Davis Peak has been on my list for a while. 4,000 feet of gain and what looks like a nearly straight line up the shoulder of the peak? Sign. Me. Up. But I always figured I'd have one of the kids to distract me from the climb. But there I was. Alone.
I left home on a dark and stormy morning. It was exactly the sort of morning Henry would be next to me in the car trying to wake up. Except that seat was empty. Tink was the in back, but she didn't quite make up for the boy's absence.
The feelings had passed by the time I got to the trailhead. It's a weird trailhead that begins with a drop to the river where an impressive bridge spans the gap. How weird that a bridge like this would be here just for hikers. Except I guess it's not that unusual. There are bridges across the Middle Fork at both the Gateway and Dingford trailheads. So I guess it was just cool.
The trail started deceptively mellow as it wound through the trees. Then it turned up and didn't stop for three miles. While it was only 1,000 feet per mile, it felt a lot harder. But no worries. After the section that burned and was covered with head-high brush I could see the summit just ahead.
Except, dammit. Not the summit. Just a ridge. From the ridge I'd have to drop 200 feet and then gain 900! Ugh. Head down. Trudge trudge trudge. A felt a few raindrops and thought maybe I hadn't dodged the rain after all. The rain never really materialized, but the wind whipped across the exposed ridge once I turned to the northwest and the summit.
I will admit to being a tad demoralized by the false summit, but gaining the final ridge made up for it. The south side, where I'd come from, was vegetated with the occasional rocks. The north side, though, was nothing but rocks. Beautiful, beautiful rocks. The kind that the boy loves so. DAMMIT!
I tagged the summit and saw a future backpacking destination. It looks like you could come from the north and set up a base camp at Michael Lake and spend a second day touring the lakes and peaks scattered all around.
Today was but a day hike, though. And the wind was making it a little less than pleasant up high so Tink and I retreated down the south side. The line down the shoulder was remarkably fast. We saw only one other person on the trail down near the river. And while I generally can't recommend a trail that starts by going down from the trailhead and especially not one that has such a false summit, Davis gets a pass. Even if it did give me the feels.
📍On the lands of the np̓əšqʷáw̓səxʷ (Wenatchi) people.
