Wilderness Peak

Crossing Shy Bear Marsh

This is the first time I've done two hikes in the same weekend, and it was seriously challenging. Originally, I was thinking about going after Mount Dickerman again, but two "Most Difficult" hikes within two days seemed like asking for trouble. Wilderness Peak was listed as a merely "Difficult" trail, 6.2 miles long and about 1300 feet in elevation gain.

It was a truly gorgeous day, if perhaps a little hot, in the mid-eighties. The hike was a reasonable one for exercise, although there was little unique to photograph and virtually no views. There's a little side spur to a place called "Long View Peak" although considering the absence of any actual view aside from peeking through some trees nearby, it seems misnamed.

I had high hopes that Wilderness Peak, perched as it is on the south side of Cougar Mountain, would have a view of Mount Rainier, but like it's nearby cousin, it's pretty much surrounded by trees. The peak itself is pretty much a small cleared spot with a bench. I sat there for a bit resting before the final two miles down the side of the mountain, very steep with a lot of switchback.

It was still a good time, though. My next hike will probably be in two weeks, since I'm in a training session all next weekend. I think I'll be planning for something a little more spectacular, although they don't have to be that way.