From Carpenters Lake, there’s a good view of Table. The sky was blue from the onset and it stayed that way the whole day.
On the connector trail to the PCT, I was surprised to find this little Oregon rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) – seemed to be late in the season for a cold-blooded critter to be wandering around.
Then where the PCT crosses the old road higher up the mountain, there were two mushrooms that had “rooted” in moss on the side of a tree - not tree or shelf fungus growing out the tree itself – but mushrooms gone aerial.
The trail up Heartbreak Ridge was in good condition and completely devoid of snow all the way to the saddle north of Point 2692. The view of the SE face of Table was its usual awe-inspiring self, with a tiny wisp of cloud foretelling the storm that’s upon us this morning.
What I still think of as the “new” trail from the saddle to the summit via the boulder field had just enough snow on it to be hard to follow but not enough for actual climbing on snow. So after some protracted (but very aerobic) thrashing I finally emerged on the summit of Table to find that the snow situation was a matter of fine distinctions in elevation. Toward the lower SE end of the summit, there was spotty cover
while 500’ on and 100’ higher, a winter wonderland appeared (and about a 200 yd stretch where snowshoes might have helped).
It was a beautiful, warm, sunny, calm day up on the summit – Helens, Hood, Adams, and Rainier were all visible.
But down in the Gorge the lack of wind was allowing a blanket of smog to form. In the Gorge itself you might not notice it but from my lunch spot on the summit it was really evident.
Smog aside, it was an excellent day. I suppose if I’m really serious about snow in the Gorge, it’s time to head for the Oregon side and give the Benson Plateau a visit.