Sun, Aug 5 2018 - Smutwood Peak Hike/Scramble (View Event Details) Event Coordinator(s): (To see who coordinated the hike, log in to the Member Area) Participants: (To see who hiked, log in to the Member Area)

Write Up:
Shortly after starting on the well traveled trail at the beginning, we were rewarded with wild strawberries. Just after the beautiful little waterfall, the trail became more narrow and winding, with some muddy sections which were easily avoided by walking root to root. We emerged into a spectacular meadow and were struck by the already beautiful views all around. We moved along through an area that had been hit by a powerful avalanche within the last couple of years where some broken trees still had greenery. Our gradual ascent lead us to a patch of snow that we easily crossed as we approached the much steeper section of our journey. All around us the views in every direction were spectacular, and only became more breathtaking as we gained elevation. We stopped just above the first lake for a snack with Birdwood mountain to one side, and Mount Smuts to the other. We continued on past the waterfall that connects the upper lake with the lower one, and up the first rocky section. One of our group went up to tag the false summit, while the rest of us continued around to the left coming out on a grassy ridge. Four of the five in our group continued toward the summit, leaving one on a mossy cushion to watch our progress and enjoy the amazing views in every direction. The rocky section leading to the summit was a scramble, with some exposure and loose rock, which we all managed to navigate. We shared the summit with two others, and drank in the beauty of our rocky mountains with gratitude and awe. I'm glad to have had navigational help from my guest Ken. We all enjoyed good conversation and learned a lot from Patrick who has extensive knowledge of the flora.