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| Krag, Krinklehorn, and Deep |
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| Lookout and beargrass on the summit |
On the 20th of July I headed back up to Grave Creek near Eureka. The climb from a few days earlier up Krag Peak helped to motivate me to get back. This time I had my mind set on getting up Deep Mountain and Krinklehorn Peak. I had visions of these two peaks playing in my day dreams and I wanted to climb them. I made it up to where I thought the trail started. There had been a sign for the trailhead down at the road junction, but there was no sign up where I thought the trail should be. Fortunately I had looked at some old maps and could make a pretty good guess as to where I could find the trail. As I followed old roads I did actually find a sign that had two little hiker figures on it. I seemed to be on the right path. Then I found a sign that said, "Trail," and had an arrow.
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| The view to the northwest |
I followed this faint trail and after about 200 feet it more or less vanished. There was blue flagging here and there and I followed it. It led me in very illogical directions as to where I thought the peak should be. I carried on, clearly not on a trail but determined to think I might find it. At times I was just bushwhacking through the forest and didn't feel like I was anywhere near a trail. Other times I would find some more blue flagging and followed it up an even older road bed. Then I hit a high point and started descending with the flagging. This didn't seem right but I let it play out and then it cut into the woods. I followed it to another spot where it dropped again.
This is where I gave up and tried to find my way back along the non-trail I had followed. It had taken me over an hour to not find the trail and I was frustrated. The only consolation was that the wild strawberries were ripe and incredible.
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| Tuchuck and Canadian peaks just north of Glacier |
I still had enough time to do a peak, so I drove over to the trailhead for Stahl Peak. I had always wanted to get up this one since I did Wam a couple years back. I had planned to meet Chris and Alysa down at Homestead Ales and didn't have a lot of time, but I figured I could get up and down in time. I made it up the most direct trail to the summit of Stahl. Down low it was a bit overgrown with alder. It was so thick in spots that I began thinking about making a loop out of the trail and coming down the trail to Wam instead of retracing my ascent route. It was a beautiful day; slightly overcast, but the wind and storm from the previous day had pushed all the smoke out of the area.
I worked up through switchbacks up the peak and eventually came to the summit. The trail to get there was incredible once it climbed out of the brush and started cutting back and forth across the upper slopes of the peak. The beargrass near the lookout was incredible. I went into the lookout as it was open. It was small but nice inside and I climbed to the upper level and enjoyed the views out the large windows. It was a bit windy and I could feel the structure move a bit with each gust. I snacked and decided I should head back. I really wanted to make a loop out of the trail and decided I just might have time.
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| Beargrass and caterpillar |
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| Saddle on the hike down looking toward Canada |
I followed the trail down the other side of the mountain and toward the trail that heads up Wam. I didn't really know how far or long it was so I moved at a quick pace. It was pretty much a jog on the downhill portions and I grew quite tired heading to the junction. It was beautiful and afforded me some new views. Once I made it to the junction I figured I might have enough time to do the final 3-4 miles. I was pleasantly surprised to find the sign said I only had a little over one mile back to the car. I had forgotten how far it had been and overestimated the distance from the junction. My tired legs and feet were most happy as I could slow my pace and enjoy the last stretch back down to the first trail and then on to the car. It had been a great loop hike and I had gotten up another peak that had been on my list for some time.
Elevation gain: 2355' Total gain: 101,820'
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