Elevation: 726 ft
Time: 2:25
Trails: Bobcat Trail, Coot Trail, Bushwhack
The plan for this hike was for my aunt, uncle, wife, and I to all hike up the mountain using the Bobcat Trail to the Coot Trail. After spending some time at the top, my uncle and I were going to use the overlook trail and then bushwhack down onto the talus field known as "The bowl" to snowmobilers. We would hike down over that and then out using the old logging roads. My aunt and wife would hike back down the trail and then take the truck to our planned meeting point. We expected we would all get there about the same time based on the drive between the to places.
The hike up went well with only one blow down to walk around, but even that was easy. We spent some time on the tower checking out the views and pointing out the places we normally snowmobile too as well. Eventually we split up and headed our separate paths.
My uncle and I went down the Overlook Trail which has a couple views over the talus field. But just after starting to bushwhack, my uncle says "Oh S*!t." He had forgotten to give my aunt the keys to the truck. We decided that he had two options, hike back up to the top then down the trail, or bushwhack over to the trail. Thinking the would take the same time, he hiked up then back down. I decided I would continue the bushwhack that we had planned.
It became clear quickly that I wouldn't be able to climb down onto the talus field and hike down it. Every time i came near the edge of it, I could see there was a steep drop down to it. I would need ropes and other gear to get down that. So I continued bushwhacking down the ridge looking for a good place to turn to my right and come down next to the field. At one pointed I spooked a rabbit in some thick bushes by almost stepping on it. At this point I probably should have headed down off the ridge, but it still looked steep, and if I wasn't past the talus field, I might have to come back up.
I played it safe by going a little further. Eventually I had pushed my way through enough thick spruce that I came out to the more open area that had been logged in the past. This was about the elevation of the base of the talus field. At this point I decided to head back over to it. I wasn't going to do this much work to not even get onto (I had only seen it in winter previously). The bushes were so thick that I missed the opening that the snowmobilers normally use and came up to the talus field further over. After climbing part way up it and taking a break, I knew I should head out to the truck.
The snowmobiles come into this area using old skidder roads, but things look much different in summer than they do in winter. The roads weren't easy to pick out with all the underbrush in the area. But I knew the general direction and headed that way. Finally, after going through plenty of berry bushes with bear and moose sign around them, I got to the skidder road I wanted. It was now an easy walk out (minus the one bees nest) to the waiting truck.
My uncle had caught up with my aunt and wife shortly after they left the truck realizing they didn't have the keys. They were going to walk to our meeting point instead. The bushwhack took longer than expected and I ended up coming out to the truck about 30-45 minutes after they got there. My uncle had even fired shots from his pistol trying to get my attention. I'll be honest in that I only heard the second set of shots he did when I was getting close to the truck. I'm glad I had some other clothes in the truck as I now had spruce needles stuck everywhere in clothes and backpack.
View from Bobcat Trail
Northwest view from summit
Northeast view
One of seven turkey vultures that flew right past us on the fire tower
Talus field in one direction
Talus field in the other direction
For more pictures from the hike, click HERE
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