Scorpion Mountain via Johnson Ridge — Sunday, Jul. 10, 2016

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West

Weather was not the best for this sort of hike, but I knew that heading in. Slept in a bit and didn't get to the trailhead until 10:30a which is EXTREMELY late for me, but this did not prove tobe an issue at all. Right where the pavement ends on Beckler, the service road is a long single-lane switchback with very few turnouts, it is in pretty good shape (even looks like some fairly recent work done on the lower half) but painful if you encounter vehicles approaching the opposite direction. Low cloud/fog in the forest has it's charm, but it also totally blocked the vistas which are the draw of this trail. There were several blow-downs, none impassable for the average hiker but anticipate a little "gymnastics". I went all the way to Joan Lake, wandered up and down for a few mins looking for the route to Captain's Point, and decided since weather was not the best and I had work tomorrow morning to give up the hunt after not being able to find it after 20 or so mins. Very disappointed. Then headed back up to the summit of Scorpion Mountain for lunch, enjoying the view of the wall/ceiling of white cloud and wondering why I didn't just eat under the shelter of trees instead. Was extremely grateful I brought my Gortex pants; there was plenty knee-high grass and brush to make them pretty essential if you got a pair yourself, just remember to pull them down over your boots so the water doesn't just run down your pant legs and into your boots XD Was also grateful to have brought along extra socks and liners... 8.25mi, 3000ft of gain round-trip total, 3.5hrs moving, 5hrs elapsed. Also this might be obvious but this was my first hike on a Sunday and traffic was absolutely horrid on Highway 2 coming back, I would HIGHLY advice against coming back from hiking Sunday afternoon in general if you can help it, at least on Highway 2, not sure what other roads are like.