Attempting to Summit McGown Peak

On the 4th we tried to climb McGown Peak. We camped at Stanley Lake the night before then rode our bikes to the wilderness boundary and hiked the Alpine Way Trail. My friend Kevin summited the peak the previous weekend and provided us with some pictures and instructions. We knew that we had to leave the trail after a few miles and bushwhack our way up a ridge to the base of the peak. We bushwhacked up a ridge, but it turned out to be the wrong one and from that vantage point we couldn't see any skyline profile that matched the pictures we got from Kevin.

After four hours we turned back (it was 90 degrees by then) and returned contented with our exercise. After talking to Kevin on our return, it seems that we probably didn't go far enough up the trail before leaving it. This was a good exploration trip which should make it easier to attempt again.














McGown Peak from the bike trail.














Stephanie with helmet over expedition hat on the (cold) biking leg of our journey.


















Along Alpine Way Trail














Stephanie adjusts her trekking poles for descending after we ascertain that this ridge won't lead us to the bowl we're looking for.