uphillklimber
Member
2008-07-27 Tripyramids trip
This trip started out with a little of we either do it this weekend or we don’t ever do it. We have pretty much the easier ones of the 48-4K peaks. So my wife found a route to her liking and we tackled it as an overnighter.
The trip started at the Tripoli road parking area, and we headed up the Livermore trail. This was a fairly level grade, only rising some 800 feet in 3.6 miles or so, and only took us an hour and a half with full packs. This took us to the northern end of the Tripyramid loop. From there, we headed over to the Scaur Ridge trail, opting for the gentler grades, yet more mileage.
While heading over to the Scaur Ridge trail, I headed up into the woods and found a spot for our tent. We set it up, and then crawled inside to assure it would be suitable for sleeping in. We decided it was and unloaded all we could and bear lined the food bag. Then we loaded some food and water and jackets into my pack and headed on up.
As we ascended the trail, we caught occasional glimpses of the peaks we were headed to. Soon it is noon, and we are hot and a little fatigued, not actually having taken a break in 3 hours of hiking and making camp. So we took a break by a rolling stream, which had quite a cooling effect on us. I had my dog, Suzy, lay in the stream to cool her off. After we eat, we are back at it. This section of the trail is noticeably steeper than what we started out on, and then as we have reached the Pine Bend Brook trail and are ascending the North peak, we see a heartbreaker in front of us. A steep, hand over hand klimb up the trail awaits us. I am pushing the dog up over some areas, and pulling my wife up over those same areas, and getting myself up also, with a pack.
Finally, we are at the top, and ask the couple that we hear, if are there? We are!!! There is a mud puddle in front of the rock that is the high point. Remember when I had Suzy lay in the stream to cool off? I mention top the other folks that my 13 year old dog was as happy as a pig in mud to be hiking with us. And then, as if on cue, she plops right down in the mud… Soon, we regain our energy, and are looking for viewpoints and taking pictures. Soon we head over to the middle peak, which has the best views. And then, just for kicks, we take on the south peak also, which has almost no view. All three are summitted.
Now, since our camp is made near the North peak, we have to retrace our route and head on back down to get to camp. The peaks are easy enough to retrace, but going down the steep hand over hand area of the North peak was a little challenging. Nothing we couldn’t handle, just couldn’t make any time. From there on, though, the grade was gentle enough that we made some decent time. The dog was able to stretch out her steps and get going good also.
We tie the dog at camp and head to the water with filter, jugs, washcloth and towel and a change of clothes. The water was some cold, but it was refreshing to get the sweat off us. We head back and cook up dinner. I notice the stove isn’t working quite as she used to, but get dinner cooked. I am concerned about breakfast, but we have cold stuff that will work. After dinner, we crawl into the tent, at 8PM. I don’t want to move. I am beat and plan to sleep. Jeannette can’t sleep so well and takes a pill to knock her out. Remember when I said that we determined this would be a good site to set the tent on. That was when we were fresh and had only hiked 4 miles. At the end of a long day hiking, every little bump can be felt a little more. I ended up sleeping wrapped around the humongous boulders growing in the floor of our tent. But I slept very well. The morning is cool, so we snuggle a bit to warm up, having only our light fleece sleeping bags.
When we wake up, we are thinking coffee and hot chocolate will hit the spot. But remember the slow cooking of dinner? I can not get the stove to fire up. So it is bagels with nutella and lemonade for breakfast. We break camp and clean up the site and head on out. The dog is spry and not sore, which is good, given this is her second hike this year and she is 13 ½ years old. This was nine miles and over 3000 feet elevation gain. Jeannette has blisters on the soles of her heals, apparently from pilling in her socks. This slows her down a bit, but it only 3.6 miles from camp to car and we make it in an hour and a half. She’ll be a little tender walking for a day or two. Now, it was on to pizza and home!
This trip started out with a little of we either do it this weekend or we don’t ever do it. We have pretty much the easier ones of the 48-4K peaks. So my wife found a route to her liking and we tackled it as an overnighter.
The trip started at the Tripoli road parking area, and we headed up the Livermore trail. This was a fairly level grade, only rising some 800 feet in 3.6 miles or so, and only took us an hour and a half with full packs. This took us to the northern end of the Tripyramid loop. From there, we headed over to the Scaur Ridge trail, opting for the gentler grades, yet more mileage.
While heading over to the Scaur Ridge trail, I headed up into the woods and found a spot for our tent. We set it up, and then crawled inside to assure it would be suitable for sleeping in. We decided it was and unloaded all we could and bear lined the food bag. Then we loaded some food and water and jackets into my pack and headed on up.
As we ascended the trail, we caught occasional glimpses of the peaks we were headed to. Soon it is noon, and we are hot and a little fatigued, not actually having taken a break in 3 hours of hiking and making camp. So we took a break by a rolling stream, which had quite a cooling effect on us. I had my dog, Suzy, lay in the stream to cool her off. After we eat, we are back at it. This section of the trail is noticeably steeper than what we started out on, and then as we have reached the Pine Bend Brook trail and are ascending the North peak, we see a heartbreaker in front of us. A steep, hand over hand klimb up the trail awaits us. I am pushing the dog up over some areas, and pulling my wife up over those same areas, and getting myself up also, with a pack.
Finally, we are at the top, and ask the couple that we hear, if are there? We are!!! There is a mud puddle in front of the rock that is the high point. Remember when I had Suzy lay in the stream to cool off? I mention top the other folks that my 13 year old dog was as happy as a pig in mud to be hiking with us. And then, as if on cue, she plops right down in the mud… Soon, we regain our energy, and are looking for viewpoints and taking pictures. Soon we head over to the middle peak, which has the best views. And then, just for kicks, we take on the south peak also, which has almost no view. All three are summitted.
Now, since our camp is made near the North peak, we have to retrace our route and head on back down to get to camp. The peaks are easy enough to retrace, but going down the steep hand over hand area of the North peak was a little challenging. Nothing we couldn’t handle, just couldn’t make any time. From there on, though, the grade was gentle enough that we made some decent time. The dog was able to stretch out her steps and get going good also.
We tie the dog at camp and head to the water with filter, jugs, washcloth and towel and a change of clothes. The water was some cold, but it was refreshing to get the sweat off us. We head back and cook up dinner. I notice the stove isn’t working quite as she used to, but get dinner cooked. I am concerned about breakfast, but we have cold stuff that will work. After dinner, we crawl into the tent, at 8PM. I don’t want to move. I am beat and plan to sleep. Jeannette can’t sleep so well and takes a pill to knock her out. Remember when I said that we determined this would be a good site to set the tent on. That was when we were fresh and had only hiked 4 miles. At the end of a long day hiking, every little bump can be felt a little more. I ended up sleeping wrapped around the humongous boulders growing in the floor of our tent. But I slept very well. The morning is cool, so we snuggle a bit to warm up, having only our light fleece sleeping bags.
When we wake up, we are thinking coffee and hot chocolate will hit the spot. But remember the slow cooking of dinner? I can not get the stove to fire up. So it is bagels with nutella and lemonade for breakfast. We break camp and clean up the site and head on out. The dog is spry and not sore, which is good, given this is her second hike this year and she is 13 ½ years old. This was nine miles and over 3000 feet elevation gain. Jeannette has blisters on the soles of her heals, apparently from pilling in her socks. This slows her down a bit, but it only 3.6 miles from camp to car and we make it in an hour and a half. She’ll be a little tender walking for a day or two. Now, it was on to pizza and home!
Another one checked off the list, which makes #19 and 20.
