Wasn't sure about doing Big Jim at first with the smoke forecast and the fact that Hatchery Creek trail is infamous for its gazillion blowdowns. We decided to try for it anyway.
We could smell smoke as soon as we got out of the car. The trail was mostly dry, dusty, overgrown, and littered with those 'gazillion' blowdowns, mostly within the first 4 miles. There were a couple of times where we lost the trail and had to do some weird ninja moves around these blowdowns, but overall they were manageable (maybe I'd have a different opinion if I had an overnight pack and if these blowdowns were wet).
After we dropped down to the meadow, the air quality seemed to improve. Many Larches in the area had started turning. The larches looked pretty good to me although they were not yet at their prime.
Had a short break at Lake Augusta to filter water and some snacks.
After the break, we went around the lake and did a rising traverse to gain the south ridge. There were some loose rocks but I felt the whole thing was very straightforward compared to the blowdowns haha and after that it was a walk-up to the summit (a solid class 2 in my opinion). It was very hazy at the summit so we didn't linger long.
Started at around 7:20 AM, finished at around 6:20 PM. 11 hours, over 17 mi RT, Over 5,500 ft gain. Chill pace, many short breaks.
Comments
Tfree on Big Jim Mountain, Lake Augusta, Hatchery Creek
WOW! That red is stunning!
Posted by:
Tfree on Oct 03, 2025 08:22 PM
rbs13 on Big Jim Mountain, Lake Augusta, Hatchery Creek
Yes, it was!
Posted by:
rbs13 on Oct 04, 2025 09:21 AM