We started hiking around 5:30pm. Sunset is at ~8pm, and the elevation gain is about 3800'. The first 2 miles is easy, crossing some road twice. There is a different parking spot near the 2nd road crossing, which can save 650' and 1.8 mile.
I was going at the top of my speed, for fear of not catching the sunset.
But soon after the zigzag starts, I was lagging behind.
2500' in 2.5 miles.
There are a couple of "creek crossing"s, which were bone dry.
The air was hazy, but didn't smell like smoke.
The trail turns 90° skirting the boundary of the watershed.
Many no-tresspassing signs.
Soon another 90° turn, now more or less on a ridge, even going downhill.
Finally the butte came in view, shining in the setting sun.
When I reached the bottom of the scramble, the others were taking a snack break.
Oddly, I was the first to reach the summit. 7:45.
The short scramble is fun. Solid rocks with good foot/hand holds.
But, yes, exposure, and steep. So caution is needed, especially coming down.
Here's VJ and AB coming down slowly.
The summit has fairly good view, even on a hazy day like today.
Has a broad area just below the top rocks, where we ate our late dinner and waiting for the sun to set.
MY went down and ate his dinner there.
We saw Rainier, the moon, the peaks in the Alpine Lakes aera.
The sun set at 8:01 for us. We started down 5 minutes later.
Now it looked very steep!
All was smooth on the way out. I-90 closed I-5 exits. AB drove into the tunnel, my first time in this new tunnel. It has a toll. I got home shortly after 11:30pm.
