Forum Index > Trip Reports > Blue, Johnson, June (USGS Benchmark) Aug 1-2, 2015
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostTue Aug 11, 2015 12:26 am 
Dates: August 1-2, 2015 Destination: "Blue Mtn" 6562 (542p), Johnson Mtn 6721 (1261P), June Mtn 5946 (246P) [USGS Benchmark] Party: Sadie's Driver, MiddleE, Snowdog (plus Isabella), Dicey, Matt Synopsis Saturday we hiked the Cady Ridge trail over Blue Peak to Blue Lake, then did an evening trip up Johnson Mountain. Sunday we hiked out via the slightly longer trail over June Mountain. Very hot. Not much water. Nice views. Scary firestorm cloud. Refreshing lake. Lots of blueberries. Felt like late September. Great companions.
GPS Track
GPS Track
Blue Lake Evening
Blue Lake Evening
Saturday Cady Ridge Trail to Dishpan Gap First we hiked the Cady Ridge trail to meet the PCT, then took the PCT to Wards Pass and Dishpan Gap. Our main concern was staying in the shade enough to not overheat on yet another hot sunny day this summer. In the distance, we watched the Wolverine Fire blow up into a towering firestorm cloud.
At the Little Wenatchee trailhead.
At the Little Wenatchee trailhead.
Is it autumn already?
Is it autumn already?
Glacier Peak appears behind the shoulder of Indianhead Peak
Glacier Peak appears behind the shoulder of Indianhead Peak
Blueberries and fireweed along the trail
Blueberries and fireweed along the trail
Watching the Wolverine Fire blow up behind Clark Mountain
Watching the Wolverine Fire blow up behind Clark Mountain
Our other concern was water. We started out carrying a lot, since we didn't know if everything might be dried up before Blue Lake. Happily there were still a couple tiny streams flowing from a damp hillside just south of Wards Pass.
Descending off Cady Ridge toward the PCT and Ward's Pass
Descending off Cady Ridge toward the PCT and Ward's Pass
Near Ward's Pass, looking back at Cady Ridge
Near Ward's Pass, looking back at Cady Ridge
"Blue Mountain" 6562 We took the old Blue Lake High Route trail over Blue Mountain, with just a short side trip up a few hundred feet to visit the summit.
Cool old sign for the Blue Lake High Route
Cool old sign for the Blue Lake High Route
Looking back at Wards Pass, Skykomish Peak, and the headwaters of the North Fork Skykomish River
Looking back at Wards Pass, Skykomish Peak, and the headwaters of the North Fork Skykomish River
Seriously, what season is this?
Seriously, what season is this?
Blue Peak summit group, with Tenpeak Mtn in the background
Blue Peak summit group, with Tenpeak Mtn in the background
Me on Blue Peak, with Glacier & Kololo Peaks and White Pass
Me on Blue Peak, with Glacier & Kololo Peaks and White Pass
Suzanne doing her thing on Blue Peak
Suzanne doing her thing on Blue Peak
Looking down to Blue Lake and Johnson Mtn
Looking down to Blue Lake and Johnson Mtn
Blue Lake Blue Lake looked wonderfully inviting down below. We were surprised to find multiple groups there, but located a nice campsite just down the outlet stream from the lake. Several of us cooled off by wading or swimming in the lake.
Arriving at Blue Lake
Arriving at Blue Lake
Cooling off in Blue Lake
Cooling off in Blue Lake
Izzy enjoying the lake as well
Izzy enjoying the lake as well
Our home for the evening, with a nice flat rock for drying off clothes or people
Our home for the evening, with a nice flat rock for drying off clothes or people
Little Wenatchee TH to Blue Lake: 10.7 miles, 4250 gain Johnson Mtn After relaxing for a few hours, it was difficult to get going again, but another summit beckoned. There's a trail that makes traverses out to the west shoulder of the peak and then back up, but our group just walked directly up the meadows on the south face of the peak. It was direct but steep. The summit included an old lookout site that would be good for a summit bivy, but with this group it was more fun to stay together and enjoy the good company for the evening.
The view across White Pass from partway up Johnson Mtn
The view across White Pass from partway up Johnson Mtn
Indianhead & Saul
Indianhead & Saul
Looking back at Blue Peak & Blue Lake
Looking back at Blue Peak & Blue Lake
Johnson benchmark
Johnson benchmark
On Johnson summit
On Johnson summit
Whole group on the summit
Whole group on the summit
And on the former lookout site
And on the former lookout site
View across the meadows of Pilot Ridge
View across the meadows of Pilot Ridge
and with summit colors
and with summit colors
Most of the group decided to try the trail on the way down. I stayed at the summit a while longer to enjoy the views. Then, as I started down, I noticed a pair of marmots posing on rock directly below me above Blue Lake, so I had to go straight down to visit them.
Evening light above Blue Lake
Evening light above Blue Lake
Marmots on their rock throne above Blue Lake
Marmots on their rock throne above Blue Lake
Closer view of the marmots
Closer view of the marmots
Descending back to Blue Lake
Descending back to Blue Lake
Other friendly creatures at Blue Lake
Other friendly creatures at Blue Lake
Sunset behind the Monte Cristo range
Sunset behind the Monte Cristo range
Round trip to Johnson Mtn 1.6 miles, 1100 gain Sunday Exit via June Mountain For out exit, we took the longer trail westward past Little Blue Lake to visit June Mountain.
Morning light on the Monte Cristo peaks
Morning light on the Monte Cristo peaks
Posing with Sloan
Posing with Sloan
Enjoying the view from June Mtn
Enjoying the view from June Mtn
The view back to Johnson & Blue
The view back to Johnson & Blue
Then the trail made a long traverse back across the face of Blue Mountain to rejoin our previous path. This section was especially rich in blueberries. I knew I was getting spoiled when I found that I was unwilling to even bend over to pick the berries on my downhill side, because it was so easy to pick then with barely a pause on the uphill side.
Looking down the North Fork Skykomish headwaters, with the traverse from June Mountain at upper right
Looking down the North Fork Skykomish headwaters, with the traverse from June Mountain at upper right
Traversing through blueberry fields
Traversing through blueberry fields
Fireweed & Poets Ridge
Fireweed & Poets Ridge
Exit 13.3 miles, 2000 gain Weekend Total: 25.6 miles, 7350 gain Postscript 1: The Loops of Blue Lake There are multiple good loop trips possible in this area.
  • If you start from the Little Wenatchee trailhead, as we did, you can also return via Cady Creek (lower and longer) or Meander Meadows (somewhat pretty, but also brushier).
  • Cartman did a loop here from the Jacks Pass area via the West Cady Ridge and Bald Eagle trails.
  • We also met a group of hikers looping from the North Fork Sauk Road via the Pilot Ridge and North Fork Sauk trails.
Postcript 2: The Failed Signposts I don't know what it is, but every sign in the area seems to have fallen off its post, and be held up literally with rocks and twine.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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iron
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iron
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PostTue Aug 11, 2015 1:21 am 
nice sign collection!

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John Morrow
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Joined: 03 Apr 2007
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John Morrow
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PostFri Aug 14, 2015 9:40 am 
Matt wrote:
Postcript 2: The Failed Signposts I don't know what it is, but every sign in the area seems to have fallen off its post, and be held up literally with rocks and twine.
Signs of the times!

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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RichP
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RichP
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PostFri Aug 14, 2015 9:43 am 
Such a pretty area. Nice that you guys enjoyed it without all the smoke. I visited the area earlier this year via the Pilot Ridge shortcut, and it gets you up there quick. https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8016928&highlight=

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