Vista Ridge to the McNeil & Mazama Tarns (Oct 3)

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Splintercat
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Vista Ridge to the McNeil & Mazama Tarns (Oct 3)

Post by Splintercat » October 7th, 2021, 6:16 pm

Another trip up the Vista Ridge trail this fall, this time to the McNeil and Mazama tarns, below McNeil Point. Lovely fall hiking conditions, and even a few patches of snow along the Timberline Trail. Some photos from the trip....

...starting with a major shout-out to TKO volunteers who have clearly over 100 logs from the Vista Ridge and Old Vista Ridge trails this summer from the September 2020 windstorm -- including this log pile in the burn area along Vista Ridge:

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...stopped at the familiar viewpoint along the west side of Vista Ridge en route to Cairn Basin:

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Looking down Ladd Canyon from the shoulder of Vista Ridge toward Lost Lake (with Tanner Butte and Mt. St. Helens in the distance):

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Interesting example of how parts of the 2011 Dollar Lake Fire burned crown-to-crown, killing the big trees while skipping over small trees and the understory:

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First tarn on the tarn tour was the east McNeil Tarn, located right along the Timberline Trail:

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Right across the trail is the west McNeil Tarn:

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Close-up of the summit from the Timberline Trail near the McNeil Tarns:

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...and finally, the Mazama Tarn, located off the Mazama Trail a ways below the Timberline Trail:

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One more look at the mountain from the Mazama Trail before heading back down the mountain...

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-Tom :)

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BigBear
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Re: Vista Ridge to the McNeil & Mazama Tarns (Oct 3)

Post by BigBear » October 8th, 2021, 5:25 pm

Nice pictures of the mountain.

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Splintercat
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Re: Vista Ridge to the McNeil & Mazama Tarns (Oct 3)

Post by Splintercat » October 10th, 2021, 2:08 pm

Thanks, Bigbear!

-Tom :-)

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