Church Mountain

Aug. 20, 2014, Wed. – Church Mountain Mountaineer’s Hike

Met the party at Sunset Square at 7:00 – Henry (Hank) Adolfi and John Carlin. I drove. A cloudy day with some sun breaks. FS Rd. 3040 was a little rough and drove in low range. A nice new TH with toilet. Started hiking in the sun at 8:36. Sun soon left us and we hiked in cloud. Cool, but very humid. Tread condition was excellent and grade easy with lots of switch backs. Broke out of the forest at about 4,800’ as the sun came out. A gorgeous basin with 2 streams cascading down from an upper basin. Lots of flowers in their prime or just past prime. Counted at least 8 different blooms. Tread became a little rougher from here and was trenched in spots. Passed by 3 of a group of 11 Vancouver hikers. Trail here made several low grade long switchbacks. At about 5,700’ a user trail goes straight up the ridge to the lookout. In future this would be a good way for the ascent. At 5,800’ we explored a way trail going E. by NE to a campsite and beyond. Last short section to the lookout were rough scrambling stairs cut into the rock. Arrived at lookout at 12:00+++, 6,100’. Soon the rest of the Canadians arrived. Good views here and there with clouds blowing close or in the distance. Views of Shuksan and Mt. Baker were mostly obscured. Left the lookout in sun a little before 13:00. A fast return with flower stops, a water refill for Hank and exploring a view spot below meadow in the big basin. Back at the TH at 16:10.

Stats were 7.5 hours, 8.6 miles and 2,990’ gross elev.

Chuck Gustafson, Leader