I've never hiked the Dingford Ck trail before, but after having spied over to Hester lake and Mt Price from Big Snow, I thought it was time to pay a visit to this area.
Looking down to Hester Lake and Mt Price
From all accounts I have read, the trip to the summit of Mt Price is an all-day affair. That being the case, we decided on an early start and planned on taking at least 12 hours. We were prepared with headlamps which did come in handy for the last 1.5 miles or so on the way out.
We followed the route detailed here:
http://www.summitpost.org/hester-lake-route/163230
The Dingford Ck Trail is logged out but the trail up to Hester Lake still has a few blowdowns and is brushy. There was much water and mud on the trail after the recent rains so we both had wet feet by the time we arrived to Hester Lake.
Nice old growth forest on Dingford Ck Trail
Turn right
Soggy meadow on Hetster Lake trail
Old sign to nowhere
Pond below Hester Lake
Hester Lake and Mt Price
We went high above the north side of the lake to avoid brush but found a easier way on the way back closer to the shore. At times it seemed like we were on a trail, but there was little evidence of human impact other than the 6 balloons that we found.
Party!
From near the inlet we stayed mainly on boulders to avoid brush up to Little Hester Lake.
Mossy rocks on route from Hester to Little Hester
Little Hester Lake and Mt Price
Little Hester Lake
We rounded the north side of the lake but found the south side easier on the way back.
From the lake we aimed for the low spot on the ridge between Mt Price and Point 4982. More boulder hopping, brush bashing and duff sliding ensued until we reached the saddle.
Easy part of the ridge to Mt Price summit
Some areas are rocky on the ridge but there is always a way through or around them.
from the saddle, the route to Price was fairly straightforward with occasional rocky areas that were easily bypassed or scrambled.
Short boulder field below summit
Last heather slopes to the summit
Summit cairn and register
The register is still a mess
The summit is lightly forested on the south but has open views everywhere else.
Summit shot Mt Price
Bruce and Middle Fork Valley from Mt Price
Hester Lakes
Big Snow and the Hesters
View form Mt Price summit
We took about 6 hours to reach the summit, so we didn't stay long.
Terrain on ridge to Price
Gnome homes
Rounding the south shore of Little Hester
Possible route to Mt Price from Little Hester?
Back down to Hester Lake
Goodbye pants!
We reached the car at 8:00p.m. and took a bit more than 12 hours for the whole trip including breaks.
Nice!
No visit to Price Lake? I think that's Randy's favorite lake, evar.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
there was little evidence of human impact other than the 6 balloons that we found.
The only balloon I have found with a name on it was on Price. It was sent off during a birthday party and eight people signed it. When I called the phone number provided the people had moved on. I was thinking of giving it to King5 News as they sometimes add lighthearted snips at the end of their broadcast. Someone on the list must still live in the area.
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I think that's Randy's favorite lake, evar.
