John Guilford's Hikes

Date: 2003-05-26

Location: Pinnacle Lake

People: (including myself): Myla

			Real Alt.	Miles
Start:		12:07	2660		0
Bear Lake	12:15	2776		0.3
Ridge		1:15	~3400
Pinnacle Lake:	3:05	3790		1.9
Leave:		3:45
Top of Ridge:	4:30
Out:		5:05			3.8

As we started up the trail from the road we were a bit disconcerted to hear some yahoo blasting away with a semi-automatic rifle somewhere in the vicinity.  The only comforting part was that as we continued up the trail, the sound of the gun shots got quieter.  I might guess they were further up the road from the trailhead. 

In a few minutes we hit Bear Lake and took the short side trail to the lake itself.  Bear Lake was virtually ice free.  Returning to the main trail, we started up the switchbacks to the ridge top.  I was using the hike for a conditioning hike, so I had packed considerably more than I needed for this hike including five liters of water, extra boots, two ice axes, and treking poles. 

From Bear Lake on, the trail got muddier and rougher with increasing snow patches.  We took our time ascending to the ridge top.  At the ridge top the slope evens out a bit, though you still ascend.  Here we started hiking in more consistent snow, starting off being half snow and half mud and ending up being entirely snow. 

Along the ridge you can detour a slight way off the trail and look down into Bear Lake.  Near one of these overlooks, we found some dry logs and stopped for a snack of a couple apples.  The break probably ended up being about a half hour before we continued.  Myla hadn't really done any serious hiking in the snow before.  We tried her out with one of the ice axes (more for use as a "third leg" or cane.  This didn't work out that well.  On the way down, we replaced the axe with the treking poles and that worked out much better, possibly because she was more used to ski poles. 

The route was relatively uncrowded.  We had maybe six or eight other parties pass by.  I was surprised to see that most of the parties had brought dogs along.  I guess people with dogs wanted to avoid the crowds at other hikes and came here.  Unlike my previous hike here on 2001-05-26, we had no trouble finding the route and soon found ourselves descending the last bit to Pinnacle Lake.  Unlike Bear Lake, Pinnacle was almost entirely ice covered. 

Here we stopped for our lunch break on a dry log next to the lake. 

Myla was a bit surprised at how fast we retraced our path back to the trailhead.  Both the downhill and at times the snow aided our progress.  Despite leaving Pinnacle Lake 45 minutes later than we had originally planned, we made it back to the car only five minutes behind our schedule. 

Some notes on footgear: despite not having waterproof boots, Myla's feet stayed reasonably dry except for the toes due in part to the gaiters.  I wore my heavy climbing boots instead of my normal, lighter weight pair, to get used to them again for some planned summer glacier climbs.  I had really used them in years (since my Rainier climb).  I was pleased that I could do the whole hike without blisters. 

John in front of Bear Lake. 

Myla on snow on the ridge top. 

Bear Lake from the ridge top. 

Myla descending to Pinnacle Lake. 

John on our "lunch log."

John descending a steeper patch of snow.