Training Log Archive: biggins

starting from the end of a super sketchy dirt road, I first ran up Gobbler's Knob (the beer drinking target shooting hangout), then hiked up the PCT about 6 miles to Wright Mt, turned off it and climbed Pine Mt and Dawson Pk. Snow line started just as I left Wright. Snow was in great shape, just soft enough to give some grip, but never got in further than the ankles, even on the descents. Didn't want the 6 mile approach in the plastic boots though, so I was perfecting my crampons-over-running-shoes technique. Works pretty well. Ran into lots of northbound PCT hikers, they all got a late start this year because of the snow. map - started at the east end. pics.

Hadn't had a good epic insanity march in quite some time, so this was long overdue. Drove back up to the end of the road from last week, but brought the climbing gear this time.

(map - clockwise starting at NW) Hiked in on the closed section of the road a couple miles, which was totally covered in snow, and had some pretty impressive (40' deep) avalanches across it. Then cramponed up a nice steep snowfield (pic from last week, the one on the right) to the ridge between Throop and Hawkins. Got both of those, then went way down the ridge to Copter Ridge peak. Since that was the sunny side of the main ridge, the snowline stopped about halfway down and it got pretty hot. Then did some great scree/snowfield contouring around to the next ridge west, and hiked that back up to the main ridge picking up South Hawkins and Middle Hawkins along the way. Was planning on going up mt Islip on the way back to the car, but I was totally out of water by this point and getting a little loopy, so I just bailed back down to the road from the gap. About 12 hours total. pics

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