Elevation: 1,353 ft (overall) 1,960 ft (total)
Time: (with an 5 and 9 year old setting the pace) 3:31 (Ladders) 4:06 (Mt. Morgan) 4:55 (Mt. Percival) 5:40 (Bottom of the caves) 7:31 (Total)
Trails: Mt. Percival Trail, Morse Trail, Mt. Morgan Trail, Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, Mt. Percival Trail
The plan for today's family hike would be a clockwise loop of Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival. We would go up the ladders and down through the caves as both of our daughters wanted to explore both of these sections when I let them pick which hike we would be doing today. To start the hike we drove past the parking lot for the Mt. Morgan Trail since it looked pretty full and instead parked at the lot for the Mt. Percival Trail which had only a couple cars in it today. My plan was to use the Morse Trail to connect the two sides of the hikeno matter which parking lot we started at, so we just picked the easier one to park in.
We made our way out from the parking lot using the wide flat trail until we hit the junctions with the Morse Trail. This trail was easy to follow and didn't gain or lose any real elevation. Once we hit the Mt. Morgan Trail, I quickly hiked to the parking lot and back just to cover the entire trail for redlining purposes while everyone else had a snack. This was very quick as you can almost see the end from the Morse Trail. We then headed up the Mt. Morgan Trail which starts off pretty wide and gentle. You gradually gain elevation which short climbs mixed in with flatter sections as well. The closer you get to the top of the trail and the Crawford-Ridgepole trail, the steeper it will get though.
The girls where the trail crosses a stone wall
A steeper section of the Mt. Morgan Trail
Once onto the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, it is a nice hike with more sections of uphill and brief flats until you reach the junction where the trail splits to reach the summit. To the right is the easier route, and to the left is the harder route which will have you climb up some ladders, through a small cave/tunnel, then up some exposed rocks to the cliffs with great views just before the actual summit. With my daughters both wanting to climb the ladders, we went left. The ladders shouldn't be too hard for any adult unless you have issues with heights or steep drops. The actual manuevering on the ladders was only tricky for our daughters as they have shorter legs. There is one spot where you have to climb up and to the right to get onto the next ladder and their legs were just a bit short for that so I helped both of them in this spot.
The girls getting to the base of the ladders
Me helping the girls up the ladders
At the top of the ladders that trail goes through a short cave/tunnel and then pops out into an open area of rock. The trail does almost a 360 degree turn as you come out from the tunnel where you turn left and climb across a rock that helps make the tunnel under you. From here the trail follows up the exposed rocky area with some trees until you reach the opening at the top where you have great views out over the lake. We stayed here to rest and eat some lunch while we enjoyed the views. Just after you leave this spot, a short side path leads to the actual high spot of the mountain.
Where the cave at the top of the ladders emerges
Lunch with a view on Mt. Morgan cliffs
Liliana and Madison on the summit of Mt. Morgan
After leaving the summit of Mt. Morgan, the 0.8 mile hike over to Mt. Percival was pretty gentle and easy going with nice footing. There are some ups and downs between the peaks, but nothing too big. There is one final push up a steeper rocky section of trail just before the summit of Mt. Percival. My youngest daughter was starting to not have fun when we came to this section, but the reward of more views and another summit just beyond it cheered her back up.
View from Mt. Percival
All three girls at the summit
Once we were done resting and taking pictures at the summit, we headed down the trail to the right of the main view so that we could go down through the caves. We were all looking forward to seeing what they would be like. The trail is steep from the start and begins with a couple sections that are just a bit narrow or awkward to climb down without hitting your pack on rocks around you. Then you climb over some large rocks with gaps between them, so you need to keep watching your footing. Next you climb into the first part of the caves after climbing over a deep gap in the rocks. The trail then goes through a small opening in the cave leading into a lower large opening in the caves. I took my pack off to go through this opening, but I think both of our daughters were able to fit through fine with their packs on. After passing through the opening in the caves, you come out through a small hole in the rocks and back out into a completely open area again. This whole section went slow, but I was also going first myself so that I could see where the trail went and then find a good place to stand so that I could help out our daughters and my wife as needed over/down/around the obstacles. Once we were through, everyone agreed it was fun to come through the caves.
Melissa working her way through the caves
Madison emerging from the caves
Just after the caves is where the trail joins back up with the option that goes around the caves. We turned and headed down the trail which descended pretty well before getting more gradual. The trail was a mixture of smooth sections and rocks with the rocks winning out more of the time. There was also a spot where the trail crossed over a small boulder field of decent sized rocks where our oldest daughter had fun climbing from rock to rock to make her way across.
The girls traversing a boulder filled section of trail
As the trail gets lower, it becomes smoother and less steep. This would normall make for a nice section to cruise right along at, but our youngest daughter was getting a bit tired (she didn't drink enough during the day) and she kept tripping over small roots and rocks so we took a more leisurely pace through here. Eventually we made it back to the end of the trail and our waiting vehicle so that we could take off our hiking shoes and boots and get into something more comfortable while we went and got something to eat.
All in all this hike went pretty well and everyone enjoyed the ladders, the caves, and of course the views. This made for a nice family hike and others could certainly do the same. I would be more than happy to go back and do it again, and if I did, I would probably go the same direction unless I was going to go around the ladders as I think it would be easier going up the ladders than it would be coming down them. I think the caves could be done about the same in either direction though.
Madison taking a break at a brook crossing
Google Earth representation of the hike
For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE
