Sound to Summit – Part 1

Hi All!  Today I have a guest blogger on Susanintherain.  It’s Tom, my best friend, partner, and spouse, not to mention one amazing athlete.  Enjoy a fresh voice and vicarious trip along one of Washington’s most beautiful greenways. 

It’s more than a paddle on the Sound, it’s more than a bike ride, and it’s more than a walk in the woods.  But is it an ADVENTURE?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that “The Sound to Summit Adventure Series” sounded like a pretty cool name for this thing I dreamed up nearly two years ago.  Shortly after summiting Mount Rainier in September 2008, I conceived of and starting planning a series of events – triathlons really – that would follow four major Washington river systems from Puget Sound to each river’s namesake origin.

Each event would include kayaking up river, biking to a mountain trailhead, and hiking to the summit of the mountain.  I sketched out a plan for following the Stillaguamish River to Stillaguamish Peak, Skykomish River to Skykomish Peak, Snohomish/Snoqualmie Rivers to Snoqualmie Mountain, and finally the Nisqually River to Nisqually Glacier and the summit of Mount Rainier.  It would be a bit like the “Ski to Sea” held in Bellingham each year – but going uphill instead of down.  It might also be compared to the journey of the salmon – if fish had ice axes and crampons.  The concept had continuity, completeness, even a little poetry.  And I liked that.  It also sounded really hard.  From Sound to Summit under human power alone.

Once the idea had taken shape, the research and training began.  I scrutinized tide tables, studied bike routes, and pored over topo maps of mountain trails.  To build strength, I started lifting weights and doing yoga.  To increase endurance, I ramped up my running and biking mileage.  I scouted each bike route; first by car and then on bike.  Even The Courage Classic, which I rode in August 2009, was but a step toward this larger, more personal goal.  And now, after many months of planning and training, the first event has come and gone.

I began the first journey on June 18^th, where the waters of the Snoqualmie and Snohomish Rivers flow into Puget Sound, with a 6:40 am launch in Everett.  As I had planned and hoped, the incoming tide was in perfect balance with the river’s current.  I set out on water so smooth and still it was hard to distinguish the shore from its reflection.  I paddled easily past hulking tugs and barges and under the twin spans of I-5.  Then, 2 miles upstream I saw the first sign of riffles on the water.  I knew that as I moved upstream the tide’s influence would diminish and the river would exert its power.  I moved closer to the bank where the water was slower, and hoped the current wouldn’t get too strong.  Fortunately, after another ½ mile or so, the river again turned to glass.  I paddled the last couple of miles without incidence, with just the sound of birds and the rhythmic slice of my paddle for accompaniment.

I transitioned to my bike and began riding through the rolling hills and farmland of the Snohomish Valley.  The morning air was cool, the pavement smooth, and my legs felt strong.  I zipped past Snohomish, crossed the river at Duvall, and turned the corner toward Carnation.  At about 20 miles I switched from the asphalt shoulder of route 203 to the packed gravel of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, an old railroad grade now used for hiking, biking, dog walking, and bird-watching.  Past Carnation the trail crept from the valley floor to the hill side for a gradual but unrelenting ascent toward Snoqualmie Falls.

The gravelly climb was taking its toll as I doggedly cranked the next several miles from the town of Snoqualmie to Rattlesnake Lake, where I met Susan for a brief lunch and rest stop.  5 river miles and 55 bike miles behind me, and the serious climbing was just about to begin.  From Rattlesnake Lake, I took the Iron Horse Trail, the McClellan Butte Trail, and Tinkham Road, reaching Alpental about 4 pm.

At the Snoqualmie Mountain trailhead Susan joined me once again and we hit the trail leading to the 6278’ summit.  I hiked this trail last year on my birthday, and I described it at the time as “steeper than Mount Peak, requiring a mixture of scrambling and route-finding, and due to the rugged terrain takes as long to descend as it does to climb.”  It’s also an 8 mile round-trip, which took 4 hours last year on fresh legs.  As tough as the trail was last year, it’s tougher now, with wind-fall and snowmelt providing additional challenges.

About a mile into the hike we realized we were running out of trail and daylight.  We had climbed over several fallen trees, and were splashing up a snow-melt stream in places.  (I did say this trip would be a bit like the salmon’s journey!)  We figured we had another 4 or 5 hours of fairly unpleasant hiking which would put us back at the truck between 9 and 10pm.  Keeping safety and the time-honored tradition of post-hike pub food and cold beer in mind, we headed back down the mountain.  There’s nothing worse than finding the pubs closed when you’ve earned the right to replace some calories!

We returned to the parking lot and started the much more reasonable hike toward Snow Lake.  We walked the well-maintained Snow Lake trail about 2 miles in, enjoying the scenery and each other’s company.  A part of me hated to turn back from Snoqualmie Mountain after all the time and energy spent leading up to that day.  But I had a great day, a fine adventure, and looked forward to sharing the last few miles, a big meal, and a cold beer with my wife and partner who supported me throughout.  I started at sea level, ended in the mountains, and covered 80 miles under my own power.  Susan dedicated a day, drove support vehicle, and joined me for the last few miles.  Who could ask for a better day or a better person to end the day with?

As we settled in with cold beers and garlic fries, we toasted to all the future adventures we’ll share.

Stay tuned for Sound to Summit part 2 – Mount Rainier, August 18-20!

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