A Not So Good Assault on Mt. Teneriffe
I didn't get to the trailhead until 1 pm and it was just pouring down rain. After 15 minutes of trying to talk myself out of it, I got out of the car and headed up the trail. Well, it's not really a trail. It's an old, abandoned forest service road that's 90% rock. Wet rock makes for less than desirable traction and it took me damn near an hour to cover the first 3 miles two of which were mostly flat. Mile 2-3 was unreal at what I'm guessing was a 30% grade. My trekking poles came in might handy here with the wet rocks and all. The trail from here was unrelenting and makes Mt. Si seem like a joke. At a little over 3.25 miles, I began to hike in thick clouds though the rain had subsided. Once visibility got down to a few feet, I turned around probably only a couple hundred of feet or so from the snow line.
Aside from the miserable "trail" conditions, the solitude was wonderful. I saw 3 women with two dogs shortly before I turned around and that was it. I did see one mountain goat on a ridiculously perilous rock face but by the time I took of my pack to get my DSLR out, he wandered off the cliff and out of sight. There is some amazing virgin forest that was too dense to describe. Incredibly peaceful. The descent was incredibly difficult though and I almost fell on my ass innumerable times. My trekking poles saved me every time.
Unfortunately, the rain prevented me from taking out my camera so I didn't get any good pics. I plan to return next Monday afternoon when I take a few week days off after our database migration is complete. If the weather cooperates, I'll have bagged another peak and have some pictures to show for the effort.
Until I get my life back. Blood. Sweat. Tears. Literally. Bad luck. Good luck. It's all there. This project has gone on for 13 months and has taken an incalculable toll on my life. And the lives of my team. But it will all be worth it. If we're successful, nobody will notice. If we fail, well, some really bad things could happen for 250 employees. But we won't.
I guess the things really worth having are never easy to come by.
March 27th, 2006 - 05:14
Um – are you going into this venture all alone, Mike? Remember the guy who had to cut off his arm with a pocket knife a few years back (all of us climbers got calls from our parents around that time…)? Not only is hiking with other people more fun, it’s a whole lot safer. Especially the way you jump into things. Not that you don’t have another mothers reading this…
March 27th, 2006 - 07:15
Yes!! I fully agree with Hilary. As you already know, I have harped on you about this earlier by bringing up the hiker who cut off his arm. I am sure somewhere in Seattle is a hiker willing to go with you. Love, Ma
March 27th, 2006 - 08:42
Yeah, enough on the Aron Ralston story (his new book is an interesting read though)! He was one hiker out of more than a million hikers a year. He just ran into some bad luck. Sure, there are risks but I do what I can to mitigate them and hiking is probably less risky than riding my bike in traffic as I have done for 17 years.
If I had others to hike with, I certainly would. Admittedly, I do not choose the easiest trails but then that wouldn’t be any fun! Amy’s not into hiking much and I have two other friends who have pretty severe phobias with heights. That said, I could probably get more people to go with me if I didn’t choose hikes with skull and crossbones next to their description in the guidebooks.
I take the following steps to ensure my safety:
1) let at least one person know where I’m going and my proposed route with timelines
2) take a map, compass, GPS (need to get one with better reception), watch w/ altimeter
3) take at least 100 ounces of water
4) fully charged cell phone
5) LED headlamp in case I’m caught out after dark
6) take a rainproof coat and a dry shirt
7) Enough Cliff bars to last me a day or two
Also keep in mind that most of my hikes or are only 30 miles or so outside of Seattle. Aron was in place much more remote. I appreciate everyone’s concern but I take backcountry travel pretty seriously and am fully aware of the risks involved.
–Michael
March 27th, 2006 - 10:07
Mike
Well, I am relieved to hear you do take appropriate precautions – as I recall the story relating to Aron’s ordeal, his BIGGEST mistake was NOT telling anyone of his plans or route/destination regarding that ‘hike’. This was so out of character for him – but it only took one time of ‘slacking off’ regarding safety precautions to become a nearly fatal mistake. Please continue to ALWAYS follow your ‘safety procedures’, those of us who care will be grateful!!! Enjoy your newly found interest! Sounds like JB had better get prepared for an adventure hike next time we visit!!
Love ya Nance
March 21st, 2007 - 00:00
Wow, your experience has an uncanny resemblance with my hiking expereince at Teneriffe on Sat March 17, 2007.
I went there by myself and only one friend new vaguely where I am going. I bet he would not have recollected the name unless someone asked him about it.
I started from trail around 12:15 pm and by the time I reached close to end of the main trail around 2:30 pm, it was cloudy with visibility less than 10 feet, continuous snow on ground , and pouring rain. I have never been to Tenriffe before and the trail going downward for about 15 mins threw me off. I decided to turn back at 2:45 pm and still dwindling whether I chickened out or made a wise choice. Another factor in my mind was the cut off time to turn back by 4 pm as I thought that sun sets around 6 pm where as with day light saving, I would have got another hr.
My initial plan was to take the kamikaze falls trail but delayed start, rainy weather, and no company put a dampner on it. I would certainly love to give Mt Teneriffe a shot in the coming weeks.