I had heard lots of good things about the reward that Mt Dickerman offers and timing finally worked out for me to check this one off the list. I was looking to get in some climbing ahead of some upcoming backpacking trips, and this more than met that criteria! There have been some great recent trip reports so there is not a lot that I can add in terms of trail conditions and what to expect. I arrived a little after 8am on a Saturday to the large parking area that is shared with the Perry Creek trail. There were at least 5 spots open in each side of the lot not counting the areas that can be utilized around the parking area. After signing in at the register, I headed into the forest to begin the immediate ascent. Temps were probably mid-50's and into the 60's as I worked my way up through the first couple miles of forest trail. The trail is in great shape but there are areas of rocks and roots that aren't as much an issue on the way up as they are coming down.
The climb is steady and challenging, but manageable, averaging around 700' per mile for the first couple miles. At 2.7 miles, I found the stream crossing with the running waterfall and took the opportunity to filter and refill the hydration pack while taking a short break. Moving on, the forest begins to give up glimpses of some of the snow-capped views but in return the trail demands more in terms of climbing with the grade constantly increasing. Eventually, the tree-line is cleared and the views are breath taking. The first set of views is almost a false summit. There is still another 1/2 mile to the top and it is one of the toughest half-mile's that I 've hiked! After completing the final challenge, my reward was revealed with an incredible panoramic view with several areas to set up for lunch. There were a few hikers and groups of hikers scattered around the top enjoying the fruits of their labor. I probably took an hour or so for lunch marveling the incredible views. After exploring the various viewpoints, I reluctantly got my mind wrapped around the descent and headed back for what I knew would be a knee and quad screaming return to the trailhead. The rocks and roots seemed more frequent on the way down as the knees and feet screamed at the downhill slope but after about 2 1/2 hours, I was back to the trailhead and done for an amazing day on the Mountain Loop Highway.
Overall, this is an incredible hike that will reward you for your efforts, just be prepared for the challenge!
Comments