First hike was too dangerous. Then we found Golden Larches.
Today I did two hikes; the first was too dangerous. "Kathleen is getting freaked out," Karen called to the others. "I'm going to take her down." I felt embarrassed. I didn't freak out. I told Karen it was too dangerous and I wanted to go back down.
After bushwhacking (no trail) straight up an extremely steep ridge, our fearless leader Gro's plan was to hike across slippery, knife-edge ridges- with a sheer drop-off on both sides- going higher and higher up to another mountain. "The downhill part will be dicey," Karen said, an understatement.
Karen and I steeply descended to the car. That was nice of her. So far, we hiked two miles total with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Our legs were hammered.
"We're so close to Blewett Pass, let's hike above Tronsen Meadows and see if the Northern Larches are golden," I suggested.
It was spectacular! We walked through corridors of golden larches. We could feel our legs protesting as we gained elevation up to, and on Upper Meadow Trail. Snow got deeper. "It's around the next curve," Karen kept saying. I laughed. Up we went.
Relaxing in the sun, we ate lunch on a hill, gazing at Mt. Stuart and the Enchantments framed by golden Larches. The 4th picture shows Diamond Head Peak.
Altogether, Karen and I hiked 6.2 miles total with 3,000 feet of elevation gain today.
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17 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.hope you weren't looking for the golden arches.
callmedubious
Level 8
Oct 24, 2019
3
This isn't about a hike; but about a mountain bike ride.
When my now ex-husband and I were first married we purchased a couple of Cannondale mountain bikes and headed for Bend, Oregon to do some riding. We learned of a beautiful waterfall and a mountain bike path to get there so we set our sites on that to fill a day. We spent all day long riding up and down the mountain trail, over rocks and stumps, sometimes having to lift our bikes over obstacles or even carry them for a short distance. We kept trudging along, eagerly, knowing that the secluded falls would be our reward for our efforts.
When we finally got the the falls, we were crestfallen to see the asphalt parking lot full of cars 
Joanne
Level 7
Oct 23, 2019
2
At first, I felt ashamed for feeling scared. I was the only person to say, "This is too dangerous." I repeatedly apologized to Karen for spoiling her hike.
But Safety First. If we hadn't aborted the first hike, we would have not seen glorious golden Larch above Tronsen Meadows.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Oct 23, 2019
2
Nature is God's Art Gallery. You always will have a surprise and a beautiful picture to last the rest of your life. Free admission and the show gets better as you learn the trails.
Nevermind345
Level 7
Oct 23, 2019
2
very wise. It is only a fool who pushes on in dangerous conditions.
Last winter my son and I intended to climb a local Munro ( a hill over 3000 ft). It was a long walk from the car park and we were only 500 ft from the summit when the conditions became very icy. We had ice axes but no crampons so had to turn back.It was disappointing but I did not fancy being airlifted of the hill with a broken leg or worse if things went wrong.
Moravian
Level 8
Oct 23, 2019
2
Thank you for your support.
Glad you turned back when conditions became too dangerous.
Now I know what "bushwacking" means.
BitFlipper
Level 8
Oct 23, 2019
2
It means there is no trail. It's difficult to push your way through thorns and bushes. Also, it's time-wasting compared to hiking on a trail.
@LiterateHiker I thought bushwhacking meant waylaying and robbing someone in the country.?
Like many words, "bushwhacking" has different meanings.
From Dictionary.com
Bushwhacking
verb (used without object)
-
to make one's way through woods by cutting at undergrowth, branches, etc.
-
to travel through woods.
-
to pull a boat upstream from on board by grasping bushes, rocks, etc., on the shore.
-
to fight as a bushwhacker or guerrilla in the bush.
@LiterateHiker You just beat me to it . The last one is the one I remember from watching western movies as a kid
bush·whack (bo͝osh′wăk′, -hwăk&prime
v. bush·whacked, bush·whack·ing, bush·whacks
v. intr.
- To force one's way through a forested or overgrown area where no path exists: "Often on the verge of starvation, they bushwhacked through muskeg, forded ice-cold streams and rivers ... determined to conquer a daunting land deemed impassable" (Brenda Koller).
- To travel through or live in the woods.
- To fight as a guerrilla in the woods.
v. tr.
To attack suddenly from a place of concealment. See Synonyms at ambush.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Oct 22, 2019
2
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