were walking up a trail. I hopped back in the car and continued my journey. I took 14 to 141 and headed into Trout Lake where I stopped and got a Huckleberry Mocha at the espresso stand at the Y in the road.
I stopped at the viewpoint and told the mountain I was coming to visit.
I arrived at the Divide Camp Trailhead at 9:11. hahahahaha!
Two years ago, I had taken Felicia up this trail. I came across this ancient lava made outcropping of stone in the middle of the forest. I treated it very respecfully, talking, praying, whatever, when I noticed a tiny huckleberry bush growing in a crevice. I ate some of those delicious things and thanked the mountain for it's gift.
I saw what looked like a father and son team coming down. We smiled and told each other what great days we were having.
My next encounter with people was at the Pacific Crest Trail. There was a couple and an older man talking. I headed on down the trail to Adams Creek and ate some. The hike is mostly uphill, but not quite as drastic and tough as Hamilton Mountain. I couldn't see the trail on the other side of Adams Creek, so I headed South on the Pacific Crest where I ran into an older couple who were hanging out. They explained to me that I was to cross the creek on a couple of snags and man placed stones, then walk across what was obviously a dormant lavabed until I saw the trail, pretty much straight across. I did so, and found my way to the trail.
The first cool thing I saw was an outcropping of shale type cliffs above my head, which made me a little nervous about falling rocks. Way at the top, though, I could see this one rock move everyonce in awhile. I pulled on my binoculars and saw a Marmot. I realized, when I saw a falcon later in the hike, that he must have been the lookout. He'd look down at me occasionally, and even said something to me, and then I moved on.
There are many dormant lava flows and all sorts of cool flowers and plants and insects. There were grasshoppers that sounded like water sprinklers. There were places that I could feel were sacred. And the views! WOW!
I came across the lake which was on the Pacific Crest Trail. It was dry with the exception of a little somewhat moist soil in the middle. It was so cool. The soil was all cracked and drying. Not long after that, I was at the High Camp trail. Up I went. The beginning of the trail aint too bad, but then there are times where if there weren't stones piled by humans, you'd have to guess where the trail went. There were little offshoots from these trails were you could get the most spectacular views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier and the beautiful forested valleys for miles and miles. It was clear and beautiful. Heading up this trail, I ran into a couple of men who were heading that way as well. That was just above the first glacier and probably the toughest part of the trail.
The glacier was beautiful. What and gray from snow and stones. It was melting and you could hear the creeks formed on the glacier and see the water taking its journey downward. It was so beautiful. I can't begin to tell you. Somebody had written giant letters in the top of the glacier that I later recognized as the name Isaac. Above the glacier there were two offshoots, one on each side of the trail, but I walked along the ancient stones to the smaller glaciers a little above and touched them. With the current trends in global warming, this may become a rarer occurance. I remembered at about that point, that when I was 14 or 15 I hiked Mt. Jefferson wilderness, I believe, in which I had to hike up a glacier to a trail at the top of a ridge. That was the last time I touched one. It was different, though. It was white without the meltoff.
I talked with the two men who were up there and was told you could do some glacier hiking and find a tiny trail above them to continue on. I wasn't equipped really to hike on ice, so I went back to the splits in the trail, checked them out, then found a nice place to sit, look over the valleys and at the mountains so far away, eat some, drink some, and yes, smoke some. Afterall...it is High Camp.
Back down I went, which was much more difficult than coming up. I was wearing only tennis shoes (not a good idea as I could barely walk first thing this morning). I had to be very careful not to slip. I don't think there was a danger of getting killed, but one could get a lot of surface damage from a fall that would be very unpleasant to carry along with your backpack.
At the easier part of the High Camp trail, I saw a small group of young women and I think two older men. I immediately thought church group, but I don't know. As I headed toward them, they didn't notice me until I was about six feet from them. Their packs were off and one of the men was talking intimately to one of the women. Finally, one of the women turns and notices me. She had a kind of confused look on her face, and said, "Hi." I said hi back and went around the group. None of the rest said anything to me because I think only the one woman noticed me until I was past them. I think of the story she'll tell her friends of family. "There was this Indian. He appeared out of nowhere and was carrying a stick with a skull on it. I think they were coming out of the mountain!" Just before I got back to the Pacific Crest trail, I came across a couple with their dog heading up.
It is so sacred up there. At times I would stop and hear nothing. It is a rare occurrance that one can go outside and not hear a thing. Sometimes all I would hear is the wind, other times the creek. Amazing.
A the High Camp Trailhead, I decided to lean Harry... Who's harry?
Harry is my walking stick. He is from Indonesia and I believe carved out of Rattan. The top is a carved skull. I got him at the World Beat Festival back in early June in Salem. My housemate, Heidi, gave him his name. Originally she gave him two names, but Harry seems to have stuck. He also has a leather braid which acts like a pony tell when in the back, or a tie when in the front.
Anyway, I leaned Harry up against the High Camp and Killen Creek Trail signs and took pictures of him with my phone.
When I got to the dry lake, I took Harry to the center, pushed him down into the somewhat soft somewhat wet mud in the middle and took a picture of him. It was about this time I realized that my legs were really sore and I knew I would have problems with my left foot in the morning, but this wonderful hike is well worth whatever minor aches and pains I would receive later.
A little further down the PCT, I ran into a couple of men heading the other way. One said, "I think I recognize you." For a few seconds, I half expected the man to pull out a badge, but he didn't. Turns out he was a fan of the TV show, Native Nations, that I host with David Liberty. His buddy was a fan of the radio show, Mitakuye Oyasin, that I also host with David Liberty. Fancy that! Meeting fans way out in the middle of nowhere on a sleeping volcano.
I somehow missed the shale cliffs on the way back. I don't know how I managed that. I didn't recognize the creek crossing at first, but when I did, I took a picture of Harry at the creek crossing.
I also took pictures of harry on the signs where Divide Camp trail met the Pacific Crest Trail.
Heading back down the Divide Camp Trail, there is a meadow where another trail leads off to the actual divide camp, and in the middle of the meadow there is a metal pole that looks somewhat like a ladder. I'm not sure what this thing is. I took a picture of Harry against that and the sign. At this intersection, I also saw a very large mushroom. It seems out of season to me, but there it was. There was also a really cool mushroom at the beginning of the trail that looked like a model of the Epcot Center except it was beige and white.
Heading down the rest of the way, my body was really aching. Nothing like on Hamilton Mountain. I think it had something to do with the altitude. I'd occasionally stop in the forest and look around at all the beauty, but for the most part, I just kept my head down and trudged on out of there. I got back to the truck at 3:57, another interesting number. I ran into a hiker getting a late start who was going to spend the night somewhere on that wonderful mountain. I was hoping to be home by 5, but obviously it wasn't happening.
I ran over another chipmunk on my way down. It was standing in the middle of the road, and I slowed down to let him finish his run across, which he didn't, and poof, I was over the sucker. I looked in the rearview mirror and there he was just flicking his tail in the middle of the road. I could just hear him: "Hey, Garth! You gotta try this out, man! It is such a rush!" It made me think of the airport scenes in Wayne's world.
Back at Trout Lake I got another Huckleberry Mocha (MY GODS AND GODDESSES THOSE ARE SO DAMNED GOOD). About here, exhaustion was really setting in.
About an hour later, I was in Stephenson Washington, where I checked my messages and found out my Blackfoot Parents were in town and I missed them. They'll be back later, and possibly be on the show on Thursday.
I crossed the Bridge of the Gods, and arrived at home at 6:47.
Waking up this morning, my left foot hurt so bad that it took about an hour before I could walk on it semi-properly. My upper lungs ache, as do my shoulders and my legs. Small price to pay for such a fantastic experience. I feel like doing it again, right now, aches and pains and all.
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