Farewell To The Meadow

Day 346: After two days of driving long miles and hassling with various bureaucratic departments, I decided I needed a day in the mountains regardless of the fact that it was Saturday. I popped a note off to friends saying that I was "going to go find an unoccupied trail somewhere." Okay, that's not exactly filing a flight plan like you're supposed to do if you hike alone, but it was all I could offer.

I had a photo mission at Longmire, so as I drove, I considered the nearby options. I knew that the Rampart Ridge trail would be a madhouse for the inadequately equipped, so it was to be avoided, although for a moment I thought I might like to visit Fisher's Hornpipe Creek, 3.5 miles from parking. Nah, too many people on that one, too.

In the end, I settled on the trail to Eagle Peak saddle for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's not well-known because it's on the wrong side of the river. Secondly, I hadn't been up it in several years. I didn't believe the weather forecast for 80-degree temperatures, but as it turned out, I should have. By the time I'd gone a mile, the air was swelteringly hot and sticky, as was I.

It was slow going, partly because of the heat and partly because of my knees (if you'll recall, I had a knee repaired last spring), but eventually I topped out at the end of the maintained trail. I didn't consider going on to the summit of Eagle. It is a Class 3 scramble and not something little old ladies with bad knees should attempt alone. There were few people, as I'd expected.

Eagle Peak is the westernmost member of the Tatoosh Range. It would be to the far left of this photo. Shown here is Chutla and the sweeping alpine meadow which lies beneath it, ripe blueberries and all. It is at this point that the trail debouches into meadow from the forest, the saddle a few hundred vertical feet above. I thought it was fitting to title this image "Farewell To The Meadow" since it was taken on my way down, and it won't be long now before the snow returns.