I've wanted to try the 4 peaks route but not sure if I was capable. Then I found this Juniper-Eagle peak-Summit loop and thought I can make it a short version 4-peaks. The plan was to start from Juniper campground, hike counter-clockwise to the summit museum, take the summit trail and get to north peak and maybe Mount Olympia then Eagle Peak.

It was easy from Juniper to the summit. On the summit, I noticed this Mary Bowerman trail which cut directly from the summit to Prospector Gap and could potentially save me some time. So I took the shortcut. From the map I knew it would be steep, but I didn't expect that it was not only very steep but also rocky and slippery. My legs hurt and were shaky after the 20 minutes descent. The last section of the North Peak my next stop wasn't for the faint heart, either. By the time I got to the foothill of Eagle Peak, my legs and feet were too exhausted to continue.

The weather was perfect for a longer hike. Sunny, a little warm but not too hot. What a pity I didn't complete the route as planed. I'll try it again but for sure without the ‘shortcut' next time.