Sawtooth #3 (3700') - High Peaks Wilderness - 11/29/15

This trip turned out to be a little frustrating for me, but when bushwhacking, things never go as planned.  I got an early start (6:30) from the Seward with the thought of trying to climb both Sawtooth #3 and #5.  I needed my headlamp for the 1st 10 minutes on the trail.

The weather forecast called for sunshine, but I only saw a little of that, near noon time.  The rest of the day was light snow flurries and overcast.  I made my way down the trail past Blueberry lean-to and out onto the Ward Brook truck trail.  1.5 hours to that point.  The trail was frozen so no issues with mud.  Another 15 minutes brought me to the Ward Brook lean-to.

   

A newish bridge

The Blueberry lean-to

Ward Brook lean-to

My dog Rev wanted to turn onto the herd path leading to Seymour Mountain, but I told her that we weren't going that way this time.  We were continuing on straight, which was new to me.  After a couple minutes we passed a sign for a spring and after 15 minutes we came to the pair of lean-tos called Number 4.  

Rev wanted to head towards Seymour Mountain

The Number 4 lean-tos are quite nice.  Both are in good repair and are in a nice clearing with water flowing behind them.

One of the Number 4 lean-tos.

The Number 4 lean-to pair.

A sign for the spring.

The truck trail continued to be in good shape although once I got past the herd path for Seymour, you could tell there wasn't much foot traffic here.

Ward Brook truck trail, once beyond the Seymour herd path

After 2.5 hours and a little over 8 miles, I left the truck trail at a small meadow.  This area is probably a mud hole in summer, but now it was mostly frozen, although a broke through twice and I got a little worried crossing it.

A small pond at the back of a meadow.

I was going to head for Sawtooth #3 first, and hopefully continue on to Sawtooth #5.  It was about 9 AM when I began the bushwhack.  At the back of the meadow, I immediately got tangled up in some thick cedars.  As I thrashed my way around I came to a very small clearing and found some odd metal remains.   Perhaps part of an odd wood stove and remains of metal buckets and metal debris!   

This was a surprise find!

... and a wheel

I continued to wind my way around and after a while I found the drainage leading up the slope to the west of Sawtooth #3.  I climbed along the east side of the drainage within earshot of the flowing water.  My progress was slower than I would have liked.  Once I was due west of the summit I climbed east straight up the slope.  I was hoping to reach the summit of #3 by noon and with luck, the summit of #5 by 2 PM.  That would give me 2.5 hours to get back to the Ward Brook truck trail before I had to switch on my headlamp and walk out.  I didn't want to bushwhack by headlamp.

I reached the true summit of #3 at 12:25 PM, 25 minutes after my goal time.  I found the orange ribbon denoting the summit and noted a small footpad clearing there where hikers stop at the summit.      

The summit of Sawtooth #3.

I only stayed a couple minutes, since I still had a small hope of making up time.  Perhaps I could still get to Sawtooth #5 by 2 PM.  Those hopes were immediately dashed as I descended #3.  I was heading west, slightly north of my ascent route and I was still swimming in moderately dense softwoods.  There was no blowdown, and no cliffs to maneuver, but I could get any kind of a decent pass going.

At the western base of #3, I got a little twisted around again on a flat.  Once again I came across the remains of a wood stove, and a short distance away, another one.   

I believe this was Sawtooth #5 that I was looking at as I descended #3.

A clearer look at #5?

Another wood stove.

As I got straightened out, I continued west and went around the north side of an unnamed bump between Saw #3 and #5.  It was now 2 PM.  I was maybe 0.7 miles from the summit of Sawtooth #5, but it was not in the cards.  Without a doubt I would be bushwhacking down #5 in the dark and I didn't want to do that.  I made the decision to turn SW and make my way back to the Ward Brook Truck Trail.

    

Large glacial erratic

I reached the Ward Brook truck trail at 3:20 and was happy with my decision.  It would have been at least 5:30 if I had continued up #5.

I was able to walk halfway out before I switched on the headlamp at 4:45.  It was 6 PM by the time I fed the dog and drove out of the Seward parking lot.  Sawtooth #5 will get a special visit by itself on another day!

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  21.1 miles

Hike Time:  10.5 hours

Total Vertical Gain:  ~3100' 

    

The route (and Sawtooth #5 so close!)

More detail of the bushwhack

The route on the Nat Geo map.

Sunrise Mtn (3614') and Boreas Mtn (3776') - Elk Lake Preserve - 6/19/15

There is no doubt about it, the Elk Lake Lodge and Forest Preserve is a beautiful property.   A wonderful lodge, on a glorious lake, surrounded by 12,000 acres is tough to beat.  Leesa and I took advantage of being on property to climb both Sunrise and Boreas Mountains.

Leesa wanted to see sunrise on Sunrise Mountain, but it wasn't to be.  Rain overnight followed by morning clouds, held the sun back.

We started our hike to Sunrise at 5:40 AM.  The mostly sunny skies were predicted starting around 8 AM, so we thought maybe we could see some interesting clouds as skies cleared.   

The Elk Lake Sign on  Blue Ridge Road 

We headed into the woods parking lot and trailhead for the Dix trail.  After 0.25 miles we turned onto the private trail to Sunrise Mountain.  The lower part of the trail follows and old woods road.  There was lots of water in the trail and our boots were soon wet. 

One of the signs to Sunrise Mountain

As the woods road turned into a foot path, the trail paralled Little Sally Brook.  Soon the trail became drier and we began to climb in earnest.

The trail was quite pleasant when we got out of the water.

The Sunrise Mountain Trail offers two nice viewpoints prior to the summit.  We, of course, stopped at each of them.  Clouds were still dominant, but there were signs that skies were clearing. 

Elk Lake from the first viewpoint.

Clear Pond from the 1st viewpoint.

The 2nd viewpoint wsa nice as well, although there were limited views of Clear Pond.  We continued on and reached the summit after 90 minutes of hiking.  Leesa was excited to see the interesting clouds that we had hoped to see.  We couldn't tell if it was going to rain or clear.    For a few minutes, the skies were growing increasingly dark and it began to sprinkle.  

Looking north from the ledge adjacent to the true summit.  Nippletop Mountain in the background.

Clear Pond

Cool clouds to the south.

Pretty awesome...

We stayed on the summit for 20 minutes watching the cloud change, then began to head down.  The sun began to make its' presence known almost immediately.  By the time we got back to the lower viewpoints, the view looked entirely different due to the appearance of blue sky.

   

Elk Lake under under some blue skies by 8 AM.

Clear Pond

We made our way back down through the wet lower portion of the trail and were soon back at the lodge.  The hike was 5 miles round trip and took 3 hours to hike.  At the lodge, I took a couple pictures of Elk Lake while Leesa change her socks.  

The view of Elk Lake from the Lodge.

Next it was time to head for Boreas Mountain.  We started on the trail to Panther Gorge.  We crossed the suspension bridge over "the Branch" and continued until the point where the marked trail made a sharp turn to the right.   We continued straight to head towards Boreas.

  

We left the state trail here and continued straight towards Boreas Mountain.  

Soon we came out onto a logging road which we following for 1.4 miles.  Mosquitoes were suddenly horrendous, after having no problems all morning.  We both put on Deet and headnets.   After 1.4 miles, we crossed a new wooden bridge and immediately came to a sign on the right saying 2.1 miles to Boreas Mountain.  We turned here and were now on the old woods road to the former fire observers cabin.  The mosquitoes left us at this point.

The new bridge.

This is where we left the logging road and began to climb on the trail.

This clearing is where the fire observers cabin used to be.

After 1.2 miles, we reached the clearing where the cabin used to be.  At this location, the old woods rooad transitioned to a foot trail and became increasingly steep.   We climbed 1100' from this location to the summit of the course of 0.9 miles.  At last we reached the summit.

We both took off our boots and sat down on the summit rock to eat lunch.  From Boreas, there are views of Elk Lake, Clear Pond, Maccomb Mountain, Hough Peak, Dix Mountain, Nippletop, Blake, Colvin, Haystack, Marcy, Skylight and the whole upper half of the Great Range.    

The USGS Geodedic Survey marker on the summit of Boreas Mountain.

Elk Lake with Dix, Hough and Macomb in the background.

a closer look

zoom view of Gothics from Boreas Mountain

zoom view of Haystack

Marcy and Haystack

The upper Great Range shrouded in clouds.

Elk Lake from Boreas Mountain

Our route down was the same except that we followed the logging road all the way out to Elk Lake Road (one mile south of our car), then followed the road back to the car.

It was great to spend time at Elk Lake Lodge and to hike these two wonderful peaks.

Hike Stats:

Sunrise Mountain Hike: 

Hike Distance:  5 miles

Hike Time:  3 hours

Total Vertical Gain:  ~ 1500'  

The Elk Lake private trail to Suirse Mountain 

Boreas Mountain Hike:

Hike Distance:  9.2 miles

Hike Time:  4.5 hours

Total Vertical Gain: ~ 2200'

The Elk Lake private trail to Boreas Mountain.