Sounds like a blast, I would love to join you...but are you NUTS man! it's gonna ge 105 degrees! I'm going to the coast...
Posted by Kosta Koeman on July 20, 2006 at 1:55 PM
Rick,
Yeah, I've been thinking about the heat. The basin itself is around 6000 feet (hike is 2600 feet of climbing over 2.5 miles - short but steep). You'll definitely want to join me for the fall colors mid-October (you don't know me, but just trust me on this one).
I'd like to see what wildflower potential it has, though I am open to other possibilities. Luckily most of the trail is in the woods until you are about to enter the basin, so hopefully (fingers crossed as I type this) It won't be too hot up there.
I can't go for an assortment of reasons, but I would think that if you could get started early, you could make a 5 mile round trip of shooting and be back to your AC-equiped rig (with it's cooler full of beer) by noon and beat the heat...
Posted by Kosta Koeman on July 20, 2006 at 6:13 PM
Rick,
You got it!
Curtis,
Not a bad idea. I usually camp below the trailhead at the Phelps campground (5 minutes from the trailhead). That I do in October. Though Sunday I want to at least see how it looks at this time of year. I'll be hauling my LF gear, though I realize I may not be shooting any sheets of film. Hopefully at 6000 feet, it won't be too hot (though I will be east of the Cascade crest).
I'll be on the coast on sunday but yeah hope its not too hot up there.
Posted by Tomas Kaspar on July 20, 2006 at 8:09 PM
I just went around Baker recently, and there still was some snow around 6000 ft. But that park of Cascades is going to be drier I imagine.
Posted by Kosta Koeman on July 21, 2006 at 2:34 PM
Thanks for the report Tomas. The basin has a very good exposure to the west, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if all the snow is gone. Hopefully some wildflowers will be out.
I was thinking about doing Bird Creek Meadows tomorrow, but I think I'll stay down under the trees...
Posted by Kosta Koeman on July 24, 2006 at 2:10 PM
Well, it was fairly hot yesterday. Wound up carrying my dog towards the top which REALLY slowed me down, but once we got up there, he had no problem with me putting him in the ice cold stream and splashing water on him. Then he started running around.
Anyway, not much in the way of wildflowers, just these tiny yellow ones. There were some lupine, paintbrush, cow parsnip, asters along the trail, but on the basin, nothing. Oh well, maybe its more of a fall destination.
Discussion
10 repliesKosta
Yeah, I've been thinking about the heat. The basin itself is around 6000 feet (hike is 2600 feet of climbing over 2.5 miles - short but steep). You'll definitely want to join me for the fall colors mid-October (you don't know me, but just trust me on this one).
I'd like to see what wildflower potential it has, though I am open to other possibilities. Luckily most of the trail is in the woods until you are about to enter the basin, so hopefully (fingers crossed as I type this) It won't be too hot up there.
Kosta
You got it!
Curtis,
Not a bad idea. I usually camp below the trailhead at the Phelps campground (5 minutes from the trailhead). That I do in October. Though Sunday I want to at least see how it looks at this time of year. I'll be hauling my LF gear, though I realize I may not be shooting any sheets of film. Hopefully at 6000 feet, it won't be too hot (though I will be east of the Cascade crest).
Kosta
Anyway, not much in the way of wildflowers, just these tiny yellow ones. There were some lupine, paintbrush, cow parsnip, asters along the trail, but on the basin, nothing. Oh well, maybe its more of a fall destination.