Returning to Wygant Peak (a good rainy day destination) after a couple of years to polish off a few unfinished odds & ends:
- The trail has seen significant work since I was last there a couple of years ago. Still some trees to climb over/under/around, but it's in much better shape. Kudos to the trail tenders on that score, but folks please: leave the spray paint at home! You don't need spray paint AND marking tape to denote the trail... let alone spray paint applied OVER the marking tape! The paint is now flaking off into the environment, so minus several hundred points on that score. Very poor form.
- Totally unnecessary spray paint.
- I discovered an old trail leading down to the mouth of Perham Creek. On the main trail east of Perham Creek you'll encounter a big sign indicating one should turn left to the Perham Creek bridge (now destroyed)... or right to a "Viewpoint". Go right and follow this poison oak infested trail drops down to a mediocre view, but look closely to spot the trail tread which continues switchbacking downslope. This is probably the old connector linking the Wygant Peak trail and the campground that once existed at the creek mouth. (In random trivia: an old stone column still exists down there marking the previous location of the campground.) Once the historic highway is reconstructed, this segment could be resurrected for another loop/access option. The tread is still in decent shape.
- I tracked down the good viewpoint described in the earlier editions of William Sullivan's guidebook. I'd managed to somehow miss this viewpoint before per the more direct route on the NE ridge. The viewpoint is right on the main trail a few switchbacks up from the upper Chetwoot junction. UTM 10 605594mE 5060945mN.
- Broke off-trail and headed over west to check out a pinnacle I'd espied on a previous expedition up there. Mission successful -- add another viewpoint to the Wygant repertoire, tho' this one is harder to get to.
- Followed old Chetwood Trail on the way back out. Unfortunately it seems the western side of the Perham Creek drainage has suffered significant slide activity in the last few years which has pretty much destroyed the trail with amazing numbers of fallen trees. It's a mess. The trail is effectively gone in that area and it will take a lot of work to reopen it. Not recommended currently. Broke off-trail and thrashed down to visit Perham Falls (nice 30ft+ waterfall located on Perham Creek at ~600ft elevation) - tho' getting there is a serious bear) and out the opposite side to finish up the loop. The eastern side of Chetwoot Trail is still intact.
- Perham Falls
In closing: yes, there actually are some good views on Wygant Peak.
