Читать книгу Day Hikes in the Pacific Northwest - Don J. Scarmuzzi - Страница 27

20	OLD SNOWY MOUNTAIN

ELEVATION: 7930 ft, with 3680 ft vertical gain

DISTANCE: Almost 8 mi one way, 16 mi round-trip

DURATION: 4 hours up, 7 hours round-trip

DIFFICULTY: Very challenging. Only steep near top, very long, well-marked, brief rocky scramble near summit, lingering snow until late summer, mountain goat encounters possible

TRIP REPORT: Rite-of-passage destination for Goat Rocks Wilderness hikers is this magnificent trek within an ancient stratovolcano. The entire wilderness was once a colossal volcano eroded by glaciers over time leaving behind beautiful ridges, peaks, valleys, and lakes that all hold snow until late July or August but then reveal one of the most colorful displays of wildflowers in the Pacific Northwest! Northwest Forest Pass required, and an outhouse is located more than ¼ mi away at Berry Patch TH.

TRAILHEAD: Snowgrass Flats TH. See hike 19 for directions.

ROUTE: Fill out a free self-issue Wilderness Permit at the kiosk and signage for Snowgrass Spur Trail 96A and walk by a small lake to Trail 96 proper. Head right (NE) on Trail 96 almost 2 mi easily up 400 ft, then down just as much with a very mild grade, to cross Goat Creek over the bridge. Continue without much of a pitch for a couple miles as you start N up a little rise in the thinning trees to the juncture with Bypass Trail 97 on the right near the bottom of Snowgrass Flats (a few camp spots at 5600 ft).

As a slightly easier and longer brief loop option, you could traverse Trail 97 a mile E to its end at the PCT, then turn left (N) a mile on the PCT to the junction with the end of Trail 96. Hike more directly left instead, a bit steeper ¾ mi N on the Snowgrass Trail to Snowgrass Flats, which is actually quite hilly between flat areas. Leave what seems like the main trail but is really Lily Basin Trail 86 continuing N to Goat Lake and beyond for the fork right (ENE) on Snowgrass Trail 96, steeper almost a mile winding up the clearing to the PCT.

Turn left on PCT 2000 to traverse 1½ mi N up under Old Snowy Mountain by wildflowers and big cairns into the high alpine environment, then across a lingering snowfield without trouble en route to another intersection. Follow the wood sign right (E) toward Old Snowy on the PCT Alternate Trail up steeper rocky turns ½ mi to the high ridge. Climb right (SSE) more than ¼ mi to the summit over scree and boulders on the thinning ridgeline between the Packwood and McCall Glaciers where it becomes steeper, but not too difficult, to the very top finishing over larger rock.

A hiker revels adjacent to the glaciers under Goat Rock’s rugged rim from Old Snowy south to nearby Mount Adams.