Stay on Offense Climb Mountains

Attacking Adversity

Go Hiking And You Might Encounter A Sasquatch

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“Ok, now you are getting stupid,” you say! Well, maybe, but hear me out. This happened about a year ago when I was climbing Mt Dickerman in the North Cascades. Dickerman is a tough hike gaining about 3800 feet in 4.5 miles. It also has some of the best scenery anywhere (See Picture).

This particular hike was no different than others I have taken. I parked my car, put my forest pass in the window, packed my bag, and headed up the trail.

Dark

One think you need to know is that I hike in the dark. I of course use a headlamp. Typically I am in the dark for an hour and a half to two hours before sunrise.

When you are in the dark your hearing improves. At least that is my experience. However, I can still see with the lamp so it is not like I am blind. In any event I do have a tendency to listen more intently.

Typical Sounds In the Forest

Have you heard a pheasant? It is one thing to see one fly out of its hiding place and you shot it for dinner, but have you ever heard the sound it makes. It is very eery. Kind of a moan.

Then there is the chattering Squirrels. They make a lot of noise when they want to. It is all expected in the woods.

The Unexpected

Because I do a lot of hiking I have heard lots of sounds. On this particular morning I heard the most blood curdling scream, but it wasn’t like someone screaming. It was more like a screeching sound combned with a snarl. I stopped when I heard it. Stopped dead in my tracks. I had never heard anything like it. It didn’t do it just once. It made the sound several times before going quiet. So what was it. A Sasquatch? Maybe. Who knows.

The rest of that hike I was on edge. You might just hear something like that yourself someday, but don’t let it stop you. Go hiking!

Go Hiking and Climb Kendall Katwalk

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Depending on where you look Kendall Katwalk is between 10 and 12 miles round trip. I believe it is 12. It is an easy hike in terms of the elevation gain of only 2,600 feet, but it is a long hike, especially if you extend it. You can hike as far as you like on the Pacific Crest Trail and it is tempting.

So Easy

The trail begins flat and continues that way for a while. Then there is a gradual increase in gradient, never really getting “steep.” If you go early enough so you are hiking at sunrise you will see light shine off peaks in ways the take your breath away.

It is almost like strolling through a park until you get past the avalanche shoot. Then it gets a little steeper.

Rocks

Yes there are rocks, but not like Mt. Pilchuck. Still you really need some good hiking boots for these things. You will probably hear or see Marmots.

The rocks and the distance do wear on your feet, so even though it is not steep, it is challenging.

From Civilization To Wilderness

For most of the hike you can hear or see the Freeway. There are great views of peaks and even Mount Rainier. You can look down on the Snoqualmie Ski slopes. However, I never really feel like I am in the mountains until I get to Kendal Katwalk. Once you cross over to the other side it is a whole new experience and as I mentioned, you can continue the hike for miles. I have gone as far as Joe Lake, which makes the trip about 20 miles round trip. Extending it just a couple miles will bring you to a couple of beautiful lakes that make it worth it.

Go Hiking and Climb Mt. Pilchuck

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So you say all this hiking is just too much work? Then I tell you that it gets easier as you get into shape. You say you want to go someplace that gives you the most for the least effort. I tell you that I understand and have just the place for you. Mt. Pilchuck!

It is only 2.7 miles to the top. A short hike. Almost as short as Rattlesnake Ridge I say. You tell me that you have climbed Rattlesnake Ridge and did pretty good. Then I tell you that you will be at 5,000 feet when you reach the top with a 360 degree view. So you say, let’s go!

Potholes

One of the most challenging things about Mt. Pilchuck is not the hike itself, but getting to the trailhead. It is an adventure on the road. The national forest service maintains the trail, but the county owns the road. That is the rub. They claim they have no money to fix it. So, the potholes on the road approaching the trail head are epic. You need to be very careful especially in the dark.

You drive back and forth across the road trying to avoid the deepest potholes. If you have a typical car you might bottom out. I have a very small car so there may come a time in the not so distant future when I will not be able to hike Pilchuck. However, coming down after the hike is a little better due to daylight.

Rocks

If there is one thing that distinguishes Mt. Pilchuck from other hikes in terms of difficulty, it is the rocks. They begin after about a half-hour to forty minutes into the hike. In places, they are small and nasty and in other places huge and majestic. There is no trail in the usual sense of the term. No dirt. Just rocks. Large, flat rocks.

The trail is difficult to follow due to the rocks, so the forest service has placed signs everywhere. It is pretty hard to get lost. Just follow the sign with the picture of the water tower and you will be fine.

The Water Tower

You can read all about this building at the top of the mountain by googling Mt. Pilchuck. It doesn’t look like a water tower. Here I just want to point out that people sleep inside it so expect you will have company no matter how early you arrive. I have not woke anyone up yet. Also, there is a little bouldering to do to get to the building. It is worth it for the view.

Go Hiking When Life Throws You A Curve Ball

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In his book, “Everything is F*cked,” Mark Manson argues that there is one thing that is constant in our lives and that is pain. Physical pain, emotional pain, etc. I may cover this separately at some point, but I have not finished the book yet. In any case he is right about that. Pain is a constant. Something is always around the corner.

The Other Shoe Drops

I was reminded of this yesterday when I found out I was getting a pay cut. Yes, I work for a living and write all this for fun. Anyway, I actually used something I learned from Hal Elrod’s book, “Miracle Morning,” and that is I used the five second rule. I got angry and scared for five minutes and then said, “Can’t Change It.” It helped a lot. I don’t know if I will ever get as good at it as Hal, but I am happy to have the tool.

The Hiking Cure

However, it is fantastic to have something to “reset” yourself besides mental gymnastics. For me that is hiking. It takes you away from your every day existence and places you into nature where you can forget your challenges, clear your mind and be reborn.

Then you can see the blessings in any adversity. In my case, I still have a job where others were laid off. It will push me to do a side hustle or two. Before this happened I was just too lazy to work another job or get creative enough to find additional income. As Tony Robbin’s says it is transformed from a “should” to a “must.” When you have a “must” things get done.

When you go hiking you flush these revelations out or you decide to move in a completely different direction. So go hiking when you see that curve ball coming your way.

Go Hiking And Climb McClellan Butte

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Sometimes hikes are physically tough, but it is easy mentally, because I know the trail and climbed it many times before this. McClellan Butte was now this morning. So this was a mental and physically rough climb.

Lost

Well not really lost, but I could not find where the trail continued after getting to a road. There was a sign of course saying 1/4 mile up the road, the trail continued. I walked what I thought was that far and no trail so I walked back again. Then started the quarter mile one more time. This time I found a trail which I spent a while climbing, but it was a false trail. So back to the road. At this point I was thinking maybe I will just go home. But I decided to continue down the road and found the right trail. It was at least a half a mile down that road. I just know it! Half hour lost.

Deceived

Can a trail deceive you? Yes, it can start out easy and then get really difficult. That was today in a nutshell. I knew however that the trail was supposed to be a burner and kept asking myself when the hard stuff was going to start. It started about an hour and a half into the trip. Straight up!

Then as I got close to the top, the trail turned and began going downhill. I thought that maybe it would just go for a short bit and start back up, but it kept going. So eventually I decided to go back and see if I missed a turn somewhere. Back up the trail I went. I actually did this a couple times before a trail runner came by and said that the summit was in the downward direction. It eventually would turn and go straight up. Then back I went. He was right, eventually it went straight up to the top. Another half hour lost.

Scrambles

There is a scramble at the top of Mclellen Butte. It is about 100 feet with lots of hand and footholds, but and a big BUT, it is all exposed to at least a thousand foot drop. Since I am 74 and my balance not what it used to be I decided to live another day or two and forego that 100 feet. Alex Honhold could climb up it backwards blindfolded, but I am not Alex Honhold.

McClellan Butte is a “good” one as they say, and I didn’t spoil it with testosterone poisoning.

Go Hiking But Don’t Get Poisoned

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This weekend I will be climbing a new mountain. I don’t know the trail and I read that there is a scramble on top. So what is a scramble? It is a rock face that typically doesn’t need ropes and carabiners. I have climbed Haystack on the top of Mt Si and they say this one is easier than that. However, they also say that a slip could be fatal. Although there is no poison ivy there is another poison.

Testosterone Poisoning

What? I had never heard that term until the other day when I was talking to a former mountain rescue team member. He said that more people had been killed in the mountains from testosterone poisoning than any thing else. He meant that when someone gets themselves all worked up and thinks they can do anything they take ill considered risks. He calls this testosterone poisoning.

It can happen to any of us if we are not careful. If I get to that scramble and the rocks are wet I won’t do it even if it means I didn’t get to the official summit. In fact even if they are dry, I will carefully consider the risk before I attempt the climb.

Fatalities

There have been plenty of fatalities in the northwest mountains over the years. Recently a 46 year old man slipped on the Snow Lake trail and fell to his death. A couple kids were taking selfies and backed up too close to the edge of a cliff and fell to their deaths.

That same mountain rescuer was telling me that he lost a fellow rescue team member on the mountain I am going to climb this weekend and another on the one I climbed two weeks ago. Possible injury or death are not confined to places like Mt Everest. It can happen anywhere.

When you go hiking this weekend leave the testosterone at home. There is just too much of a chance you will be poisoned.

So be smart, consider the risk and go hiking!