Ketchup ~ Final Mountain Hike

Today, all the weather gurus tell us, is the last sunny, warm, get-out-and-enjoy-it day.

Then our long gray dreary season begins.  November is often exciting with high winds and even a chance of lowland snows.

A month ago I hiked one last time at elevation.  I knew that the season of snow at elevation was already here and I missed getting up to the Esmeralda Basin or back to the North Cascades.  I decided to finally get to the Kendall Katwalk once and for all.

Previously I have been turned back by very high winds or snows that persisted into late July.  This year the trail was closed much of the season due to downed trees.  So many trees down and roads washed out that the Forest Service was having a hard time getting everything open in a timely fashion.  The added restrictions against using gas powered equipment in the environment (why I am not sure) made for some delay.

But the way was now clear , the snows not predicted at this level for another week and the day...

Glorious Blue.  Way up there is Mt Kendall looking down at me in a large avalanche area.  All of the red is Blueberry and Huckleberry along with some Mountain Ash.  I picked berries, an interesting mix of sweet, tart and some even had a bit of fermented taste.  I made scones and they are tucked in the freezer to enjoy in the deep gloom of winter.

I roused plenty of Robins, Flickers and Varied Thrush gorging on these berries.  Many of them could barely fly a straight line as these late berries often make the birds a bit drunk. 

This is a great trail.  Much of it switchbacks out of the Snoqualmie Pass ski area and you stay in the woods until you cross this open area.  Back into the woods on the right, the next time you emerge from the woods you are way up and cross the foot of Mt Kendall in the rocky, stony meadows.  It is here you might meet some Mountain Goat or Pika.  Today there were a few Pika whistling but no large critters.

Gray Jays are always fun to encounter and I cannot resist giving into their cheeky nature.

You offer

they accept

The apple, we all aGREED, was very tasty.

I love getting on the trail early.  I can stop and enjoy the peace and not feel that I am blocking the progress of others as I poke and snoop and listen.

Plus early dew makes everything prettier

In the silence of the upper woods I heard some small toots and stopped.  I called, it called.  It has been a fantastic year and these toots were not one but two Saw-whet Owls.  I think I have heard and encountered more owls this year than many years combined.  I only had a fleeting glimpse of one of the birds flying.  They are only five inches long, shaped like a big pine cone.

I also found  where dynamite was used to clear the downed trees.  They were piled like pick-up-stix.  I suspect it would have been very dangerous for someone to try to saw these apart.  It is hard to appreciate how large these trunks are, some easily three feet across.

In the upper part of the trail, you pass through an area commonly called the Kendall Garden.  Wildflowers love these open slopes and there were still a few Harebells and paintbrush blooming.

  Red Mountain fills your eye as you make your way to the north side of Mt Kendall.

Today there was already a well trod layer of snow on the north slope of Kendall.  Last year this slope had packed snow three feet deep at the end of July which turned me back.  Nothing held me back this day.

The Kendall Katwalk was blasted out of solid granite and the legend of this path reads more exciting than the reality.  They talk about how narrow it is, but really it isn't.  There is a sign that requests people riding horses dismount and lead their horse across, once establishing that no one was on the walk.  Most of the guidebooks advise you should not cross the Katwalk if there is ice or snow.  This I certainly agree with.

Red Mountain framed by a granite window at the south entrance to the walk

Looking north on the walk

and looking back to the south from a vantage along the way.  You can appreciate the slope down from the walk.  Can you see the hiker in the red coat?

It was a glorious place for a sit down and lunch.  No wind, perfect view.  No bugs this late in the season.  My mind was filled with thinking about my berry spot.  I had sampled berries all along the way and felt the effort would be worth a slow trip down.

There were good berries here and sprinkly patches of snow.  Further down in elevation the sun had warmed everything perfectly I no longer needed gloves and hat.

This was the perfect end of season hike.  Now I must content myself with local hikes near sea level.  The Issaquah Alps permit a bit of snowy season hiking without encountering dangerous footing.  I hope my cold, which is now been with me 2 weeks is on its way to being gone and I can get back into the swing of things.

It is 5pm and the sun is officially down.  I am not use to this part of our yearly cycle yet.

It Is Over

Without a doubt, it is over.

Everything was wet and soggy. I got a late start and still , dew covers everything. There is a chill this mid-morning. The Mountain Ash prepared for happy Robins to dine.

Flowers from earlier have disappeared. In their place, fruit and seed pods

even orchids produce some seeds.

Bog Orchis

Western Coralroot

The dogwood related Bunchberry shows you why it has that name.

Mushrooms are around, but I am not seeing the sought after King Bolete or Chanterelles.

Just little fairy umbrellas

and interesting purple ones

purple just "don't seem natural"

It was a lovely day

But it just feels over.

Small flocks of pee-d-pee-ding kinglets and chickadees. They are friends again and will spend the winter in feeding guilds. These flocks bring safety. More eyes against the predators.

Alas it is over. No Blueberries nor Huckleberries to gather. I came up here just to get them, but they probably never really were here. Last year my spot yielded a bounty. This year the spot has a few sad berries that taste of sour water. No sweetness.

Leave them for the wildlife and wish them well

Summer, it does not feel like it was really here, this year.

Now it is over.

Walking the Katwalk

...or at least trying.

What a frustrating weather year this is. Upper elevation trails are still not thawed out. While I always vow that my purpose for a hike is not to get to the end, turn around and return, it would be nice to achieve this one.

I went up Kendall Katwalk on 4th of July weekend but got turned back by a deep waterfall crossing. I didn't feel up to hiking in soggy shoes. This time I figured with a few weeks and warm weather I was bound to have better success.

Saturday I woke up early and had a Birthday Breakfast of Blueberry scones. My favorite indulgence and suitable for this days hike.

I was happy to see several cars when I arrived at the trail head on the north side of Snoqualmie Pass. At least others knew the trail was usable. I entered the woods and immediately encountered blooming Western Coralroot. While the environment was suitable these orchids were not as bountiful as I have encountered elsewhere in the lowlands this Spring.

I hiked along at a good clip, noticing that the Queens Cup was bursting at the seams and spilling down every slope around the trails.

Marsh Marigold liked the wet seepage areas, which were many on the lower portion of the trail.

I made it up to the waterfall crossing in good time and was happy to see usable stones above the waterline. The sky had not yet cleared and low clouds hung in the trees. There was some bird activity and I once again encountered a noisy Gray Jay family.

Between the second and third switchback you cross an old open avalanche slide area. This is Blueberry Heaven, the Holy of Holy.

Last September 27 I posted a report of this hike and showed you the bounty of blueberries I collected. I could have picked more but I was unprepared as far as having a container. I drank down all of my water and used my empty water bottles. I sloshed down from that hike and made my favorite scone recipe. More made it to the freezer and I believe I baked with them until April.

The path to the blueberry patches is along old downed trees. You stand on the logs and pick everything within reach. I am sure one could spend a lot of time in here, but the berries are so plentiful and plump, you get your fill in no time.

From this clearing you can look up and see Kendall peak (on the left) and just make out the green slope of the Kendall Garden (to its right)

The trail does several switchbacks and I crossed and recrossed the same waterfall / creek. I started encountering snow patches at the third switchback. They were well trod but gave that delightful crunchy "squeak scrunch" feel and sound. A treat to my ears anytime, let alone in mid-July.

You exit the timberline and have a last, long straightaway on the trail. Looking back you can see Mt Rainier. This day , in a matter of 10 minutes or so, the clouds burned off, which I captured in pictures.

From here you can see and hear I-90. Even though I had been hiking for 2 hours, it was still deceptively close. The trail winds up the slope following the noses of the foot of the mountains.

The long trial enters the area known as Kendall Garden. A steep open "grassy" slope is alive with plants. I saw Marmots playing around high up the slope. Near my feet carpets of Spreading Phlox spangled with dew

and Red Columbine just starting to bloom. Everywhere there were Heathers of different types. Happily there was little in the way of nasty bugs, only hover flies and a few early butterflies.

I reached the top of the long up trail and rounded what is the north face of Kendall Peak and once again hit frozen stuff. I knew it was the end of my hike, 1/2 mile short of the Katwalk. While this slope clearly had a foot path across it, I didn't feel bold for it. The slope was far too steep, I would estimate 50 degrees? and one slip and I would be gone.

I ate my sandwich, pleased that I had done five miles in 2.75 hours. There was no wind and the weather was perfect, but turn back I must.

I encountered many people on the way up and it was nice chatting with some and being able to give them reports. One large group was heavily laden with camera equipment and all had poles , ice as and even some treads and ropes. I told their leader that I had no doubt that they would have no reason to fear that last snow crossing.

I also met some folks that were horrifically under equipped for such a hike. Clearly not carrying "the 10 essentials" tennis shoes with anklets and a 12 oz bottle of water is not going to get you very far in any hike.

A young boy alerted me to a cool spider. He was chattering away as I approached continued to chatter away as he departed. I stopped at the web he had pointed to and found this interesting spider atop its web in some ferns.

It was in this spot I found Northern Green Bog orchids earlier this month. I was looking at them and I spotted another little spider. I was trying to get a good shot since green on green in green is a tricky combo.

I back dropped the flower with my hand the the little spider immediately took this defensive pose. I am kind of struck that he pretty much echos the size and shape of the blossoms themselves.

So I need to return to this trail in September to restock my freezer with truly wild local blueberries and Huckleberries. I would love to get up to Kendall Gardens a bit later this summer to take in the flowers in their glory.

And actually walk the Katwalk

I just keep missing the moment.

Kendall Katwalk, the last alpine hike of the year

Glorious weather means it is the last chance to get out and get up in elevation. Kendall Katwalk is a wonderful hike north from the Snoqualmie Pass ski area along the Pacific Crest trail. I got up there early since the 11 mile round trip carries 2700 feet of gain going in to the 5400 foot level.

There was a long gradual climb of switchbacks through the forest. Plenty of mushrooms all over. Even though I was on the trail by 845, there were already some folks coming down. One couple had a sack of mushrooms. I know I will have to brush up on safe picking for next season. This little fellow caught my eye. Yes he is purple!

Sometimes it is nice hiking a popular trail. I had some nice chats with folks and received scouting reports about blueberries! There were many fruiting plants all over. Mountain Ash was particularly abundant and a large flock of Robins gave away that they had been eating on the berries. They were plenty drunk on the fermented fruit and swooped and bickered in a very uncharacteristic fashion. A sure sign of Fall.

The Katwalk is well known for its wildflower fields. They are past now but I can see how they will be glorious after next years snow melt. I found a mystery flower that I will ask the gang on Flickr Washington Wildflower group. Yes it was a blue sky day.

I did find some Pearly Everlasting, which is always a fun photography subject

There are some pretty exciting parts on the trail with a drop off that is hard to appreciate on film

At the top of the ridge, on the north face of the nose I found this. I was thankful for my long sleeve jacket. It will not be melting off anytime soon as I heard snow level reports for 4000 feet in the next few days.

I had lunch on a chilly outcrop with a spectacular view. Unfortunately in the full sun, the photos are not the best and just don't do justice to the slope down into the basin.

The colors are slowly changing and the Vine Maple make and elegant picture here.

The most vibrant and welcome bit of color are the blueberry bushes. The leaves blaze red in the full sun. There are several different species here, each with their own distinctive flavor size and color. I sampled some that tasted like they had fermented and others were just right. Some are a bit tart and give nice contrast. There were little ones and big juicy ones. I found a wonderful spot thanks to some folks who got off on a wrong trail. I saved room in my water bottle to collect at their discovered spot and I was not sorry. Look at these wonderful colors and notice how plump these beauties are.

Need I say more???