This was a hike I started with the best of intentions, but quickly went awry. I started out from the Trail Canyon trailhead, knowing that this would add mileage to the hike but wanting the extra challenge. The path up to Raintree was tiring, but smooth enough.

From there, I worked my way over to Mummy Springs. Past Mummy Springs, a few steep switchbacks quickly gave way to an uphill struggle with slippery gravel and a difficult to follow trail. After an exhausting struggle uphill, I managed to get to the Mummy Mountain ridge, at which point I realized I still had quite a ways to go to the peak. Exhausted and worried about the return trip down the slippery slope, I nearly gave up then, but decided to attempt to push on.  The next section, though, is a long traverse across more slippery scree underneath the ridgeline, before coming to one final scramble up to the peak. I began working my way across this traverse, but before long, I came across a handful of small snowfields still clinging to the mountainside. While navigating past one of these snowfields, I slipped and began tumbling down the scree before managing to catch myself and halt my sudden descent. Now nursing several scrapes and bruises, I knew that the ridgeline would be my high point, and made the tough call to turn back instead of risking myself any further. Several downhill slips and falls later, I managed to return in one piece. While I was disappointed I couldn't summit the highest peak, I found the trail too ill-defined and beyond my skill level, and I know I made the right call to turn back when I did.