| Peak | Mt Wilson |
|---|---|
| Group | Rogue Juan |
| Trailhead | Chantry Flats up past Hogee's Camp |
I am excited to be part of the Six Peak Challenge, and I talked my boyfriend(first time hiker) and group of friends into coming along on my hikes. We met at the trailhead at 7AM. I have hiked Mt. Wilson before and did the loop up the Rim Trail and down past Sturtevant Falls, then up that awful paved road. So I assured the group that we would be hiking down that paved road to start and then come around and down the Rim trail and avoid that road to finish!
The trail was beautiful and green, and there was so much water flowing through the streams. We crossed the stream about 6 times on the way up. There was plenty of tree coverage on the way up that kept the trail very shady. We reached the summit! The café was closed but they did provide complimentary coffee and hot cocoa. The coffee was marvelous, especially as a hand warmer since I had forgotten my gloves. We stayed up at the summit to eat lunch and wait for a few friends that were on the trail behind us. I did go to the restroom and the warm water was wonderful for my cold hands.
We took some photos at the lookout by Echo Rock, and then looked at the map. One member of our group pointed out that the Rim Trail appeared to be quite a detour around and would add mileage to our hike, so we opted for the trail down past Sturtevant Camp, which also meant…The Paved Road up!!! The hike down seemed a little rockier than the trail up, but still just as beautiful. So, there we were, facing the road. It was tough, but we all survived and headed out for a celebratory drink! I was so proud of my boyfriend for hiking 14 miles on his first day-hike ever, and he loved it and can’t wait to do it again. We are all looking forward to the next one!
