Wintertime: January 16th-January 24th

I wasn't planning on doing much of any peakbagging in the winter, but between the terrible snowfall and a series of opprotunities to do so, I got the chance to drive up Laurel and hike up Grass. I wanted to do more shortly after these, but other shit got in the way. At least until the start of the spring, where Mara and I got the chance to do a pair of delightful hikes up Chatímanwi

Laurel, January 16th

Laurel I had wanted to do for some time, but the situation for getting up the mountain looked horrendous. Paying $125 for the priviledge of walking or biking 12 miles up to a summit while logging trucks pass you all so that the largest landowning company in the US can make an extra profit? No thank you. But after seeing reports that there was a route from the north, I jumped at the opprotunity. Once you pass the gate, the road by and large retains it's quality as a dirt road all the way up to the summit - although there are many branching paths of lower quality. I was doing this in the winter, and was suprised at the temperature inversion - frost at ~1000ft but none above 2000ft, even in the shade. Weird. Anyhow I was able to drive up to the summit and was sure not to take photos of the FAA facility and got my way back down. Don't pay for the permit, go this route as long as they let us

Grass, January 24th

I had originally wanted to do Grass immediately following my first ascent of Chatímanwi at the end of 2024, but a muddy road combined with a steep incline spooked me a little, and I headed back to Bend that evening. I had been wanting to wait for a dry time in the winter to give it a second shot, since I knew there would be bushwhacking, and I finally got my chance. I took Varney's approach up Follet Rd and it worked like a charm. In retrospect, I could have made it in my van since the incline I turned around at was the steepest part, but the mud spooked me and it was a good decision regardless. Anyhow, the trail starts through an old roadbed before empting into a beautiful meadow with great views. Then, the whacking, which was honestly not that bad but steep at times. The summit is shrouded but still delightful

Chatímanwi Again, March 28th

I had been talking with Mara about hiking Chatímanwi from one of the lower trailheads, and eventually we decided to try it from the East Ridge Trailhead. Walking through the old growth forest was beautiful, and I felt so much anger that they are planning on clearcutting it to make a quick buck. Hundreds of years of growth, started well before the violence of colonization, at risk due to the whims of the powerful. Heinous. the trail itself was delightful, and the summit was hazy but I had so much fun showing Mara the sights

Chatímanwi Again Again, April 6th

When I came out west I had big plans for my hiking: long dayhikes, several-day backpacks, scrambles, ice climbs, backcountry ski trips, you name it. Because of sickness and poverty, I was unable to do any of those, but I was able to hike shorter days. For whatever reason, my hiking out west had never exceeded 6 or so miles and 1600ft of elevation gain, and I had been wanting to push myself beyond that barrier for quite some time. After hiking Chatímanwi via the east ridge with Mara, we decided to take a stab at approaching the peak from the north ridge trail. The hike was long but it was rewarding, and we even got to play in the snow near the top. On our way down, we saw a native group and one of them blew an interesting horn. Chatímanwi is an important site for the Kalapuya people, and it was inspiring to see traditions carying on through adversity. I wanted to say something but I figured they didn't need more white people pestering them. Whenever there's an indigenous name for a mountian, I go out of my way to try and use it. I wonder how many other mountains I've hiked where native peoples keep their traditions alive, and how many they're prevented from doing so. How I dream to see a post-colonial North America where we can all live in peace free of opression and exploitation. We got to hike through old growth forests on the way down, ones that the current administration is trying to clearcut, it is my sincerest hope that these efforts can be thwarted, and that these forests born before the start of colonization in Cascadia can live to see its demise. I hope I can live to see its demise as well. In any case, the hike went well and I finally am starting to push the barriers of my hiking once again :)