[Stefan]

Toto / 4960+/ 440’ prominence / USGS Snoqulamie Lake Mile High / 5280+ / 1120’ prominence / USGS Snoqualmie Lake Sometimes I think I am nutjob. But then there are others who join me on such a forboding forecast that makes them nutjobs too. Met Greg K., and Franklin B., on not a good forecast day to do these two peaks. We left from the Lake Dorothy trailhead at 8:00a.m. and made fast time to the outlet. Drizzling the whole time. In fact the whole day was drizzling which made for raindrops from trees and wet brush. For the whole day! The outlet does not have logs entirely across so we had to wade up to our knees to get across for about 20 feet. Cold? Not as cold as it could have been. From here we went up in wet brush which eventually soon disappeared when the angle steepened and the duff started to get real slippery. Just keep going up on a rib and then to a rocky bouldery section and then along some minor points which are easily avoided along the way to Peak 4960+ - Toto summit. Views? Of foggy trees. From here it started out as a pleasant walk in some meadow ridgetop walking and then eventually went downhill to the Pugsley Col. It took us 45 minutes to reach the Pugsley col from the summit of Toto. From the Pugsley col we went slightly uphill and then traversed around 4700 feet going across nice downsloping meadows/benches and then eventually through a large boulderfield and over to the NW ridge. Attaining the NW ridge required just about 2 or 3 class 3 moves at the far nw end of a basin. After the moves you come to a large tarn and then go uphill from here to the summit of Mile High. At first it is boulders and then weaving around trees staying on the ridgeline….and then you have fight the scrub trees the closer you get to the summit. Prevail, and you will make it. This is way. No other way around it. Some more steep duff and large boulders are at the top of Mile High. Fay’s register was placed in the correct manner, “up” but was the most soaked I have seen of any of her registers. So when I took it out, I squeezed it like a sponge and tried to dry it out by letting it lay out in the heavy drizzle. Just after 1:00p.m. to reach here. We retraced our footsteps back to Pugsley col. Well, here is where I thought it would be easier to go to Pugsley Lake. I did not think we would have enough time to go back over Toto and then down to the trail before dark. I thought of reaching Pugsley Lake and then taking the “fisherman’s path” out to Lake Dorothy. I read in a trip report before of a fisherman’s path to Lake Dorothy from Lake Pugsley. Well, it is NOT there. No such trail exists. Anyway going down from Pugsley Pass to Lake Pugsley is not trivial matter in itself. You have to be very careful of when to cross the main stream and avoid all the rock walls. I think we crossed the main stream from the north to the south at around 3900 feet. We then worked our way over to Lake Pugsley south shore. Bogs exist on the east side. We finally make Lake Pugsley and we find there IS NO fisherman’s trail on the north side of the outlet stream. Lots and lots of brush. Make that WET brush. Finally we make it down to Lake Dorothy. And guess what? No fisherman’s trail on the east side of this lake….so there is MORE WET BRUSH to travel in to the south side of the lake and trail. I was exhausted and running out of power. We finally made the trail at 5:00p.m. just in time to start using headlamps. Another 2 hours out to the trailhead from here. 11 hours round trip. Recommended to go back up and over Toto and make sure you have enough time to do it in the daylight.

[LadyÆsa]

Though it was a long day, seems like a fun adventure!

[iron]

so, so, so glad i slept in that morning, in a warm, dry bed, than choosing to join you nutjobs! good persistence.

[Magellan]

Some of my best friends are nut jobs. Glad you found a few.

[cartman]

[Justus S.]

Hmmm, I did Toto on a similar wet, snowy, no views day.

[puzzlr]

That must have been very discouraging coming down and not finding trails you expect to be there. Great work getting the whole thing done. Only a mini-epic instead of a full blown "experience builder"!

[Redwic]

DOROTHY: Auntie Em! Auntie Em! It's a twister! It's a twister! AUNTIE EM: Nothing to worry about, dear. It's just another Stefan trip report. Go to sleep. DOROTHY: But where's Toto? AUNTIE EM: Toto was sent nearly a Mile High.