What an adventure. Awesome country, pristine meadow, very challenging terrain. Few people. Trail free areas.
Day 1
*Drive to Tucquala meadows TH
* Cathedral Pass Trail , #1345
* Squaw Lake, 2.8 miles
* Junction with PCT, Views of Cathedral Rock, Spinola Meadows, 4 miles
* Junction with Peggys Pond trail, views over deep lake.
* Off trail cliffy meadow traverse to Circle Lake. My traverse started around 5800' and I climbed the ridgeline first behind peggy's pond and made a lot of the traverse a bit higher near 6100'. Watch for cairns, and be very careful. This section is extremely exposed, with awesome views above deep lake
* Circle lake, has very limited camp spots, only three dirt patches near the outflow, and a couple patches along the ridge over deep lake. Mosquito number are phenomenal
Day 2
* Mount Daniel summit blocks. I started by picking my way up the green, and trees up to the high point above Circle Lake, around 7000'. This is the southernmost/ westernmost high point along the Mount Daniel summit ridge. As you approach the west summit the scrambling begins. Expect prolonged hiking along class 2 and 3 terrain with excellent hand holds and great though sometimes exciting foot holds. After the center summit, back track and find boot path descending toward scree field. This is most dangerous part. conditions are often changing, the scree features gullies of loose scree that slide at the slightest touch. You will need to down climb a particularly bad spot using the boulders for hand holds. Don't try it alone. Final summit block is fun and scrambly with room for two people to stand at the top, plus summit register. The summit ridge also is gorgeous featuring stunning views of Venus Lake, Spade Lake, Pea Soup Lake.... My how i love Mount Daniel.
* Went for a swim in squaw lake on the way back. The route back to Peggy Pong was very difficult and I almost got cliffed out, most stressful. I was also attacked by many swarms of 100s of mosquitos after the sudden hail storm and downpour that soaked my camp making everything very heavy. The mosquitos chew on me while i packed as quickly as possible. But when I got to Squaw, sun was out, no bugs either so I took a dip to clean my wounds, mental and physical, and finish the hike to the car in peace.
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