Little Devil Peak, Monogram Lake — Thursday, Jul. 11, 2019

One lonely car was parked at the Lookout Mountain parking area when my wife dropped off me and Mike, my bushwhacking companion and former elite rock climber. On the long drive up in the rain the day before she had regaled Mike and myself with tales of when she and Mike's wife 15 years before had camped at Monogram lake and then wandered up easy heather slopes to the ridge and almost to Little Devil Peak. She assured up the swimming in the lake had been great. Due to the rain of the day before Mike and I were on plan B which was to hike up to the ridge above Monogram lake on the easy heather slopes and see but not climb Little Devil Peak. The trail up to the turnoff to Monogram lake was in excellent shape and we made good time . We met one couple who had spent the night in the lookout during the rainstorm. One women they met had been at Monogram Lake recently and sighted four bears. The Monogram Lake trail was snow free but still steep. Following the trail we dropped over the ridge above the lake and looked for the easy heather slopes leading up to the ridge. Instead we saw tall wet huckleberries on steep slopes. As no bears were in sight we pushed off into the huckleberries. After a thrash we encountered some intermittent talus gullies which we followed up to the ridge. We scrambled up some nice granitic blocks to a  6,404 foot bump on the ridge. After eating lunch and watching the low clouds roll in and out over the ridge and lake we decided to upgrade the bump on the ridge to a summit and name it Little Devil's Child. We then headed down to Monogram Lake and actually found the easy dry heather slopes. We were enjoying our descent until the heather slopes stopped 300 feet above Monogram Lake. Again we faced steep slippery huckleberry slopes. With frequent use of backside huckleberry glissades I made it down to  the lake and the trail. A bald eagle flew over the lake to welcome us. On the long hike out I had time to reflect on the amazing women and men who have actually climbed Little Devil Peak in a single day. At the trail head my wife who had enjoyed splendid views at Cascade Pass and seen 15 mountain goats was waiting. How were those lovely easy heather slopes guys she cheerfully asked ?