Hike Log

Six-Pack of Ridge Peaks: A Six-Pack within the Six-Pack

Trailhead:

Vincent Gap

Type of Hike:

Day hike

Trail Conditions:

Trail in good condition

ROAD:

Road suitable for all vehicles

Bugs:

No bugs

Snow:

Intermittent snow – not hard to cross

Link:

https://www.facebook.com/harvzs/media_set?set=a.10158543477784046&type=3

This was another group hike with 3H.  I had previously done this hike with 3H in 2016 but back then Baden-Powell wasn't one of the Six-Pack of Peaks (although it was an alternate peak the previous year) and also at that time we only did five peaks. This hike, we did six peaks within Mile 378 to Mile 386 on the Pacific Crest Trail. 3H called this hike the “Six Pack of Ridge Peaks” as the peaks were mostly along a ridge which more or less followed the route of the PCT.  This was a point to point hike from Vincent Gap to Islip Saddle. We started off the hike from Vincent Gap up the switchbacks to Baden-Powell  stopping briefly at the bench and one or two other places in the trail. This part of the hike was the hardest of all as it was mostly uphill and switchbacks. The sign at Wally Waldron Tree describing the tree was gone but the tree was still there. Some of us took a few photos before ascending the last 0.1 of a mile to the summit.  We took a somewhat longer break there then took a group photo then headed to Burnham Peak where we also took a break and then headed to Throop Peak. Throop Peak was were many of us started to get tired and slow down. When we got to Throop Peak we only spent a few minutes on photos before descending the peak to a lower point where we had lunch and our next break. The sun was out and it was sunny.  There were parts of the trail that had snow but it wasn't too difficult to either cross or go around. The next three peaks were difficult not necessarily because of the terrain or altitude but because some of us had expended a lot of our energy on the first three peaks. Mt. Hawkins was just a brief stop to take photos but we left it almost as soon as we arrived in order to head to Middle Hawkins. We followed the PCT until Hawkins Saddle then made the side trip as if we were going to South Hawkins but we only were headed to Middle Hawkins. Some in the group mistakenly went further ahead before we radioed them to head back since they went past the junction from Middle Hawkins. We took pics and a short break at Middle Hawkins then headed to our final peak Mt. Islip. At Windy Gap some in the group decided not to attempt the final summit but proceed instead to Little Jimmy Campground while the rest of us tackled the final peak. At this point even I was exhausted and running low on water. But those of us who attempted Mt. Islip that day made it to the top. It felt good to know we had hiked all six peaks in our intended route. We rested at the summit for a while and took photos. Then it was time to head to Little Jimmy Campground. At the campground, some of us got a little water. Then it was time to hike to Islip Saddle. This one surprisingly we made at a good fast pace despite having had a long hike already. We all reached Islip Saddle and gave each other high fives. There was a cooler with cold drinks waiting for us which the hike coordinators brought out from one of the cars we had staged there. The drinks were cold and felt good. Then some of the drivers were taken in the vehicles back to Vincent Gap to pick up some of the cars and then they returned to give the rest of us a ride back to Vincent Gap. It was a tiring day but we hiked long and did six peaks. The feeling of accomplishment felt good.

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