Today felt like the launch of the summer hiking season. Recent trip reports for the area we were heading to suggested the snow was almost gone so I wore summer gear while packing microspikes and gaiters, just in case. The Pinnacle Saddle trail did have sporadic patches of snow on the way up, but extra traction was not required. Once at the saddle, we could see that the entire south-facing side was bare and dry. Continuing our hike east past the saddle, we trekked up a boot path through loose rock and small scraggly stands of subalpine fir. Eventually we reached better rock with good hand and footholds just as the climb got steeper and all traces of the trail vanished. On the left side of a south-facing cliff, we spotted a narrow gully leading to the summit and made our way carefully to the top. A lone marmot was there to greet us. The scenery was breathtaking and we lingered long taking it in. On our way down, we met one person heading up.
This hike pays huge returns on a minimal amount of effort. We spent less than 4 hours hiking a tad more than 3 miles round trip, with about 1600 feet of elevation gain. Summer gear worked well for the conditions.
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