Frog Mountain — Monday, Jul. 4, 2022

It looks like the old gravel pit has been graded for parking and by the size of it I guess they expect this to be popular. Figured it might be a good time to go before it becomes the new fad. It's a beautifully built trail with an easy to moderate grade for 90% of it. After the last built-up switchback, the trail narrows and is a bit more primitive, but still in great shape and obvious to follow. Long switchbacks lead you back and forth across the mountain until arriving at high meadows. The trail steepens and the switchbacks shorten, entering a pocket of forest and crossing a few small patches of snow to deliver you to an open ridge. It might be easy to think of stopping here but catch your breath and keep going. The top is only another short climb, ten to fifteen minutes away. The top has a significant prominence and is covered with a few feet of snow that's easily traveled on.

I took a risk knowing it was going to be cloudy part of the day. If I'd waited an hour later, I would have had excellent views. As it was, I spent 45 minutes at the top waiting for it to clear but it never quite got there though I did catch glimpses of blue sky. When it finally did, I was twenty minutes back down the trail. Oh well, I had a great hike anyway. I got to utilize my new mylar balloon zip lock bag by rescuing one down off the trail. <grumble>
I didn't track my mileage today, but WTA says it will be roughly four miles one-way (when completed). Didn't feel like eight miles round trip to me. Elevation gain was 2300 feet.  

The Beckler River Road is in excellent condition.  The gated road on the right at Jack Pass will take you to the gravel pit.  When facing it, the beginning of the trail is the old road heading into the forest on the left, just above the boulders.