PNW GGG 2016

Here’s the updated list.  As of right now, I only show four people going.  I know two guys who may be interested in going who would be carpooling from Seattle.

1. Me – going
2. Doug – going
3. Rod – not going
4. Ned – going
5. Alexander ? PM sent
6. Michael – Going
7. George – not going
8. Curt ? PM sent
9. Steven ? PM sent
10. Katherine ? PM sent
11. Diane – going
12. Jerry – Maybe but depends on what’s going on in Chaff that weeked
13. Jeffs + 1 – going
14. Eric – going

Ian,

Message received.  I’ll aim to arrive that evening as well.

Looking forward to it.

Michael

Thanks Ian, though the “happy” needs to be separated from the returns part. I was quite specific and blunt about no 60th party and I confirmed the GGG date many times. But the extroverts ALWAYS are sure that you really don’t mean it and you’ll be so pleased with their rearranging of your plans. Now I have to smile insincerely and be nice and pretend I’m enjoying myself, instead of actually doing so at the GGG.

Looks like there won’t be a problem with the 12 people limit : )

With Doug and Ian I could go there and we could have our own chaff : )

(Except chaff seems more appropriate on the internets when people are bored and have nothing to do)

I’m not sure if the LovedOne and I will be out in the RV

Ok, well, things have changed, and that week-end is free again.  That is an alchohol and campfire story sufficient to make me drink, and I don’t.  A  week-end in the woods sounds just about right. Can I still come?

I’m glad to hear you’re going Dianne and am interested to hear the story.

Shall I +1 you or are you solo?

Cool.   My wife thought she was gonna be the only woman.

I’ll be solo.  Bill hasn’t been up to hiking.  See ya all there!

Greetings,

Doug, Emily, and I hiked up to Surprise Lake last weekend to do a recon of the area.  Here’s some information that you may find useful.  I will post some tips on how to navigate through a small spiderweb of unmarked trails in a subsequent post.

1. We saw flies and bees, but no mosquitoes.  I won’t bring any sort of bug protection when I return next weekend.
2. It was chilly.  I’m not sure what sort of sorcery is at work here but as we walked around the lake, it seemed like the breeze was coming from the lake regardless of where we stood.  I didn’t take a temperature reading of the nighttime low from the first night when we camped in the meadows, but the second night when we were by the lake, my thermometer read 37*f.  With the breeze, we all agreed that we wished we brought an extra layer.  I rarely bring a puffy for three season hiking but I will for this trip.
3. We found a really nice camping spot near the east end of the lake that can accommodate our group that has easy access to the lake.  Doug and I are conspiring to hike in early to claim this area.  If you desire privacy, you’ll find other spots as you hike around the lake.  A group of five gentleman were invited to abandon their campsite by the rangers as they were too close to the lake (100′ minimum I believe) so please don’t set up a shelter on the small beach that you’ll find on the west end of the lake.
4. It’s not very rocky and I had little trouble driving my stakes into the ground.  I didn’t have any problems with my ti shepherd hook stakes near the lake but by the meadows, the soil was too loose to hold them without staking ballast on top of them.  MSR Groundhogs or something similar would be ideal here.
5. Once you turn onto Tieton Reservoir Road, you’ll have seven miles of paved road and seven miles of gravel, all of which is maintained well enough to bring in an RV or horse trailer.  However, if you like to corner on two wheels, there are a couple bumps in the road that will knock out your fillings.
6. There were plenty of campers and pack animals near the parking lot, and no shortage of noise.  If you plan on arriving late, I’d recommend hiking in for about a mile to the Wilderness boundary to avoid the clamor.
7. You will cross two bridges.  The first one is in a state of disrepair and you’d be wise to step carefully and step between the logs as not all of the boards are nailed down.
8. If you would like to spend a night near the meadows, there are several great sites along the river once you are a 1/4 mile past the first bridge.
9. Please take the time to get your own permit so if the group decides to split one night, you won’t risk being caught by a ranger without one.  You will have two opportunities to grab a permit but I’d suggest getting one at the parking lot.  As previously mentioned, there are several unmarked trails and there’s the outside possibility that you could hike past the second station without seeing it.  Unlikely but possible.
10. There isn’t a fire ban and there are several established fire rings around the lake, including one in our proposed campsite.  Assuming it’ll be as cold as it was last weekend, I suspect a fire will be extremely popular.  There wasn’t much available firewood near the lake.
11. The final climb to the lake is about 1000′ of switchbacks.  It’s fairly easy and suitable for most kids over 10, and perhaps younger.

Updated list of attendees (can’t edit the last one).  I plan on taking Friday off from work and hope to claim our campsite early that day.

1. Me – going
2. Doug – going
3. Rod – not going
4. Ned – going
5. Alexander ? PM sent
6. Michael – going
7. George – not going
8. Curt – not going
9. Steven – maybe
10. Katherine ? PM sent
11. Diane – going
12. Jerry – Maybe but depends on what’s going on in Chaff that weeked
13. Jeffs – going
14. Eric – not going

I have Fri off, I was planning on hiking in Fri, but probably would get to the trailhead midday, I think it will be about a 3-4 hour drive for me.

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/surprise-lake-2

Looking o jump in. Got done with my PCT section hike early. Can i join in?

Sure John, there’s room.

I am planning on going.  The LovedOne has given me permission : )

Look forward to seeing you there John.

Here’s the forecast for this weekend.  

Some final thoughts.

It’s going to be cool and finding enough deadfall to keep a fire going will be challenging since the area has been picked clean.  I’d bring your favorite shoulder season insulation you bring for hanging around in camp.

Three of us are meeting at the trailhead at 11am on Friday and should have a campsite claimed by the lake NLT 2pm.  If you see Cuben fiber and at least one hammock, 99% chance it’s us.

There’s talk about hiking up to the upper basin on Saturday.  With the current weather forecast and due to the fact I’m hammocking, I will likely just day hike this and camp by the lake Saturday.  As I type this, my knee is throbbing and I’ve been working a few doubles, so there’s a real possibility that I’ll just forgo the second day hike and just lay in my hammock reading a book on Saturday.  We’ll see.

It wasn’t too hard to find our way up to the lake but the trail splits a few times and there aren’t too many signs.  Here’s the best advice I can give:

Once you get your permit, head west down the road for a half mile or so until you come to a red gate.  To the left you will see a red gate and a sign for Trail 1120 (Tieton Fork?).  This trail will take you up to the lake and within 30′ of our proposed campsite.

The trail will diverge and converge a few times along the way.  As a general rule, if there’s a sign for trail 1120, follow the directions.  If there isn’t a sign, go left.

The first bridge is in disrepair.  Stay in the middle and go slow.

After the first bridge, the trail will follow the river until you reach the second bridge.  After the second bridge, follow the trail to the left and you will begin an easy 1000′ climb to the lake.

Once you reach the top, look to your left and you should see a Zpacks Duomid, a hammock and someone who looks like Shrek who is muttering to himself as he rummages through the gear he dumped on the ground in classic garage sale style looking for the thing he forgot.  That’s me.  Welcome to PNWGGG version 2.0.

It’s supposed to rain on Saturday, maybe Sunday, a few tenths of an inch

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=hi&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=rain&w8=thunder&w10u=0&w13u=1&AheadHour=96&FcstType=graphical&textField1=46.4471&textField2=-121.7878&site=all&unit=0&dd=&bw=&BackDay.x=49&BackDay.y=14&BackDay=48

the weather report said that when I was on Mt Hood a couple weeks ago and it rained more like an inch or more making streams swollen

Hey, Ian, weird I didn’t get your PM. Sorry I can’t make it this year — still resting a knee that I pushed too hard on Wonderland.

Hope you all have a great time!

It’s easier to just walk on the road, about 1.5 miles past the closed gate at the trailhead, to where the trail crosses the road and there’s a couple signs

“the trail” goes through a cattle grazing meadow which might not be that much more aesthetic

Hi Katherine,

Sorry you can’t make it.

“It’s easier to just walk on the road, about 1.5 miles past the closed gate at the trailhead, to where the trail crosses the road and there’s a couple signs

“the trail” goes through a cattle grazing meadow which might not be that much more aesthetic”

There were some views of the surrounding hills and mountains, but the road might be simpler.

“It’s easier to just walk on the road, about 1.5 miles past the closed gate at the trailhead, to where the trail crosses the road and there’s a couple signs

We found it easier to keep our shoes dry by using the trail instead of the road – both cross the same stream but there’s logs to cross on using the trail but not the road.