GimletBlog

See more of Thing One’s photos from Mount Adams in the Gimlet Gallery.

My family had other travel plans for the end of August so I didn’t think I would be able to climb Mount Adams with the Venturing crew (15-18 year-old young men in our church youth group), but when those plans fell through about three days before the pack check, the youth group leaders said I could still go.

On August 24 we went to REI to have our boots fitted for crampons and also picked up other rental equipment, like ice axes and tents. Then the leaders checked our backpacks to make sure we had everything, and also distributed our food and equipment.

The next day we met at the Stake Center at 1:00 pm with all our gear.

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Why do tree leaves turn red or yellow in the fall?
Learn the answer on this stroll through the Arboretum courtesy of the Seattle Times.

• Haunted Hikes, by the Washington Trails Association, showcases spooky rambles around the state.
• How well do you know Gothic fiction? Take the Guardian’s quiz.  What, you’ve never read The Castle of Otranto, with its Monty Pythonesque Giant Helmet O’ Doom?  Tsk.  Well, at any rate, all family members should know the answer to #10.
• If you’re all about the sugar, Zillow’s Trick or Treat Housing Index will direct you to the top five Seattle neighborhoods providing the most candy with the least walking and minimum safety risks.

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Editor’s Note: After finding a Seattle Historical Hike report on kitsapscouts.com, The Gimlet thought it would be fun for our scout troop and cub scout pack to do the hike as well:  after all, this is our city!  The older scouts would like to earn their Hiking and Backpacking merit badges this year and get in shape for longer summer backpacking trips; to that end, they planned to extend the historic hike beyond its end at the Center for Wooden Boats to a ten mile hike, ending at Woodland Park in North Seattle.

• Download the Seattle Historical Hike map and worksheet from the Chief Seattle Council (PDF)

At 8:15 Saturday morning we got on the express bus to downtown Seattle.  About half the troop rode the one bus.  We arrived about 8:40 which was 10 minutes late and met with the rest of our troop.  Our guests were an Eagle Scout father, his Scout son, and Cub son.   In total we were eight Scouts, two Cubs, and three adults.   We were all eager to get started.  The Scouts who were working on their 2nd Class rank advancement showed me how to orient the map and then we were off.

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Editor’s Note: Every afternoon after the programs ended for the day, Team Gimlet would go to the Trading Post for ice cream.  While there, we watched Boy Scout troops from all over the nation arriving for their two weeks of hiking, or arriving from the backcountry, having successfully completed their trek.  It was easy to tell the two groups apart:  incoming groups were a little nervous and overwhelmed by the immensity that is Philmont.  On the other hand, if we were downwind of a returning group, it was an olfactory experience not soon forgotten; but it was also apparent in their feeling of accomplishment and newfound unity as a group.

The accumulated layers of dirt were not necessarily something the young men would want to bring home with them (especially not in an enclosed vehicle for hundreds of miles) and a shower and change of clothes would take care of that.  But the lessons of teamwork, brotherhood, and an expanded sense of what they were capable can be brought out of the backcountry and remembered for a lifetime.

• Learn more about Philmont Mountain Treks.
• Short descriptions of the Philmont camps.

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Pictures.  Gimlet Gallery.  You know the drill.

Thing Two spent the week attending the Small Fry program, or as he called it, “Camp School.”  The program is for children under age five and offers play time, nap and snack time, and a special activity each day.  The children made T-shirts in the Handicraft Center, toured the Villa Philmonte greenhouse and planted seeds, and had two opportunities to ride ponies.  (Thing Two, however, decided that the ponies were too large and preferred to sit on the sidelines and watch.)  Thing Two eagerly ran up the hill to the Small Fry Center every morning and afternoon, and played with his new friends at the Tent City playground and Dining Hall as well.  One day an adult Scout leader “of a certain age” visited the Small Fry Center and reported, “I’m supposed to tell you that I was a Small Fry in 1962.”  It’s fun to think that today’s Small Fry may be tomorrow’s group of young men heading off on a two-week trek, or even future Scoutmasters.

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A hike to Ollalie Lake Pratt Lake best described as “character building.” This hike’s photos were taken with a disposable camera and are pretty dark and grainy; see photos of Pratt lake from somebody else’s much nicer hike here.

We planned to leave at 3:00 p.m. Traffic and slow packing boys thwarted that effort, so we left the city at 4:00 and arrived at the trailhead at about 5:00. In the Pacific Northwest that means it is dark, and with cloud cover – really dark. We turned on our headlamps and started hiking. Our group was five boys (the oldest, age 13; the youngest, barely 12), and four adults. (I was still the oldest for this trip; I don’t know how young the youngest was.) We hiked and hiked and hiked. Ollalie Lake is at about 3500 feet, the trail head is at about 2500 feet. We realized we missed the turn to Ollalie Lake when we reached the saddle between two mountains and the trail started to go downhill.

We thought Pratt Lake would be a better choice at that point and continued on. Our four mile hike in the dark turned into a six mile hike. On the way to Pratt Lake the trail began to be wet — really wet — bog wet — running water wet. We reached the lake, it was high — really high. There wasn’t room for our five tents; we could only set up four. The ground was mushy but at least it wasn’t muddy. We cooked hot meals and got ready to sleep.It was now 11:08 p.m. The ground sloped and we tended to roll into each other in the tents. We were soaked from sweat on the inside of our coats.

At least it wasn’t raining!

About 3:00 a.m. it started to rain. We did not care; we slept. (Well, I was able to sleep. Apparently two of the other, younger, adults couldn’t.) We woke up about 9:00 a.m. and then cooked hot breakfast, broke camp and started to hike out. We left camp about 10:45 a.m. It rained, and rained, and rained. We didn’t care; we knew that if we kept going, we would make it to cars, heat, and home. We reached the trailhead at about 2:00 p.m.

The great thing about this trip was that everybody was prepared for rain and cold. Even with the missed trail we were able to successfully complete a longer than expected hike, camp overnight in adverse conditions, and everybody was safe the entire time. We had the equipment and attitudes we needed. Sometimes trips are more character building than fun. This hike and campout will make us all appreciate the trips next summer when we will be able to see the scenery and enjoy the weather.

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Another tale of high adventure wherein The Gimlet proclaims from the mountaintops his proficiency at boiling water at high altitude. See more pictures from this hike in the Gimlet Gallery.

Last weekend our scout troop and church group made an overnight hiking trip to Rachel Lake, which is about a 1-hour drive east from Seattle into the Cascade Mountains, not far past Snoqualmie Summit. Our group consisted of 10 boys and 9 adults, with a wide range of outdoor experience. One boy’s pack was surprisingly light; when asked what he had brought for food, he assured us, “I’m okay; I brought money.”

After a last “civilized” meal of sub sandwiches and Hostess treats at the trailhead parking lot, we set off. The trail begins easily enough with a three mile hike with a 300 ft elevation gain. The last mile has a 1300 foot elevation gain and the trail, while well-used, is not well maintained. Tree roots and rocks along the trail make for a very rugged hiking experience and the last mile especially is like climbing an uneven staircase. Only a couple of the boys needed their packs carried the last half mile of the hike. Due to our late start, the last mile was in the dark and headlamps were the key to safety and success. We set up our tents and quickly settled down to sleep. We put seven of the 10 boys in a six man tent.

Overheard:

Anonymous Tenderfoot: “I have frostbite! My fingers are turning black!”

Scoutmaster: “That’s dirt.”

The next morning a couple of the boys went fishing while yours truly boiled water on the cook-stove for various packages of oatmeal or noodles. After breakfast the group hiked up an additional 500 vertical feet to Rampart Ridge and the lakes there. With the snow falling on our heads, we began our descent by returning to camp for lunch. Again, yours truly boiled water for many boys. Following lunch and breaking camp, we packed out.

Packing out was uneventful, except that as the old man on the trip, my knees just did not want to take the downhill abuse. After we got back to the cars and made the drive home, my muscles seized up. Once at home, our usual narrator pointed out that I was walking like my grandfather … Well, I felt like my grandfather at this point. I don’t know how I will survive this trip in 10 years when Thing Two is ready to go.

Thing One carried his own pack the entire trip and never complained. I was really proud of him.

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Thing One’s school spring break is always a pleasant time to visit Cache Valley, and as Thing Two grows older, we’re starting to feel adventurous again. On this trip we sampled a few dining and shopping treasures and visited a popular local walk.

Two restaurants worth noting are Café Sabor and Hamilton’s. These restaurants share an owner and are enjoying well-deserved popularity. Café Sabor is located in the old Logan railroad depot at 600 West Center Street. Its “Mexican bistro” atmosphere is casual, lively and busy (there will be a wait on Friday/Saturday nights) with very generous portions and reasonable prices.

While Maddox is still Team Gimlet’s steakhouse of choice, a local option is a quick drive to North Logan for Hamilton’s Steak and Seafood (2427 North Main Street). Hamilton’s versatile setting is suitable for casual dining, business lunches, or a special night out. It’s pricier than Café Sabor (or Maddox, for that matter) but an excellent choice if time or weather prevent a trip to Brigham City. Both restaurants are child-friendly (Café Sabor more so thanks to its ambiance and prices); unfortunately, Thing Two is not yet restaurant-friendly, but generous grandparents made our nights out possible.

Our search for penny machines led us to Magical Moon Toys (1451 North 200 West). The store is in the process of remodeling so it was a little disarrayed (we know how that is) but we found a great selection of puzzles, games, puppets, a section devoted to all things dinosaur, and what looks like a very promising source of train supplies — both the wooden Brio/Thomas sets and various scales of model railroads. The hand-cranked penny machine was between the dinosaur and train areas; it was a little difficult to properly align the die but the machine produced four site-specific designs. Other machines (fortune-tellers and such) are located throughout the store.

Saturday we drove a short distance up the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway to Second Dam for a walk on the Logan River trail. The boardwalk along the dam was dotted with fishermen who were happy to show the kids the trout they had caught or point out fish swimming in the shallows. Thing Two usually insists on walking, but after climbing a slight uphill on the trail, he was willing to give up a little personal space and join his cousin in the twin stroller.

After the walk we stopped at the ranger station at the canyon entrance to take a few photos of Cache Valley and the Wellsville mountains. It occurred to us that we haven’t taken many photos of this lovely little town, so we’ll remedy that in the future. Utah State University and its creamery are not far from the ranger station, providing the perfect end to a crisp, sunny morning. Check out the gallery for all the photos from the hike, including Your Humble Narrator’s Radcliffe-induced reverie on the picturesque.

Ultimately our visits are about spending time with family. Uncle C has been converting old family videos to DVD, so we traveled back in time to watch The Gimlet and his brothers’ band. Although much has changed with the passing of twenty years (Uncle T, playing keyboards, is not much older than Thing One), the lead guitarist and drummer still remembered nearly every detail from the performances and had quite the animated discussion about misheard lyrics and technical difficulties. (“We’re playing too fast. Dang kids!”) We’re working to bring a clip to the blog, but for now a screencap (featuring The Gimlet on bass rather than his usual guitar) will have to satisfy your curiosity.

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