Mt. Ellinor

All of last week we had intended on taking a week off of hiking.  All of last week up until Friday.  Even then, after we changed our mind we decided we really will take a break...from the Snoqualmie/Cascade area anyway.  So deciding to try the Olympics' side, the initial decision was that we would do Mt. Rose, especially since it was one of the permit-free trails.  I read on Washington Trail Association a man's recent trip report wherein he said he took his 6 year old, his 1 year old in a backpack and his wife.  Seemed like an encourager for this family.  However, when we looked at terrain pictures, it seemed like its neighbor, Ellinor, was more of our style.

Mt. Ellinor nears 6,000 ft in elevation, but don't let that scare you -- there are 2 trailheads to summit.  The lower trailhead is fee-free, and is 6.2 miles RT.  The upper trailhead requires a Northwest Forest Pass and is 3.2 miles RT.  However, before the last bend into the upper trailhead parking there is a sign that says "U.S. Fee Area" -- I am making an intelligent assumption, then, that any parking before that point (some dozens of meters) wouldn't require the pass.  Since we were pressed on time, having needed to also go grocery shopping, and since forest hiking (lower to uppper trail path, gaining elevation) is just not my thing, and also since I heard there is plenty of actual rock mountaineering/scrambling to be done on Ellinor, we decided on the upper trail and to use any free time to do some of the traversing along to Mt. Washington.

I remember a mountain I knew I would have to rock climb in Germany, and having thought that taking a cable car to the highest point before I could do the rock climbing would make me less of a mountaineerer, I opted to do some of the elevation hiking to get there.  I hadn't known that the rock climbing would take as much time as it did for strategy and safety (hiking 3 miles is not the same as walking 3 miles; furthermore, rock climbing 3 miles is not the same as hiking 3 miles), and for that reason I ran out of daylight and could not summit.  I learned a lesson to reevaluate what I enjoy more, and what I consider to be an accomplishment:  I am not too proud to bypass the forestry ascent to swap for more rock climbing and ridgelining time.

The plus side from looking at the numbers and others' reports is that taking the lower ridge gives you a nice warm up with its easier ascent unto the upper trail.  The upper trail tackles the elevation very quickly.  The first half of the upper trail starts with a straightfoward and upward approach, then switchbacking until some exposure where the terrain gets rocky, but generally safe.  This starts the later half (in time anyway).  At times the rocks work like stairs -- stairs of rocks that are as vertical as they can be before rock climbing.  The rocky mountaineering often requires long legs.  Some parts to summit even require a help of pulling yourself up with your hands along the rock.  Before you reach what probably is considered the leftmost (from the trail) prominence, you will walk the avalanche chute.  After that you will be alongside the ridge until you are scrambling for your piece of the summit.

It took us 2 hours to summit, we spent an hour up there, and then 1.5 hours to descend.  We were going to try some of the ridgeline traverse to Mt. Washington, but there did remain large patches of ice, so it did not seem like a smart idea.  It offers 360 views -- to your east is the Hood Canal, the Puget Sound, and Mount Rainier in the distance; to your west is a neverending view of the Olympics; to your south is Lake Cushman; and to your north are mountains like Mt. Constance and The Brothers.  Just gorgeous.

Exiting the forestry ascent into big views

The terrain after the forestry ascent

Summit, with views to the north

After the avalanche chute

Mountain goats -- can you see them?

Summit, views to the west

View of the southermost prominence and Lake Cushman

View to the east -- Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, and Hood Canal

On the way up we were asked many times about the children and maybe some let us know of their concern a bit.  Bam interjected with a quick, "That was easy," on the descent.  Amira followed off to a group of trainees (I believe for Rainier) saying how she used to do Bavarian Alps.  Now I wouldn't agree with Bam and say it is easy.  It is difficult, as other official sites rate it, but it is short.  Definitely an interesting family hike and it is so short that you could take your time.