Barb & dms get the Blues (Three of them)

[Barbarossa]

I managed to convince dms to roll out early for a trip in shortened November daylight.

We parked at the gate to White Ledge Campground. Someone else had arrived earlier, in a car with hiking oriented and NRA stickers in the read windows. After a false start at the White Ledge trail, we found the Carter Ledge Trail and headed up. The Middle Sister Trail was right where it was supposed to be. It went over a gentle, pretty plateau, before putting us on a brief steep section.

We took a break at the col, then headed into the woods at the sharp turn and started ascending Blue.

The woods were a mix of vegetation and densities. There was a nice but small birch grove just below the peak.

We signed in to a 10 year old Person Pill bottle. A couple layers of the baggies were getting worn, so we replaced them with new ones.

On our way down, we encountered our first serious patch of hobblebush.

We waded through a bit of it that day.

From scouting the maps, we thought we might have problems with boggy areas in the bowl surrounded by the three peaks. The bogs were there, but we were able to get across them easily enough.

more

 

[Barbarossa]

This one had a pool that was undisturbed. I could see snail tracks, or something, crossing the bottom.

Just as we were almost across, dms called out they he had found something and would bring it to me.

I had my own find, then another, and another. We eventually piled up nearly a dozen moose bones.

Heading up the slope, we found still more.

SE Baby is the good twin, with gentler slopes, more open woods and a clearly defined peak. It now has a bright piece of parachute cord marking the spot.

Coming down from SW Baby, some of the hobblebush, or some other pickpocket took a liking to my compass, but we had spares.

Here is Moose Pond, a favorite referenced in another recent thread.

more

 

[Barbarossa]

We then headed up NW Baby, the evil twin. We skirted around the cliffs as best we could, but did find a spot where we could zig-zag up, assisted by steps, hand-holds, grunting and moderate cursing.

The top of said cliffs had a beautiful spot for a summit, with a nice open spot with a bump. It won't last; the evil twin will cover it with spruce scrap in a few years.

No bushwhack is complete without industrial grade spruce, so we continued along the ridge. The summit is relatively flat, so it was hard to follow along just below. Eventually we found a likely spot, tied the parachute cord on a tree and called it good. (The waypoint bears out our call.)

We again descended to the edge of the bowl, paused for breath and headed back for the trail. The hobblebush fields were waiting for us. At one point, going through the spruce was a relatively pleasant break.

We slabbed along the northern slopes of Blue, but had dropped a bit of elevation, so we scrambled up to get above the col. I think I've climbed ladders at a shallower angle. We topped off into relatively gentle woods and dropped in at the precise spot where we left the trail. I couldn't do that on a bet.

It was mid/late November, and we didn't have lots of daylight left, so we kept a deliberate pace back to the car. Funny how the roots & rocks hiding in the leaves are more jarring on the way out.

We got back to the car right at sunset. It's always nice to know that you timed everything so well.

Pictures are on the way

 

[Peakbagr]

Nice TR and interesting photos.

 

[MarkJ]

NEBW for shure,you go where no one cares to gonice avatar!!!

 

[dms]

The Blues

Eric, as always, it was a pleasure to hike with you. These are really nice little peaks, well worth the effort. I love visiting these under the radar locations. Moose pond was worth the effort itself. Maybe a bit more hobblebush than I expected, but it was still a great off trail day!