Dark Divide - 7/21/13

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Bosterson
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Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Bosterson » July 23rd, 2013, 10:11 pm

Peder, Elsie, my friend David (who's on break from teaching in Korea), and I headed out to the Dark Divide to check out Jumbo and Sunrise Peaks, both of which have been on my list for a while. It's a three hour drive away, so we decided to head out Saturday afternoon and camp at the trailhead. From Portland, you head north on I-5, east on WA 12 to Randle, and then south on Forest Road 23, which is paved the whole way. A lot of good sites were already taken, but we found a really swell one right at the trailhead with secluded campsites and nice riverfront eating areas.

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Peder's vintage 1970s mountaineering tent.

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The next morning we headed up the Dark Meadows trail, which started with a bit of a ford.

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Thence into the woods.

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Dirtbikes use these trails. Occasionally it smelled like gasoline.

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Dark Meadow, with Dark Mountain behind it.

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We were going to head off trail up Dark Mountain but it looked super brushy, so instead we followed the trail up to a saddle on Juniper Ridge.

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Looking north on the ridge to Jumbo Peak. Our plan was to follow the ridge off trail to connect with the Juniper Ridge trail over by Jumbo.

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And the 'schwack began...

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Climbing on top of things.

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David striking a pose.

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Peder about to jump on top of Mt. Adams.

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A little climbing practice. Rock's not too bad.

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Extreme closeup of glaciation on Mt. Adams.

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Close to Jumbo we encountered some wildlife.

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Jumbo.

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David and I went up a staircased rock gully on the south side of Jumbo. Not as steep as it looks, solid rock, mostly you didn't even need to use your hands.

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Top of the Jumbo Staircase. I think it turned out to be the easiest way up.

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Summit goats! They skedaddled when we arrived.

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Meanwhile, Peder and Elsie were schwacking their way up Jumbo via the "trail." (She's in this picture too, bottom left but buried in brush.)

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Bushes? What bushes?

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Summit view towards Rainier and Sunrise (farther rocky point). The nearer rock point is apparently called Sofibida, and we could pick out a little black speck going up to its summit. That speck, of course, turned out to be Sean.

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Extreme closeup of Sean.

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We then descended off trail off the north side of Jumbo. There's about 1000 ft of loss and regain between it and Sunrise.

The impressive east face of Sofibida.

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I led the others on a high route wrong turn up a hill and into some brush. Meanwhile Peder took the low route and had to wait for us while being swarmed by biting black flies. The smaller ones seemed to want to suck your blood like mosquitos. Yum!

More wildlife.

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It was hot, and turning into a long day, but finally we got to the rocky summit of Sunrise.

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Group self portrait.

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Heading back down.

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The trail down to the Sunrise Trailhead was super rutted from motorcycles. We then began the slog back down the dirt road to FS 23 and the car. But luck was in the air - after a mile or so, a car came along, and when I went to inquire about a hitch for Peder to go get the car, it turned out to be a friendly PH face!

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David and Elsie and I walked another mile and a half down the road before Peder came back to fetch us, bringing the hike total to 17 miles and 6000 ft of EG. Then we returned to our camp to jump in the creek and wash off and to drink the beers I'd been carrying all day and had sent down with Peder to chill in the water. After that, the drive home, with a stop at Huff N Puff, some sort of kaleidoscopic backwoods burger joint that was named one of the three best places to eat on Highway 12, or perhaps in the entire state of Washington, or even the world. I'll let you be the judge.

Aside from the bikers, the only other people we saw were up on top of Jumbo. The area is pretty dry and dusty, and there's no water north of Dark Meadow. Still a lot more to see up there - Tongue Mountain on the north end of Juniper Ridge looks great, as does McCoy Peak on the next ridge west. And great views of the Goat Rocks, Mt. Margaret, etc.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Waffle Stomper » July 23rd, 2013, 10:55 pm

What a great hike. Too bad about the bikes, but I guess they need a place to go and sometimes boot and tire have to share.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

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Chase
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Chase » July 24th, 2013, 5:37 am

I love Huff'N'Puff!
huff puff 2.jpg
huff  puff 1.jpg
Huff - N - Puff
huff puff 3.jpg

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Peder
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Peder » July 24th, 2013, 12:52 pm

Bosterson wrote: More wildlife.
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My legs have been itchy the last two days, I suspect the bugs are the culprits. I hope that the insect wildlife was kinder to Joie, she has to wait quite a while while Sean did his Jumbo Rock exploration.

It is a great loop with fantastic views from the ridge. Obviously, there would be advantages to doing a car shuttle.
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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Guy
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Guy » July 24th, 2013, 4:25 pm

Great TR & Photos Nat,

I love the look of Jumbo & the Staircase, very cool.
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

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Roy
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Roy » July 24th, 2013, 8:28 pm

Nice report very fun looking place I vaguely remember a group camping trip up there with our dirt bikes around 75. I want to hike up there now looks like a few easy scrambles for some fun.

Whats the mater with Peders tent :P I just got a hydration bladder for my pack last week And I bought my day pack for 5 bucks at the neighbors garage sale its like new. Some where I heard there is some company looking into mine that area big time, Don't understand how they can but its legal some grandfather clause I believe.

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The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

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greglief
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by greglief » July 25th, 2013, 6:46 am

Very cool! Thanks for the TR and photos. Sorry about the "wildlife" (especially the small bloodsuckers).

"Bushes? What bushes?" :lol:

dilyb
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Joined: July 27th, 2013, 10:36 am

Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by dilyb » July 27th, 2013, 10:44 am

Waffle Stomper wrote:What a great hike. Too bad about the bikes, but I guess they need a place to go and sometimes boot and tire have to share.
Yep, and in this particular area, the bikes carry chain saws early in the season and are the reason many of these trails are open. They also have work parties for repair of trail sections. I hike and bike and appreciate when someone makes a comment like yours! thank you.

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Sean Thomas
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Re: Dark Divide - 7/21/13

Post by Sean Thomas » July 29th, 2013, 8:21 am

Good call, dilyb. The motorized trails in the Dark Divide are all logged out really well for the most part, so a big thanks to you guys for that :)


Nice catch of that saggy guy on Sofibida too, he was taking a picture of some Dwarf Mountain Fleabane near the summit:
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cut leaved daisy-dwarf mountain fleabane.JPG

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