PNW GGG 2016

Right now our headcount is at nine so we’re still under the magical 12 hiker limit.

Doug already mentioned it but please don’t forget your NW Forest Pass.

I”m still coming, but work stuff is coming off the rails.  Had to terminate my COO yesterday.  If I don’t show up tonight, will head out first thing tomorrow (Saturday) morning.

If anyone is still checking, how long a hike from the trailhead is it in hours?  Just want to figure out how late I can show up without hiking in the dark.

Michael

Michael,

Washington Trails Association says it’s 5 miles and 1200 feet elevation gain from car to Surprise Lake.  I’ve hiked it a few times and that sounds about right to me.

First time I went I wasted about an hour trying to figure out the roads and barely got there by dark.  The start of the trail is a bit confusing also.  There are several branches that wander through the meadows and pastures.

“Gathering” 2016 was wet, cold, windy, fun, and a learning experience.  Thanks to those who made it.  It was great to catch up with friends and meet new ones.

Daryl, sorry we didn’t see you or your bride’s face this year.  Hopefully we can catch up later this year.

Of course, today was a beautiful day down here at the coast, don’t know how it was up there today. Took all day to dry everything out, and my shoes still aren’t dry.  Got my chapstick holder finished up, and I’m looking into an ultralight, waterproof model using Goretex thread.  Can’t be out in the woods with killer cotton, after all, and the Goretex should be grams lighter.  Or, are there any fly-tiers in the bunch that can hook me up with Dyneema/Spectra braided fishing line? ;-)

Definitely good to meet up with everyone, and I am rather sad to have missed out on Michael’s Pack raft demo.

Irony:

The spot where you had your shelter, Diane, became a rather large puddle. Your shelter would have been directly over it. The spot where I had my shelter became an even larger puddle – nearly a fricking pond! Michael could have done his packraft demo in it! We had to move my shelter since the rain was still coming down with no end in sight and I was literally floating on my sleeping pad. Thanks to the Duplex’s high bathtub walls the water did not get into my shelter. The spot where we all had breakfast became a rather large puddle as well.

But where Steven had his shelter and a small puddle was already there in the corner Saturday morning? Never got any bigger at all!

Was great meeting Jeff, Diane and John. Great seeing Jerry, Steven and Mike again. Always a pleasure to hike with Ian. But, truly, the rain sucked.

Gotta love those packed-down, heavily impacted camping spots! Ian, you were saying that the trip hadn’t quite “epic-ed” (epicked? how do you make a verb from a noun, anyway?), but it must at least be in the Very Memorable category, at least. You had the right idea with the hammock to be sure.

I had already made up my mind that I was going to switch to hammocks before this trip, but the multiple indoor swimming pools confirmed that I won’t regret this decision.

Epic’d?  I call this trip a “character building experience.”

Saturday basically sucked as the rain picked up after y’all left, although I’m glad Doug, Jerry, and I stayed so we could meet up with Michael.

It picked up?  ugh…  As I drove I could see the ominous cloud mass over the whole area.  Looked gross.

It was definitely cool to finally meet you guys.  Looking forward to more trips and PNWGGG v3 The Sunny Edition

Thank you to Ian once again for being our PNW GGG champion and organizer. Sorry I was not able to hang out on Friday evening, although it sounds like it was not the most ideal conditions to do so.  We did have a lovely hike out Sunday morning with some partial sun and a little view of the mountains.

2016. The year of rainy GGGs.

Michael,

Great to see you again.

KT,

Yes it was.

Funny story.  As we were hiking out, I was on point and picked up any garbage I would find along the way which included a cigarette butt, hand warmer, and a pair of mens boxer shorts.  Yes you read that right.

Planes trains and automobiles later, I arrive at my truck and throw the boxers on the passenger side floor mat with the intention of throwing them away when I get home.  I, of course, completely forgot about them until this morning and my wife had already left for work with the truck.

That was an interesting story to explain.

Yes!! Best site selection!!! I win!!!

Were the boxers blue plaid, Ian?  You are a brave man–we saw those while hiking out, and decided to leave them there.  Of course, they had had 24 more hours of rain when you saw them, so whatever might have been there got rinsed out……

At the risk of kicking off chaff (please no!), here is a fun cartoon version to explain the discussion we were having on paleo climate change, that is rooted in solid science.

http://m.motherjones.com/environment/2016/09/xkcd-climate-change-temperatures-history

Dude you picked up those underwear?!?!

When they say “cotton kills”, picking up found underwear is what they were talking about.

I love XKCD, at least when I understand what the hell he’s talking about–the heavy computer and math references escape me.

The problem with it is, those that don’t believe in climate change are perfectly comfortable believing things that aren’t supported by factual data, and in not letting facts change their beliefs.  Good luck banging your head against that wall. Humans are not inherently rational beings.

I am so going to regret even starting on this topic. But here is some actual data and analysis on the subject:

http://ghginstitute.org/2014/08/21/why-do-so-many-americans-deny-climate-change/

http://ghginstitute.org/2013/01/15/is-climate-literacy-an-effective-approach-to-root-out-climate-change-denial/

Sounds like an adventure ! Makes me wish I were there for it. I am looking forward to some pictures and a poem from Doug.

I don’t think anyone took any pictures Kat! After struggling to keep our breakfast tarp from blowing away multiple times, everyone pretty much just hunkered down.

And no poems came to mind during the trip, so none to offer! :-(

“Dude you picked up those underwear?!?!”

I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but picking them up wasn’t the bad part. They smelled better than what he was wearing, so Ian actually swapped them with his own undies and wore them to the trailhead…

Strange.  I received an email that showed Diane made another comment
I though that hammocking would help with that sort of problem–all that airflow, y’know.  Maybe he needed to spend more time in the rain, for a full-body rinse down.

Thanks for the links Michael.  I’ll read through them tomorrow.

When they say “cotton kills”, picking up found underwear is what they were talking about.

While we’re on the topic, I’d love to see some data on greenhouse gases both before and after I threw those nasty boxers away.