Alphabet Ridge,Charlia Lakes trail

Decided to push it a bit and go for Cloudy Peak (6974) on the west end of Alphabet Ridge just north of Warrior. Left the Upper Dungeness TH at 8AM and adopted a slow and steady pace, reaching the 6974 foot summit at 1:15, after several water stops and a lunch break at Charlia Pass. Due to the relatively early start, stayed in refreshingly cool shade almost all the way to Boulder Camp. Took the Charlia Lakes way trail cutoff a few hundred yards south of Boulder Camp off the trail to Home Lake. The way trail remains in good shape despite no maintainance, wending its way through the trees and climbing as it heads south toward a small pothole. The route becomes a bit indistinct at the pothole, appearing to lead upward from the northeast corner of the pothole, but this soon peters out in a meadow. It is better to gain the small ridge just south of the pothole, where you will find the most-travelled trail heading up toward the pass. From here on up you will be treated to some of the finest views of Warrior, Inner Constance, Del Monte Ridge and an array of very high peaks to the west, including Mystery, Deception, and the Needles. Charlia Pass offers all of these views, plus Glacier Peak visible through the gap provided by Tunnel Creek, and by walking a bit to the north, you can look down at upper Charlia Lake. Charlia Pass sits at about 6300 foot elevation, about 7.4 miles from the Upper Dungeness TH. Cloudy Peak lies about 1/2 mile to the south of Charlia Pass, and can be accessed by crossing rock slides just to the north and east of the peak, with a final ascent up a very steep (perhaps 45 degree) scree chute with loosely embedded rock. One-at-a-time is the only way to go up this chute, and it is not for neophyte hikers. The summit is perhaps 30 feet beyond the top of the chute, and as you step out of the chute you are presented with a spectacular view of the Puget Sound lowlands, including Hood Canal, Puget Sound, Seattle, and the Cascades from Mt. Baker to Mt. Rainier, plus the dramatically close cliffs of Warrior, Constance and Inner Constance. Lingered at the top for a half hour or so, then started back down. It remained quite hot all the way down to Boulder Camp, but a breeze and tree shade kept things cool down to Camp Handy. The walk out from Camp Handy was in cool shade and a light breeze from the north, providing welcome relief from the exertions of our about 15.8 mile round-trip trip with 4474 foot elevation gain.

Two photos: one looking southeast from Cloudy Peak over Warrior Arm to Hood Canal, Puget Sound and Mt. Rainier; the other looking south from Cloudy Peak, with Warrior on the left and Inner Constance on the right.