I had first met Humpback Mountain way, way back in the winter of 2002 when I did a late-season hike to Annette Lake. Humpback looked fierce with snow barely clinging to its rocky flanks.

Since then it's been teasing me with a short, but steep hike just 15 miles up the freeway. Tokul had been my only partner on each trip I'd seen Humpback and since I couldn't get anyone else to rise to the challenge the two of us piled into the truck and were off by 5:10pm.

The road, nasty in the snow, would be fine for the old 'onda and I'll keep that in mind when I return for a lake in the same area. We parked at about 2,800 feet and started up the logging road that gains only 400 feet in just under a mile. The area is home to a couple of mining claims that were well marked... sort of. One said

"No" Mineral Digging

No in quotes threw me and I wasn't sure exactly what that mean. Oh well. I didn't take any rocks so I guess I'm safe.

15 minutes later we were as far as I'd made it in the snow and looking at the steep trail that disappeared into the second (third?) growth forest. The trail looked more like a tunnel than a vertical passage way, but we vowed not to let claustrophobia get the best of us and in we went.

The first 1,000 feet of the trail is through a very new forest. The canopy was barely over my head and it was dark. There was very little undergrowth save a strange purple stalk of a flower that grew in clumps.

At about 4,000 feet we finally exited the new forest into one slightly older. The trees were bigger, farther apart, and let a little light in. Both Tokul and I were hot and with no water available Tokul got sips from my camel that probably got more water on the ground than in her mouth.

The trail continued to climb harshly. (It climbs more than 1,900 feet in a mile, which is about the same as Mailbox Peak. (That's another hike only Tokul was foolish enough to accompany me on. Maybe there's a trend here...))

The trail wove between trees and rocks began poking through the duff. Soon we were crossing talus, which is one of Tokul's least favorite things. (Her absolute least favorite thing is getting ear medication.) She whined and desperately sought alternate routes, but eventually I put her back on leash and physically lifted her up onto a rock. (I'd say she needs to lose some weight, but she's solid. Maybe I need to go to the gym more.)

Two talus fields later we emerged into a very small heather meadow. The rest of the way, short though it was, would be impassable for Tokul. I teathered her to a tree and climbed over and through the boulders to the actual summit. I looked for a register, but couldn't find one.

A ridge connected to the eastern summit of Humpback (Point 4883 according to TOPO) and I could look across Humpback Creek to see Silver, Tinkham, and Abiel Peaks as well as Annette Lake in the shadows.

I had originally hoped to try to descend the untrailed southern ridge to Scout Lake, but the late hour and being by myself convinced me that was a bad idea. Instead, I contented myself with lots of pictures before returning to Tokul.

The trip down was FAST. It took an hour and a half to get up (that includes the 15 minute road walk), but only 30 minutes back down to the road. The final walk out was still 15 minutes.

Back at the truck I got comfy in flip flops and drove a quarter mile further up the road to check out the supposed route to Scout Lake before turning for home. Scout will definitely be a destination one of these evenings.

Total distance was 3.74 miles and 2,305 feet of gain. Ouch.