Web Mountain via Putrid Pete's Peak, Ira Spring Connector Trail & Dirty Harry's Peak — Friday, Oct. 30, 2020

So, I really wanted to go UP the Putrid Pete's Peak (P3) Climbers Trail for a good workout, but I did not want to come DOWN it! (It's pretty steep!)  I noticed quite a few reports where people have hiked up to P3 then over to Mt. Defiance and then come down the Mason Lake / Ira Spring Trail, but I already went up Mt. Defiance last week!  Sooo, I decided to go from P3 over to Web Mountain, down the back side of Web (there is no trail) and then up Dirty Harry's Peak, then down to the Ira Spring Connector Trail and back to the Ira Spring Trailhead for a big loop in the opposite direction. (See Map and Video below).

Putrid Pete's Peak (P3)

I went up the PPP Climbers trail from the Ira Spring Connector trail.  Once you cross the second Talus field it gets a little steeper and then you reach a balcony with a decent view.  At that point you are a little more than half way.  That would be a good place to evaluate your condition and mindset.  It's going to be a bit steeper than what you have just experienced...the rest of the way.  At the summit block going around to the right seems a bit easier to get up.  Be careful, the back side is a cliff!  There is a summit register down in a crack in a white PVC tube...make your mark!

Web Mountain

As your hiking up to P3, Web mountain is the slightly higher peak to your left. There is a faint trail from P3 over to web, but it's pretty straight forward.  When you are approaching the summit of Web, stay a little lower and go around to the left to go up.  This too has a cliff on the backside (the whole ridge line is a cliff).

"Webb Mountain Trail"

Caltopo and Gaia both show a .7 mile "Webb Mountain Trail" off the Dirty Harry Peak Trail heading up toward Web Mountain.  It stops at a Talus field before Dirty Harry's Bathtub (a collection of tarns, see photo below).  All Trails shows the same trail as 1.6 miles and connecting with Web Mountain but there is no trail (see highlighted section on the map below).  You just make your own way down (or up depending on which direction you are making the loop) the Talus field to the bottom where you will meet up with the Tarns.  I started down the left ridge line from the Web summit and then moved onto the Talus field.  Down below I moved into the woods (there is a great level camping spot in the woods just before the Tarns).  There are some Cairns helping you locate the "Webb Mountain Trail" after the Tarns but it was a little tricky to find even with GPS.  The top part of the (Webb Mountain) trail (after the Tarns) is a little steep, it's really fun in the middle and there was a stream running down it toward the Dirty Harry Peak Trail.  Overall, making your way down from the P3/Web ridge will be easiest going over to Defiance and down the Mason Lake / Ira Spring trail, hardest would be back down the P3 Climbers trail, and in between would be going down the backside of Web Mountain to hook up with the "Webb Mountain Trail" at the bottom.  

Dirty Harry's Peak

Curiosity took me up Dirty Harry's Peak, plus I was basically there.  It's a good workout (with another sheer drop off cliff at the top) but there is no 360 degree view.  The ridge is in the trees.

Dirty Harry's Museum

Some reports have revealed where Dirty Harry's "museum" is (cool old truck in the woods) but I have heard that some like to discover it for themselves (even though the maps show the trail).  Anyhow, I checked it out and it's definitely a wonder how Harry got that thing in there!  I realize the mountain was being logged at the time, but still quite interesting.  If you want to see exactly where it is, the Relive video link below shows it.

Dirty Harry's Balcony / Ira Spring Connector

The trail to Dirty Harry's Balcony off the Dirty Harry Peak Trail is clearly marked, but it doesn't indicate that is also the way to the Ira Spring Connector trail that goes down (and up) to the Ira Spring Trailhead.  Once you actually get to the balcony turn off, there is a sign for the Ira Spring Connector trail there.  I highly recommend checking out the balcony and also the "little balcony" a little further down the trail.

I have put a link to a 2 1/2 minute Relive video below that shows my route with photos/video.  SPOILER ALERT:  It shows the location of Dirty Harry's Museum, so if you want to discover that on your own, you might not want to watch it.

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://www.relive.cc/view/vE6JmV78GxO