grouseking
Well-known member
This was a hike of opposites. The approach to treeline couldn't have been more dull, but then once we poked our heads out into the open, it turned into an incredible adventure. While we didn't hit the summit, my altimeter read 4700 feet, close enough for me. The winds were just a little too strong for my comfort level, and I expected them to get stronger if we kept going. But I will get a little more into that later.
The route of the hike was simple enough...Glencliff trail, side trip to the South Peak, then if time allowed, possibly a trip above treeline to make an assault on the summit. We arrived at the trailhead and were hiking a little before 9am. This is as early as I can start hiking because I work till 12:30am.
One thing struck me about the trailhead...green grass and pretty much no snow. In my opinion, its time for snow! It's almost Xmas!! Another thing...there were bear tracks in the parking lot, along with a lot of apples. I guess that explains the bear. There is also a nice view of Webster Slide Mtn.
The pic above was sadly the best view of the day. In fact, my pics are kinda ho hum, but we'll see what I can do in this trip report.
The Glencliff trail is....well its a trail. I come to expect lots of different and interesting characteristics about these trails around here, but I was hard pressed to find one on Glencliff. The fields at the start were nice, and then it was a slog up the mountainside. Sometimes steady, once or twice steep, and it never really stopped angling up. I always try to find a positive about every trail I hike, but I could not find much to say about Glencliff. Compared to the other trails on the Moose, it is the most underwhelming one I've hiked.
Leading into a field
It was kind of a slog up to the South Peak junction. I was wearing new long underwear, and it kind of kept me from being able to bend my legs and walk like normal. Even today, it feels like I was hiking and doing curl ups at the same time. We hit the junction around noon, and made the short push to the summit. Thanks to the weather, there was no view, and some fairly decent gusts.
A sign with a warm greeting.
Summit with my friend.
I got a gust to 34 mph, not too shabby....
Some rime
Back at the junction, we felt like we needed a little more adventure. So we ate lunch, set a turn around time between 1:45 and 2:00pm, and made a push for the summit.
Things were going well because we were still in the trees most of the time, with a quick breath of wind hitting us every once in awhile. Things began to look more and more like winter the higher up we went, with some cool wind sculpted snow drifts. Most were pretty low, but some were 3-4 feet deep along some of the stunted fir trees.
Drift
more drifts
Cont in a min
The route of the hike was simple enough...Glencliff trail, side trip to the South Peak, then if time allowed, possibly a trip above treeline to make an assault on the summit. We arrived at the trailhead and were hiking a little before 9am. This is as early as I can start hiking because I work till 12:30am.
One thing struck me about the trailhead...green grass and pretty much no snow. In my opinion, its time for snow! It's almost Xmas!! Another thing...there were bear tracks in the parking lot, along with a lot of apples. I guess that explains the bear. There is also a nice view of Webster Slide Mtn.
The pic above was sadly the best view of the day. In fact, my pics are kinda ho hum, but we'll see what I can do in this trip report.
The Glencliff trail is....well its a trail. I come to expect lots of different and interesting characteristics about these trails around here, but I was hard pressed to find one on Glencliff. The fields at the start were nice, and then it was a slog up the mountainside. Sometimes steady, once or twice steep, and it never really stopped angling up. I always try to find a positive about every trail I hike, but I could not find much to say about Glencliff. Compared to the other trails on the Moose, it is the most underwhelming one I've hiked.
Leading into a field
It was kind of a slog up to the South Peak junction. I was wearing new long underwear, and it kind of kept me from being able to bend my legs and walk like normal. Even today, it feels like I was hiking and doing curl ups at the same time. We hit the junction around noon, and made the short push to the summit. Thanks to the weather, there was no view, and some fairly decent gusts.
A sign with a warm greeting.
Summit with my friend.
I got a gust to 34 mph, not too shabby....
Some rime
Back at the junction, we felt like we needed a little more adventure. So we ate lunch, set a turn around time between 1:45 and 2:00pm, and made a push for the summit.
Things were going well because we were still in the trees most of the time, with a quick breath of wind hitting us every once in awhile. Things began to look more and more like winter the higher up we went, with some cool wind sculpted snow drifts. Most were pretty low, but some were 3-4 feet deep along some of the stunted fir trees.
Drift
more drifts
Cont in a min
Last edited:
