PCT Huckleberry Mountain - Indian Mountain

[DannyH]

Recovering from winter ankle surgery is going smoothly, I'll be trying my first over night trip this week. Checking untraveled trails off my maps one day at a time has kept me entertained so far this summer. On June 24th I parked at the Huckleberry Mountain Trailhead, just past the crowds at Lost Lake and took the Huckleberry Mountain Trail to the PCT. Then turned north and went to Buck Peak and back. The first two trails were in great shape. However, the Buck Peak Trail was very brushy and overgrown. There were a couple trees down across the trail that were a nuisance, mainly due to the thick brush everywhere. The day's highlights were the viewpoint of Bull Run and the carpets of avalanche Lillies. I think we saw 7 people total.

July 3rd I parked at the green gate 2.5 miles past Wahtum Lake (holy cow was Wahtum busy!). My 2WD Mazda 3 made it, but barely. There was one water bar I couldn't help but scrape a bit going over. I Walked past the gate on the road that runs into the Indian Mountain Trail. I first turned right for a brief stroll to the PCT, turned south and walked to the junction of Buck Peak. The viewpoints along that section are great, and the open slopes of Indian Mountain are possibly my favorite place in the gorge (does that still count as "the gorge"?) The walk up Indian Mountain was a challenge for a recovering ankle, the trail is mostly large loose rocks. The view at the former lookout site on top was well worth it though. I saw only 2 people all day off in the distance and the trails were in great shape.