Hiking Kamiak Butte

I'm getting rather late in my career as a SW Engr, and some days I find it very hard to go sit in a cubicle. This was one of those days. Plus, Nan would like us to start hiking more, so I figure I need some practice. I was thinking that it would be nice to not be in the cube at 10 am this rainy day, but I didn't get away until 11. I stopped in at Dissmores to get my standard hiking fare of a baguette, a small juice box, and a small wedge of Gruyere. I also had enough forethought to bring my kayak rain jacket, a broad-brimmed hat, hiking boots and wool socks. 

I am unfamiliar with the trails on Kamiak so I just headed out on the Wild West End.

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GAjbAIqhq8

Here we are looking to the west and the oncoming rain. 

I almost didn't include this selfie because I look extremely dorky, but you need to understand who you're dealing with. 

After about a mile the west trail starts switching back and forth up the somewhat steep hillside. Here is the same west view further up. That big dark cloud was carrying a lot of water, it turns out. Even with all my waterproof gear I ended up soaked. The grass, wet from the heavy rain, overhangs the narrow trail from the uphill side and soaked my knees to the point of running down into my socks. And waterproof jackets somehow always end up wetter on the inside when I'm laboring. 

After a few more switchbacks, the trail reaches the ridge about a quarter mile west of the peak. The remaining trail rises gently along the ridge with trees on the left and southerly views on the right, except the dark rumbling cloud that just rolled over brought with it a mass of cold air that instantly vaporized all the moisture in the air into cloud. Very cool, actually. 

Then I got lost. My less-than-thorough map recon did not show me the southern spur off the east-west ridge that is Kamiak butte, so in an attempt to walk down the east ridge, I ended up going down the south spur in the cloud. The trail ended quickly, so I backtracked and followed the signs to Pine Ridge Trail, which took me across the southern spur ridge which I mistook for the main ridge. Hence I thought I was on the north side of the main ridge going west when in fact I was on the south side going east.

My internal map told me I should see the south side (treeless) of the hills to the north, but when the clouds broke somewhat I saw the north side (treed) of the hills to the south. It happens to me so seldom that my inner map is not confirmed by my eyes, that I actually thought it a pleasant sensation, much like bed spins, which I actually enjoy also. I know, weird. 

Anyhow, once I saw the Kibbie Dome I knew right where I was and the effect was spoiled. 

This is actually Pine Ridge Trail. The cupped profile combined with copious recent rain made it much like a slip-n-slide. Not so much fun as it sounds. 

Altogether a pleasant lunch break from the cubicle. 

Hiking Fall Creek Saddle trail, McCall

While down in McCall for the Fourth, we decided to escape the teenage meat market that was downtown for the solitude and view of a nearby mountaintop.  So we took Lick Creek road out of town to the east for about ten miles to the Fall Creek Saddle trailhead (hike #23 in the McCall hiking guide). The guide said the trail was 5.4 miles out and back and would take an average hiker about 3 1/2 hours to make the round trip. It took us about 3. 

Three miles out the road turns to basically single lane gravel. It's also the road to Yellow Pine. I failed to get a picture of the trailhead. This is about half a mile up the trail from the trailhead, and maybe 500 ft elevation gain of the 2200 total that will take us to the peak overlooking Crystal Lake and McCall. 

One of many hillside meadows on the way up. 

A fire a few years ago left a dead forest on the eastern slope that was warming a bit on this July morning. 

There was still a bit of snow covering the trail in spots. In one place we had a hard time finding the trail on the other side. 

I took no picture of the saddle, mostly trees blocking the views anyway. From the saddle the trail heads both north and south.  We chose south to get to the peak that overlooks Crystal Lake. Here is the cliff on the east side of the ridge. 

To the west the land falls away more gently, making us think this hike might be enjoyable from the McCall side, though much longer. 

Crystal Lake well below. 

The inimitable Ben Walden. My very own guitar hero. And quite a hiker. 

The head dufus watching a large-wheeled Super Cub coming in from the wilderness area toward McCall. 30 yards to my front is farely steep cliff down to Crystal Lake, while here is a gentle meadow, at 7900 ft elevation. 

McCall from the top. 

The last steep climb up to the saddle from the marshy meadow. Here we are going back down it. 3 bars of cel coverage just twenty yards from here. And none here on the side away from McCall. That's Von Walden and Tina Hilding heading down the trail with their son Ben. 

Oh my God, the 2.7 miles down was hard!  Much harder than the up. I rolled my right ankle 3 times, and blistered my left big toe for an inch in diameter. The stream by the car park was EXTREMELY cold, but I thoroughly enjoyed the soak anyway. 

Beautiful, but don't drink the water.