9:25 AM right at Rte 115A rte 2 Jct to cottage St and a right to the trailhead parking lot. Mt Starr King Trail to Starr King and Mt Waumbek. We bring daybags and cameras (Mike, Alison and I ) and the day is cool. As we hike off, it is sunny and blue skies but snow flakes come from above.....kooky! We begin the hike and the grade is immediate but easy, however it doesn't take long to lose the first layer. We probably hike for 30 minutes before we reach snow and ice - slip city, Alison stops to strap the instep crampons to her boots (jealous!) and easy non slip hiking for her. Mike, Ed and I keep each other entertained slipping up the slope. We stop for a quick snack and many snaps of the cameras (first time taking snaps on full manual - call me spoiled). It takes just 1 hr 35 min to get to Starr King peak - the views (many of them) are awesome - we lucked out and got a clear day.
We decide to be patient and hike to Waumbek before lunch - there's plenty of daylight! We lose a bit of altitude and the trail seems to wind around a bit in regaining the altitude (probably +/- 400 ft?) - the trail is pretty snowy here but it is hardpacked - someone had postholed a trail straight through the trail probably a few days ago. In about a half an hour we are there! Pictures at the peak and lunch, in keeping with Baja lunches I have tortillas and cheese yummy! Mike, Alison and Ed have salsa turkey sandwiches on honey sesame rolls - there's teddy crackers and slim jims.....;-)
The hike down is a bit more difficult with many slides and 'looooook outs!' - I think Alison has the most laughs here. Mike takes many a funny shot of slipping, postholing and the aftermaths of just plain dufusness. We get back to the car in apparently 3 1/2 hours including picture taking time, breaks and goofing off. Dinner this evening is at the Village House....yum!
Special Gear
David Y. Gong
Moonshot Software
judyboy@ids.net
Created 04/28/99
Last updated
05/02/99