[Pribbs]

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move195291435 This is the link to the GPS track and trip stats from my Suunto GPS watch. I will reference it in my trip report below. I was part of a Mountaineers snowshoe scramble up Moolock Mountain, the 2nd highest peak on the ridge from Mt. Si to the Taylor River. This was my first peak up the Middle Fork Valley. Even at 7am at the trailhead, still totally dark out, it was so warm!!! No jacket needed! It felt like late spring or even early summer. Weird for a clear day in mid-January. We set off at 7:30 up the gradual moderate climb up the Bessemer Road, stayed right at the junction with CCC Road, then stayed left to leave CCC Road and stay on Bessemer Road. We continued up the wide forest road, which got steeper the higher we went. At the junction at 4.4 miles, 3100 feet, we went up to the right to stay on Bessemer Road. This is where we finally reaches the snow. I was able to go up another couple hundred feet until it was time for snowshoes for the rest of the way. At the junction at 5.4 miles, 4000 feet, we went up to the left to reach the saddle atop the ridge. We followed the road that went left to follow the ridge to the west. We came to a large gravel pit and wrapped around the right side of it to continue along the ridge road. We followed this road all the way to 6.4 miles until we arrived at an open hillside, a snow-covered talus field. As shown in the first photo below, we continued along the road across the open area to where the trees resumed on the far side, and then went straight up a pretty steep hillside. But I think instead you can just ascend diagonally up the open talus area to the right side of the people in this photo until you gain the ridge.

Once atop the ridge we headed up, having to go through some brush and trees at times.

The ridge began to get much steeper as we neared the summit horn. Be careful with the steep drop-off to the right. We summitted right around 12pm noon. Oh wow what an incredible view. It is unique because you have the cities and Olympics on one direction, and the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the other. And way out to the NW, I could even spot the peaks of Vancouver Island, hundreds of miles and a whole sea away!

On the way down the steep part of the summit horn we went without snowshoes until the ridge leveled out more. We opted to continue further along the ridge for as far as we could. We went until east of the open talus area and then we went down very steep and brushy forest. So if you just go down the same way I recommended you go up in the open talus area, you should be fine.

We returned to the trailhead around 4pm. 13.5 miles, 4300 feet of gain, 8.5 miles RT including breaks/stops. But only about 5 miles RT were in snow.

[Bootpathguy]

[Fletcher]

I really enjoyed Moolock when I did it 4 or 5 years ago.

[Malachai Constant]

Got skunked there a few years ago due to a young conditions but fun ski back