Hike Log

Lost yet summited

Trailhead:

Patricia Drive

Type of Hike:

Day hike

Trail Conditions:

Trail in good condition

ROAD:

Road suitable for all vehicles

Bugs:

No Bugs

Snow:

Snow free

I got to the trailhead at about 2:22pm, I had a late start leaving base camp because I had worked the night before.  Thus being said, I knew I needed to hustle on the trail.  I get to a marker post and there are four sets of  arrows, I take the one that said “Summit Trail” or at least I thought I had.  I veer right and keep going, soon I'm at a bench and have an idea I'm going the wrong way.  I sit my backpack down and see a gal coming down the trail and ask her where about I was.  She was able to inform me that I had been headed tin the wrong direction.  So, I threw my backpack back over my shoulder and went back down, veered left and continued up.  I came upon another post marker and one arrow pointed up and to the right and had a symbol of a clip used for climbing.  I figured this was the route that would give me the loop regardless of the climbing part.  I soon entered the tree line, looked up and saw I had to climb up these loose rocks, covered with foliage with trees all around.  I proceeded to climp up, atop there was a narrow crossing that went maybe a 1/4 mile.  I continued along the lightly covered trail, even crawling over a downed tree, until I got to a spot where I could go no more.  I felt as if where I was happened to be a lion's den perhaps albeit I was walking around upon a cliff.  I'd messaged another hiker who had recently completed this trail and said I had taken the mountaineer connector.  I went back down and found the actual trail leading to the summit.  This part I tell you was amazing.  It kept going up and up, stepping up and over large rocks with was part of the trail.  Several switch back and multiple times viewing the majestic landscape change and slowly become covered by the gradual mist.  It was a huge relief to finally see the bench say “end of trail”.  I sat down very briefly, also put on my Detroit Lions jersey and got a nice set of pictures.  I quickly made my way back down and made it back to my car just as nightfall blanketed the lands around me.

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