on the way along the ridge toward Summit Chief

Spent a couple of fine sunny days out just East of the crest on an annual backpack with a couple of old high-school buddies. Climbed Summmit Chief in the process. It's a very prominent peak in the area, though I don't seem to hear much about it.

Picked 'em up at the airport and headed straight for the hills. After a stop in Factoria for beer and food, we made it to Cooper Lake in a little more than a shortcase.

Crack o' noon-thirty we headed out to a little lake called Escondido (one dictionary translates this as "lurker"). Beckey says it's the closest way to Summit Chief from the road. The trail was dusty with lots of horseshit, but the lake was nice and we had it to ourselves.

Next day was some spectacular wandering. Once we 'schwacked out the the Escondido hole we got on some excellent airy ridge running, with great views all around. There's been a fire there some years back and the stark burnt snags rising out the turning foliage was kinda cool. Out across the traverse, Summit Chief was pretty imposing, and it never appeared to get much closer.

The easiest way up appears to be over some big snowfields, but without crampons, axe or boots, I skirted the snow on the left on some really fun, solid and featured rock. Many hundreds of feet of great scrambling. A couple of towers needed to be downclimbed, which got pretty nervy, but overall big thumbs up for the quality of the rock and exhilarating scrambling.

Two of us summitted maybe a few minutes past our second or third turnaround time. Our third member had been left somewhere down low on the ridge, but we were pretty sure he was still alive. As every trip report and summit register entry says, "great views, wonderful day to be in the mountains, blah blah blah".

Many more miles of downclimbing, and ridge-running in the crisp fall air. Hang out at the tarns. Then, finally an unpleasant vertical 'schwack down to the lake. We staggered out of the bush with the party intact in the failing dusk.

The next day we found a trail that links Escondido Lake with the PCT that would have eliminated the bushwhacking.