The trail is as rugged as before, but all creek crossings are so easy this year due to the lack of water. The trail on the open slope before the talus field is always hot. The zigzag to Headless Pass is steep. In summer, the track is clear to follow.
There's a big difference of speed within the group. We carried radios for communication.
First, 4 of us waited about half an hour here. One already went ahead before I reached the pass.
Even though no view here (in the trees), it's easy to scramble to the side to look down where hikers are coming up.
Once the next batch arrived, we received radio confirmation to wait at the lake outlet.
Since we were earlier, a couple of us took the fork to the lake.
Then we waited by the fork for another half hour or so.
When the last person showed up, we headed to Vesper Peak. I took a radio.
About 1/3 way up, I headed towards Wolf, since I believe I'd have time this time, guaging how slow my group moves.
Scrambled to the right, getting down to the saddle where this little pond is.
On the way, met the guy with a fishing rod who we've met at Headlee Pass.
Going up from the pond seems straightforward.
Met a girl in a climbing helmet. So I asked her about Wolf.
She said she was so close that she could spit on the summit, but couldn't figure out how to get over these big rocks.
I dumped my backpack, and squeezed into the crack and then climbed on top of it.
There's a cairn once I popped out of these 2 rocks.
A few more steps is then the flat-ish but small summit. Enough space to sit around.
Back the same way as I came via the pond. Then headed up to Vesper Peak. It seems to me that it's also possible to cut over higher, without loosing all the elevation to the pond. From the radio, I could hear the progress of my group. I called SC, so they don't wait for me.
I was about 5 minutes after the last of my group made to the summit of Vesper.
It's a crowded summit, also has more space for the crowd.
Too bad, it was a bit smokey, the view is compromised.
Saw a couple of climbers coming up from below.
The earliest of my group had waited here for over an hour.
A little altercation between Er and Di.
We hiked down, more of less together, but soon, the group stretched apart. Di talked about her life non-stop, annoying. Zo garnered quite some admiration of her trip to Antarctica. Saw 3 grouses on the rocks. Later back in the talus traverse, saw a pika. Definitely heard pika many times. Once we reached the cars, drove to the TH to pick up the last hikers. Yes, we all parked quite a ways out, due to the popularity of this trail. Then back to Woods Coffee to get one car. All in all, it was slow going. But still an enjoyable outing.
