Yet another fanfreakingtabulous trip with the PNW posse! I love these guys! They make me laugh and test my limits. Eventhough we can't believe Sarbar's claims on elevation gains and losses and her "braying like a donkey" on the trail, she's a fantastic trip planner.
We car camped at Sunshine point, near the Nisqually entrance. Sarbar, Fogduo and I stayed up WAY too late on Friday night drinking, telling stupid stories and giggling like junior highschool girls. Very fun! On Saturday, the sun had came out and the skies were wonderfully clear. After much debate and the required morning bullshit sessions, we headed up to Paradise. We started hiking up the Alta Vista trail, sun warming our backs and faces, with the intent of turning around if it got bad. By the time we got to the Alta Vista Summit, we had decided to push for Panorama Point at 6900 feet. There were amazing amazing views!! It was SO CLEAR out. We could see mount Hood, Adams, St. Helens, the Tatoosh Range and the Olympics.
From Panorama Point, we had to make a decision- break fresh trail in the snow or turn around. We decided to break trail. With Hoosierdaddy and I leading the way, we first had to glissade over the cornice on our butts! That was so much fun! Everyone was squeeling like little kids, and Sarbar wins the prize for funniest glissade. She had all four appendages flailing in the air and she was screaming like a maniac! :) After much post-holing and falling in the snow, we found the trail and completed the entire lower skyline loop.
I decided that I absolutely HAD to make a snow angel, so at one of the turns in the trail, I droped my pack and into the snow I went! I can't believe no one else wanted to join me. Wussies. ;) By the time we got to Myrtle Falls, it was tourons on parade! Our favorite was the woman in high heeled aligator skin boots, walking on the ice pavement. At camp that night, we conned Rainrunner into going to town and getting us pizza and soda. That evening was spent pigging out, drinking more beer and telling more stories. We even found out Rainrunner's college nickname! ;) Hoosierdaddy had brought us some Jiffypop, which was a very welcome treat for all of us who were craving salt. I woke up to rain on the roof of my bus early Sunday morning and I just laid there for awhile listening to that wonderful sound. My knees were sore from all the post-holing, but it was fun to bs for a few hours more before heading home. I think we all are craving a *real* snow trip now!!
