It was a cold Saturday morning as I drove to the trailhead. Clouds were clearing and the wind was calming down. I was on my way to Sawyer River Road for a hike to Mount Carrigain (4,700 ft.) by way of the Signal Ridge Trail.
I pulled into the trailhead parking and found six vehicles already there. By the size of the parking area I assumed this has got to be a popular hiking destination. There were more cars pulling in as I prepared to hit the trail.
Just after starting my hike I noticed a small tent in the woods and thought it must have been difficult sleeping there with last night's wind. The wind was actually calm now and it was a very pleasant hike along this trail.
For the first two miles the trail is relatively flat. There was one water obstacle that I had no problem crossing and fortunately there were no icy rocks. As the trail started its climb to Signal Ridge I came across a couple of tricky icy spots. Microspikes were not needed but careful navigation over the ice was necessary.
Reaching the the ridgeline I expected an icy blast of wind but there was none. The views were fantastic along the ridge. Clouds were moving in but except for a few high peaks the summits were still in the clear.
The top of Mount Carrigain was in full view from Signal Ridge and I could see the trees were frosted with snow. One final push and I was standing on the summit. The first thing I noticed was the immediate change in temperature. It felt very cold. There was an occasional gusty breeze but otherwise calm.
I added another layer, a warmer hat and gloves. The observation tower was covered in rime ice. I took off my pack and climbed the tower for some spectacular views. The icy climb added to the day's adventure. I stayed long enough to get some photos and got back down. My fingers felt frozen down to the bone.
...wants a treat
Back down below the tower I grabbed a snack and soon found I was not alone. A Gray Jay was looking for a bite to eat. I had some nuts and shared.
This was not a day for basking on the summit and I started my descent. On the way down many hikers were coming up. As one hiker told me, it was a perfect day for this hike and I had to agree.
There was one little item I had not been paying attention to and that was my water. The tube from my water bladder froze solid. It was my own fault. Usually I will blow the water back into the bladder in order to clear the tube, not today. Between not drinking much water and not clearing the tube it froze while I was at the summit. But I did have a thermos of hot tea. So the tube stayed frozen all the way back.
Sunset on the drive home
Returning to the parking lot I saw twice as many vehicles as there were from this morning, not surprising with the number of hikers I had seen. The hike to Mount Carrigain was a lot of fun with rewarding views from the summit observation tower. One more bonus, #21 to add to my list of completed 4,000 footers!
Panoramic view from the Mount Carrigain.
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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