Goat Peak, Pleasant Valley Loop & American Ridge — Saturday, Jul. 15, 2023

This was a loop hike starting at the trailhead across from Hell's Crossing Campground going up to Goat Peak on trail 958C and coming back via trail 958B and the Pleasant Valley trail (999).

Trail 958C, the most popular way up Goat Peak, is steep and exposed in places.  At a very strenuous 1000ft gain per mile, it is the most direct route up the peak.  There is some downfall across the trail in the first half mile as noted in a previous report.

On the other side of the peak, we descended along the American Ridge trail 958 west to the 5700 ft saddle and junction with trails 959 (the old Goat Peak trail coming up from the Cougar Flat Campground) and 958B.  It is a nicer descent, but again there is downfall across the trail at the saddle and be alert for the junction with 958B.

Our descent down trail 958B went through a burn zone and was quite littered with downfall all the way down to the Pleasant Valley trail junction.  There is evidence of past trail maintenance, but nothing recent.  The forest is sparse and we were exposed to the afternoon sun while working our way through the downfall.  Party members were naming this section "the trail of the hundred blowdowns".  I hope this trail gets some love and maintenance someday.

The Pleasant Valley trail 999 was a welcome relief.  We stopped at the first creek to cool off after the afternoon's work in the warm sun.  It was a memorable long day, I packed an ice cooler of refeshments for the party on our return.