5.18.2008

Willey Range Trail to Ethan Pond

Mutha's Trip Report:

Oh man, what a day. Excellent weather and light packs in shorts and trail-runners ... on up to SIX FEET of snow. We were slipping, MD's Knee on the A-Z
sliding and postholing all day, dropping into mud, water and slush. We had cold wet feet all day, and that goddamned A-Z trails was nearly unnavigable - just snow, mud and running water.

The weather was perfect, however, even if it was a little cold on the ridge. Conditions on Ethan Pond were very fun. We made great time at a run and MadDog, in his typical MadDogish way, came out of retirement from the Hut234 to hammer out the miles (around 16.5) for 7 hours of grueling, wet-footed sloppiness.

Highlight of the day: watching a Pine Marten watching us. See pics. Pics are located here.

MadDog's Trip Report:
Humane Society Search

Where are they when you need them? I traveled with the MZ minstrel today. Really my first rock hop outing, where I could hop vs hobble since pre-Hut2hut. Well, I paid for it.

We had a great start, chatting, exchanging ideas and general chit chat at a comfy/hurried pace. I was panting early. Then like a switch had been pulled, as soon as we hit elevation, MZ bolts aways and runs the hills. It was then that I knew this was a going to be a long day for this puppy.

The routes were coated with "monorails", footing for very large sections was really bad, lots of slips, falls, banging trees, weird looks from other hikers, postholing hip deep like there was no tomorrow. Adding to that crap, during one of 14 or so, crashes, I managed to smash THE other knee & get the legs bruised, pierced and scratched like I was mauled by a catamount. Then, sprinkle in some dehydration, tanking 3/4 way out, leg cramping and pounding headaches from sucking wind all day. Ah yes, overall, some good ol' fashioned fun on the MZ pain train. I'm done, it's bed time.

4 comments:

  1. Pine Marten's, MadDogs, Mutha's, pictures with hands on the other persons hip...very interesting day...is the Pine Marten the illegitimate child of a MadDog and Mutha? Will we ever know? MadDog I thought I was your binky?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was dreaming of you two love birds when I was doing the 210 pound "golden eagle" inclined fly at the gym today.

    If I keep up on this lifting, with no cardio, you will all feel like prison bitches by the time we hit Wyoming.

    I'd better go get a new tattoo...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just spit my dinner all over my keyboard from laughter. Tmail, olive oil breaksdown at high temps, vaseline doesn't - just ask Mutha. And holy crap, I hadn't even considered the other environmental factors in WY...e.g., if BabyFace Strong sends one of his cell runners to invite/fetch me in the middle of the night, for some high elevation exercises. can someone in the support & logistics organization make sure the tents have zippers. i'm bringing my teddy.

    btw - background and details at the next parade, http://www.naturealmanac.com/archive/beaver_dams/beaver_dams.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. MadDog, that page is WRONG! I did my research too, and that's not it. It's true that the sound stimulates the dam building, but it's for the reason we discussed: to have slow-moving water surrounding their home. That page was written by a beaver-hugging communist.

    ReplyDelete