Day Hike - Mount Sawyer & Tonga Ridge

After availing ourselves of the privy at the Skykomish Ranger Station we drove some 7 miles up an unusually smooth, unpaved Forest Service road to the Tonga Ridge Trailhead. There was already one car in the parking area. We met only a handful of other parties in the course of our weekday trip.  We hiked about 2 miles to where the obvious side trail to Mount Sawyer goes off, marked by a cairn.  Progress slowed as we entered the meadow slopes below the summit, filled with blueberries.  The summit rocks offered excellent bang (views) for the buck (effort).  Scattered clouds offered changing views with Mt. Daniel (attached photo) and Mt. Hinman dominating the south, while Stuart and the Cradle could be seen to the east, Jim Hill to the north, Chimney Rock to the southwest and Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle in the immediate vicinity.  We encountered a woman participating in a census of hawks and falcons. Descending back to the main trail we followed it to the intersection with the trail to Fisher Lake.  Finding the blueberry offerings below expectations we had a snack, then returned to trailhead.  We gained 1,180’ in 7.5 miles of travel over a little over 6 hours.