30 August 2010

back from Quartz Creek, back from Icicle Ridge

Well, I can't really believe it, but it looks like it's the end of the summer for me. My fall job starts on the 1st of September, and I've moved in to staff housing and started looking for some winter busy work.

The high country around Lake Augusta and Big Jim Mountain. Larch, Rocks, Dust, and Garnets! Nothing big enough for me to take home though. Crew leader Julia and I had a great time together, cooking, venting, hiking, and finding rocks to hide behind. Not to mention signing songs.


It was cold and frosty at our mountain meadow camp. Wind rattled the silver tree skeletons and blew dust and dirt into my tent. Snowed one night and reached lows of 28. Very beautiful up there, no hiker traffic, probably because it took some serious commitment to master the strenuous hike up.
Brushing, rock removal, root removal, and picking up sticks and throwing them on the downhill side of the trail. Two and a half miles of this.

This is one of my few pictures from Quartz Creek. We were working in a nice shady forest, building some horse-worthy check steps and fighting the black fly fight. We had an ice cream social on the last day, and I downed an entire pint of half-liquid brownie batter ice cream. Yum. Then I had to hike back 4 miles to retrieve a lost shovel. Not so fun.

Going to try to summarize my summer notes for a wrap-up meeting tomorrow with my boss...it's been a great summer.



08 August 2010

back from Schreiber's Meadows, back from Meander Meadow

I have been work a lot with the youth lately, first a front country trip and then a back country. I've got to say that it is amazing the different that a year or two can make in a kid's maturity level. Neither were 'bad' weeks, both were successful trips, but things were just so much more fun and relaxed with the older kids, I think mostly because they had more work ethic and were a very inclusive group and very into having fun, even in the face of mountain meadow mosquitoes and daily thunderstorms.




Time for a trail nap. The youth were arguing about the Robin Hood morality question.

Beautiful PCT near Glacier Peak. If I ever learn enough about mountaineering, that's the mountain I want to climb.

Mt. Baker and Mazama Camp. Quite a hike to get up here, but stunning views. Right now I am starting to pack for the next two weeks, sorting out the fall circus, looking for amazing winter jobs (Nov-March, I'm awesome and hard working, and I'll send you a resume), and gathering my things for moving in day for Salish.