On Monday I did a little exploring on what was a very old trail that had once been discontinued. It is near the area of a rather large wildfire last summer and the fire crews apparently sawed it out to use to access the fire. It is in a very remote and rugged area. Now it has been added back on the USFS trail inventory and I know it will take me to a peak that I have wanted to visit for years. I made it over the first two stream crossings on foot bridges which were put in place by the fire crews, but I turned back (for now) at the third because it had to be forded and I was not prepared for that. I am posting a bunch of photos for those interested in seeing a bit of very wild, very rugged and beautiful forest back country. Later in the summer I will make the entire trip from the west fork of Thompson River road to Sundance Ridge.
The photos are posted in a ragged fashion, grouped by the first stream crossing, a couple of the trail, the second stream crossing, a photo of the third crossing, and a big series of scenes from along the trail.
First crossing; two birch trees:
Trail:
Second crossing: one big pine
Third crossing: a ford (the trail on the other side looks a bit rough!)
The last mile or so of trail 528 to the top of Mt Headley is a little steeper than the rest and there were still patches of snow across it, but the anticipation of breaking out on top made that part of the hike quite easy.
The “water” referenced by this sign may be only a mile away, but at the rate at which the trail to it descended suggests a very tough hike back up!
When a trail looks this way, you realize that the top is not all that far away.
The snowbanks were not very deep, but the breeze blowing across them was very refreshing in mid-July!
Finally, from a saddle .3 miles below, the first glimpse of the top of the mountain.
From the saddle the cliffs to the northeast are in full view and worth a couple of shots.
This signage is at the saddle, which is also the junction with trail 433 which winds down 1,200 feet below the cliffs, then back up to Marmot Peak and from there on down Sundance Ridge to Priscilla Peak and then on down to Thompson River. That entire trail will be a two or three day trip we plan on taking next year but the first part, to Marmot Peak, is still in my plans for later this summer.
Next post will include some of the views from the top.
