Most of this trip report will be mute by this afternoon as an atmospheric river is predicted today through Thursday night (aka heavy warm rain). Freeze levels moving as high as 10,500 ft tonight and dropping back down to 6,000 ft by Thursday evening.
Another item to note… If one is planning on heading up the 10 miles along FS 73 for this hike, you may want to check the USFS-MBS website to see if the road is still open. I am not sure when the road closes for the season 1.5 miles from 410.
https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=2f5351d70b0d4ed9b13d372e9d109fcb
I started at the TH in a balmy 32 degrees. What a change after a week of early morning hiking in single digits!
As of this morning, the trail is in great shape. Ice/compacted snow are the worst at the TH and the stairs going up/coming down from the north part of Grand Park through the forested section. I did not use microspikes. There was enough exposed trail that with some care, I was able to get through both areas in my trail runners.
The major mud areas, a ¼ mile from the TH, a ½ mile from the TH and the lower meadow between forested sections, were all dry and/or frozen. That was a nice surprise. I am guessing after the next 36 hours of rain, these 3 areas will be back to their normal boot sucking mud.
No sunrise photography this morning as there was a lower and an upper cloud ceiling blocking the sunrise, leaving Mt Rainier still visible. Just without the alpenglow.
The excitement this morning was a grouse that decided to eat something in the middle of the trail. She did not want to move. After waiting for a while, I ended up off trail on snow to go around her.
There was one type of animal scat three times along the trail up in Grand Park. Looked like a medium to small sized dog. Assuming nobody brought their dog up there, I would guess possibly a fox?? Also a ton of animal tracks when snow was present. Animals are probably on the trail frequently in the summer too. With snow, it is easier to see that they are present.
I did not see another human all morning. There was a car heading up FS 73 on my way out at 10am.
Comments
DRDana on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Thanks especially for that USFS road status link. I love Grand Park, but hold a grudge against FS73 ever since it gave me a flat tire (never mind my failure to exercise due caution or to prepare for emergencies...)
Posted by:
DRDana on Nov 01, 2023 02:23 PM
Mary&Mollie on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
I totally understand your grudge! I remember when that happened to you earlier in the summer. I think of you every time I drive up there.
The first 7 miles of the road has been graded since your visit. A few potholes have come back. That section of the road is the best it has ever been. My gut tells me that your flat was on the last 3 miles where the slide areas keep shedding the sharp rocks. I cringe when I go through there.
And BTW, don't feel bad about the flat. It happens to all of us. I have had two in the last 4 years. Still hold a grudge for the Teanaway area due to one of them. It took me 2 hours to find the jack in my car.😂 When I got my new car last year, first thing I did was check out the spare and jack!
Then last year, I locked my keys in my car....with my dog in it.🙄 Of course on a remote trail (FS7222 - Noble Knob) late in the evening. Ended up having to break a window to get in. The car was 2 months old. Man was it hard to break that window!! Took me over a half hour. It made me wonder how so many cars are broken into at TH's.
Posted by:
Mary&Mollie on Nov 01, 2023 03:14 PM
DRDana on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
I'm glad you can laugh! Or is that the sound of crying? I wonder what Mollie was thinking while you were pacing around deciding what to do. Anyway thanks for the commiseration, it helps. And I did wise up after my adventure and get a spare. Fortunately I was wrong when I wrote that my car didn't have a place to put one. So maybe I'll have another chance this year before it gets snowed in !?
Posted by:
DRDana on Nov 01, 2023 03:52 PM
Alpine Wanderer on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Love that first pic! :)
Posted by:
Alpine Wanderer on Nov 02, 2023 12:57 PM
Mary&Mollie on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Thanks!
Posted by:
Mary&Mollie on Nov 03, 2023 02:26 PM
slo go on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Sometimes pics of the Mountain look better with clouds. How many pics does everyone have of a blue sky as a backdrop? Yes, nice pic.
On a funnier note, George's flat tire. Took some of his family to hike to Tolmie. He had just bought new tires 2 days before. Half way to the campground one of the beads on a new tire failed. Had to change the tire in 85 degree heat (mid-July) and one car a second going by kicking up tons of dust. He does not find it as funny as I do for some reason.
I use to carry a foot pump in my truck. Unless it is a complete blow out, you can usually get enough in the tire to make it to civilization. Also doubles as a great leg strengthener. I might just get another one.
Posted by:
slo go on Nov 02, 2023 01:21 PM
Mary&Mollie on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Poor George! That just reminded me... I had forgotten the flat I got early this season on Mowich. Changing a tire in a dust bowl was not fun. I need to get the foot pump!
Posted by:
Mary&Mollie on Nov 03, 2023 02:27 PM
stever on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
since everyone else is adding their tire stories...about 10 years ago Jeno and I went up FS-73. First car to park. I get out and stretch and Jeno says he hears something....I thought it was an animal and I'm looking in the bushes when my buddy says oh no! My right rear was pancaking rapidly. We debated changing it then but decided to head out. Had a great hike to Grand Park and the overlook. We started back in and every hiker we saw said "do you guys have a blue Nissan Xterra? It has a flat."
I had never changed the tire on that car up to that point and it was mounted under the frame. We got back and it's held up with a chain. We could not find the release. Reading the owners manual indicated you had to take the tire iron, put it into a hole in the bumper, engage a hidden screw and slowly drop the tire down. Easier said then done...we could not get the tire iron into the hidden screw try as we might. We tried for a good 25-30 minutes it was hot and dusty and I had given up hope when on the upteenth try Jeno finally got it to work. Once we had it down we got it fixed lickity split. When it came time for a new car I stayed away from Nissan trucks as a lot of them had the same system. SR
Posted by:
stever on Nov 03, 2023 01:04 PM
Mary&Mollie on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Hahahahaha! I have had those "drop down spares" before! Totally feel you on the "pulling out the owners manual". That was like me trying to find the jack for two hours that time I was up in the Teanaway area. Uggghhhh. And I hate to admit it.... I am an engineer. Started my career in automotive product design at one of the big 3. Total embarrassment even though nobody was around. I was afraid if I told anyone, they would pull by "engineering card".
Posted by:
Mary&Mollie on Nov 03, 2023 02:34 PM