My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....for sure.....



It was almost exactly one year ago that we first visited Madera Canyon (page 339). Last year there was a considerable amount of snow on the higher peaks that kept us from summitting (wrong boots, no crampons & 2 dogs) so we settled for a couple of the lower peaks on that trip but this time was entirely different. There's been no precipitation for maybe 160 +/- days in this area. Everything was & is incredibly dry right now.....



We set up our camp about 6 miles from the canyon entrance.....



I think that maybe we had the best site for miles and miles.....it sat high above the canyon floor so our views were limitless.....




As best that I recall we rested up for a couple of days before taking on Mount Wrightson (9,456').....the highest peak in that mountain range.....




My All Trails ap states that this is a hard climb.....



.....it actually is not (in my opinion). It's long.....yes.....10.6 miles.....there's lots of elevation gain.....yes.....3,969 feet.....average time on the trail 7 hours 14 minutes (not even close).....




But the trail is so well groomed and so well maintained and even so well laid out (hundreds of switchbacks to lessen the slope) that it's actually an easy climb.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

As we gained elevation on the mountain, the views from the trail were absolutely outstanding.....



I remember thinking that they were actually better along that rocky trail than they were on the summit.....




Eventually we sat on the summit and ate our lunch and snacks and got ourselves hydrated.....




We stayed up there for maybe 30 minutes.....chatted with some other hikers.....it was a busy day on the summit.....



I got my dog summit pictures.....look at those dogs ! Those are happy faces.....



The downclimb was uneventful.....we took a few days rest.....chewed on the bones that we found in the desert.....before attempting another mountain summit.....



Enjoyed a few more sunsets.....