Changing plans

That was Troy on the phone, my climbing partner for a trip next week to Mount Constance. Usually by this time of the year, it’s a largely snow-free route, or at least a route where the element of snow isn’t a big cause for concern. This year, however, things are different. There’s a lot of snow still on the ground up there and the freezing level is not moving up at the normal rate. In addition to this, the road that accesses the trailhead is washed out, so just getting to the point where the trail leaves the valley means an extra 5-mile approach.

As it all turned out, it’s Troy’s anniversary next week, right at the time we were planning to be on the mountain. Bad on him for not remembering it back when the dates were first bandied about, but good for him that he remembered. In the nick of time, as it were.

I’m still planning on going to Constance next week. I’m teaching a private kayak class on Thursday out on the Key Peninsula, and when I’m done I’m driving out as far as I can on the Dosewallips road. I’ll spend the night in the van and hit the trail first thing in the morning. It will be a day hike, no real shot at climbing the mountain, but it will be a great early-season foray into the high country. I anticipate a fair bit of snow.