<< A Dusting of Snow

03/04/15 - Storm King

The climb from Barnes Creek up to the Mount Storm King overlook is simply the hardest trail we hike on any regular basis. The first 500 feet, up to the relatively flat ramada area, is horribly steep with switchbacks and tree root staircases along the way. Well, we managed to climb up to about 1100' which wasn't all that far from the overlook at 1350', but it was all we could do.

There is a pretty valley overlook at about 900', but after that comes an area we think of as the chute. It's a relatively steep climb of more than 100 feet almost completely on a trail of small rocks and loose soil that make it hard to get a solid foothold. Going up wasn't too bad. Our hiking sticks made a big difference. Coming down was much harder. There is nothing like the ground shifting underfoot as one gets ready for one's next step onto unknown footing.

By dint of extreme, possibly ridiculously extreme, caution, we made it back without injury. Are we going to do this again? Of course, and maybe next time we'll get to the overlook.

The valley view after 900' of climbing

Madronas by the trailside

A teasing peek at Lake Crescent

Keywords: lake crescent, trails