This Article first appeared in
AAC(UK) Newsletter 170
published Summer 2006

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All photos by Malcolm Imhoff

Brokken Spectre with Glory
Mount Townsend 

 Author on the Summit
Mount Angeles

Howard, Don and Jean round the campfire
Cape Alava, Pacific Coast

 

 On route to Glacier Vista,
Mount Rainier

Suddenly the mists cleared to reveal
Mount Rainir in magnificent splendour

Last updated   11 July 2008 

Washington Shores and Summits

by Malcolm Imhoff

Fifteen of us were guests of the Seattle Mountaineers, who had put together a programme designed to show us the best this part of the West Coast has to offer. It was an incredibly full schedule (ie early starts and no rest days!), as the Committee was very keen to maximise our enjoyment. On most days there was a choice of one or two hikes and one or more scrambles. To start with, we had a couple of Seattle-based days, when we did Silver Peak, Tinkham Peak, and Mount Townsend, where I was thrilled to see a Brokken Spectre. Thereafter the meet was split, like Gaul, into three parts, the first of which was to the Olympic Peninsula, where we got to climb Mount Angeles and explore the temperate rain forest. The more adventurous of us backpacked into Cape Alava where we camped on the beach, strolled along the seashore, gathered driftwood, sang round the campfire, watched the sun go down over the Pacific Ocean and talked and laughed late into the night. Deer and chipmunks came to see us. It was a magical experience.

The second section of the trip was to the South Cascades, which started with a visit to "Paradise", the visitor centre on Mount Rainier. Bad weather forced the cancellation of a hike to Camp Muir, but we did manage to get onto the mountain and there were tantalising glimpses of it through the mist. Our patience was rewarded when, on the drive out, the skies cleared and Mount Rainier appeared in magnificent splendour. Another fascinating day was a "naturist" hike, where I got to know the names of many familiar trees, shrubs and flowers. Then we went to the North Cascades for the third part of the meet. The scramble to Wallaby Peak, and the hike to Maple Pass, were for me two of the best days, that is until I got stung by a wasp, a misfortune which was experienced by several of our party. We staved in Winthrop, which is a cowbow film set!

We were all impressed by the beauty and variety of the mountains of Washington but what the majority of us will remember most, and what made the trip so special, was the love, care and affection showered on us by Cindy Hoover and the Seattle Mountaineers, their friends and families, plus the homestay hosts. They spent over a year organising the visit for us and they all welcomed us into their hearts. It was a memorable experience. Thank you.

                                                                                                                                                                              

Our idyllic campsite on the beach

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean

AAC members Ros Adams, Ling Barrett, Malc Imhoff and John Clayton hug a tree

Arnica Montana

Cindy Hoover, committee leader and coordinator of the whole trip

The summit party on Wallaby Peak, Helen, Chris, co-leader Jan, Ros, Dave and co-leader Jim

A typical scene at Winthrop

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Last updated:   25 June 2008