Peggy Goldman - Washington Scrambles: Best Nontechnical Ascents

WASHINGTON

SCRAMBLES

To The Mountaineers, an organization that supports all of us
and helps us enjoy the wild places in Washington

Mountaineers Books is the nonprofit publishing division of The Mountaineers, an organization founded in 1906 and dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and enjoyment of outdoor and wilderness areas 1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201 Seattle, WA 98134 800.553.4453 www.mountaineersbooks.org

Copyright 2014 by Peggy Goldman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

Distributed in the United Kingdom by Cordee, www.cordee.co.uk

First edition, 2014

Copy editor: Elizabeth Johnson

Design and layout: Peggy Egerdahl

Cartographer: Pease Press Cartography

All photos by author unless noted otherwise

Cover photograph: Traversing the Glacier Peak Wilderness to the headwaters of the Napeequa River (Photo by Tom Townsend)

Frontispiece: Scrambling to the summit of Coleman Pinnacle

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Goldman, Peggy, 1949

Washington scrambles : selected nontechnical ascents / Peggy Goldman.Second edition.

pages cm

Includes index.

Rev. edition of : 75 scrambles in Washington.

ISBN 978-1-59485-840-6 (pbk)ISBN 978-1-59485-841-3 (ebook)

1. Alpine scramblingWashington (State)Guidebooks.

2. Washington (State)Guidebooks. I. Title.

GV199.42.W2G65 2014

796.52209797dc23

2013039846

Printed on recycled paper

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-59485-840-6

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-59485-841-3

The state of Washington has an enormous diversity of terrain. A trip in the mountains can range from a simple hike in old-growth rain forest to a highly technical climb over glaciers, vertical rock, and ice. In between is a rank of mountaineering that has a special nichethis is scrambling.

In contrast to hiking, scrambling involves off-trail travel, navigation, and routefinding skills, as well as the ability to move over moderate rock and snow. In contrast to climbing, scrambling occurs over easier terrain and lacks the need for dynamic ropes or the use of hardware for protection from a serious fall. Though exposed to the hazards of the mountain environment, the scrambler is generally safer than the technical climber is, and does not need to carry as much equipment. Consequently, even an average person, with ordinary talent, skill, and courage, can scramble.

Washington Scrambles is a new edition of 75 Scrambles in Washington. Some aspects of scrambling have remained the same since 2001, when the first book was publishedthe beauty of nature, the exhilaration of adventure, and the sense of accomplishment in reaching a mountain objective. Yet scrambling has been dramatically affected by the explosion of population, the proliferation of technology, and improvements in clothing, packs, and equipment. Of course, the biggest change is the internet. In past decades, you had to scour meager sources for information. Today you can easily search online for trip reports and photos that people graciously share.

So why write a new edition of a book of scrambles? Washington Scrambles can help you choose your next adventure. This book is not a comprehensive list of the best scrambles available; to create such a list would be a subjective and impossible task. Instead, the selections offer a potpourri of choicessomething for everyone. Using this book, beginners can progress to proficiency while developing scrambling skills and self-reliance. Those with more experience can extend their skills into the realm of advanced scrambling with a new chapter of alpine traverses; for these traverses, you will need a rope to cross over glaciers, but the trips are not technical rock or ice climbs.

Washington Scrambles does not supplant but supplements the internet. You should go to all the sources you can to make sure your trip is safe and fun. This book presents many locations to choose from, giving you a springboard into diverse areas that you can explore in depth on your own. Washington Scrambles is a book for everyone with desire and motivation to learn. Scrambling is an excellent aerobic pursuit that enhances endurance and strength. Not only can scrambling help keep you young, but it can also improve your balance, mood, and perspective on life. It doesnt get any better than that!

When I first proposed writing a scrambling book two decades ago, some members of the scrambling community opposed it and the dissemination of closely held information. Clearly, in the age of the internet, there is no keeping a secret. The only reasonable approach is not to try to hide the places we love but to manage the impact of use by educating people and changing attitudes. The paradox is that to save the wilderness, we must use it.

Improved balance is among scramblings many benefits.

Scrambling provides a sense of adventure, a freedom from the usual restrictions of the civilized world, a sense of accomplishment, a release of endorphins, and camaraderie. It satisfies the most basic human needs for contact with nature and for spiritual renewal. However, the gift of journeying through the exquisite natural and wild realm of Washington is also a responsibility. We need to create a larger constituency and a stronger voice to protect the wildlands that we cherish. We need wilderness to nourish our souls, yet we must also be responsible stewards and share our pursuit with others to sustain the health and well-being of our community.