Sleeping Beauty Peak — Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012

South Cascades > Mount Adams Area

Bang for our buck, this hike was amazing: a short 1.4 mile hike up a well-maintained, soft-footed trail that's mostly shaded and, for the moment, bug-free, leading to a summit that boasts 360 degree views of Mts. Adams, St. Helen's, Hood, and a peek-a-boo view of Rainier. From the summit, through binoculars, we could make out climbers descending from the summit of Adams. The trail is a calf-burner for the first mile, then levels out a bit before the final push to the summit of Sleeping Beauty, a big square mass of brown stone that rises above the evergreens in the Gifford Pinchot. The final push is over a rocky staircase bounded by neatly stacked rock walls constructed by the CCC in the 1930s. There is some exposure at the top (the crest is 15-30 ft wide in places with sheer drop-offs on all sides) for those interested in traversing a short ways to the old fire lookout site. A great lunch spot can be had on the NE side of the crest if you push through some tree branches (you can see the boot trail): you'll be looking out at Adams, sheltered from the summit winds, getting a tan, and enjoying life. Stats: Elev. 3500-4900 ft Distance: 2.8 miles round-trip Time up: 45 minutes Time down: 30 minutes Views, views, views!!! Directions: From White Salmon, drive west on Highway 141 to Trout Lake and continue around past the ranger station to FS 88. Turn right onto FS 88. In about 4.5 miles, go right onto FS 8810. At the junction that's labeled Trout Lake Creek CG on the right, veer left to continue on 8810(signed for Sleeping Beauty Trail #37) for another 6+ miles. Trail head access is via road 040, which is to the right (there is a large sign featuring an ashtray at the turn-off). The trail head is well-signed, on the left, and there is sufficient parking for a dozen cars. The FS roads are in great shape. Although the trail head sign doesn't indicate any pass is needed, we put out our NW Forest Pass just in case. Dog Notes: I wouldn't advise taking a dog on this hike only because of the sheer drop-offs at the top. Otherwise, if your dog isn't prone to exploring, it would be nice dog hike with plenty of shade and softness for the pads, but no water. Apres-Hike Notes: Yummy huckleberry smoothies available at the gas station (Heavenly Espresso) at the junction of 141 and Mt. Adams Road!