A Steve and Jeno shoutout to WTA trip reporter George and Sally. Your knowledge and history of all of the local trails was our inspiration for today's hike. Thank you for all of your outstanding trip reports!
I met my sidekick at the May Valley trailhead at 6:00 AM and we headed out to do a loop hike around the south and east sides of Squak Mt this morning. Our route was May Valley > Phil's Creek > Old Griz > East Side > Thrush Gap aka Phil's Connector > East Ridge (for about 20 feet) then back the way we came via Phil's Creek.
We were worried about the rain after getting soaked this past Wed over on Tiger Mt but other than a few spots of drizzle we stayed dry for the duration of our hike. There are some trees down in spots along May Valley, Phil's Creek and Old Griz but all are the step over or around variety. All of the trails are muddy in spots but for the most part are in good shape. Thrush Gap aka Phil's Connector is a trail that we have read about in George and Sally's reports for years and we wanted to give it a try. There is no signage for it but the trail is very noticeable off of the East Side trail (lower portion).
Jeno had done a portion of this trail in the past and said it was very overgrown but it wasn't like that today. It actually looks like someone has brushed it out a bit as the trail was very discernable and easy to follow. Dare I saw it was in better shape then a certain unnamed "secret" trail on the west side of Squak. The trail climbs quickly up the hillside after you turn onto it. I was in front of Jeno and making sure I was on track when I noticed what looked like a big drop to my left. I don't like heights so I kept to the right and kept looking right and luckily the trail veered in that direction. Jeno knows I don't like heights and called out "don't look down." Believe me I didn't. Later on when we got to a safer spot I said how far was that drop 50 feet or so and he said a lot further than that. Just something to be aware of on that trail.
We continued over the creek and made the final push up the ridge. A number of trees were down along the way but we made over all of them before we came to a large Glacier Erratic blocking the trail. I've mentioned before I am tall with long legs and I don't have the flexibility I once had. I tried to swing my leg up onto the rock and could not do it. I finally said the heck with it and with my wide wingspan (I have a long arms as well) I grabbed a hold of it and pulled myself across the top of it. Jeno was howling in laughter saying I looked like a beached whale (thankfully there are no pictures of that). I told him I felt more like a sumo wrestler trying to get my arms around it. Eventually I made it across covered in dirt and moss. The things we do to hike. Sheesh.
Once Jeno stopped laughing he scooted across that rock no problem. It does pay to be vertically challenged at times. :)
After that it was a short stretch to where we came out on the upper portion of the East Ridge trail about 20 feet from the Phil's Creek trail where we stopped and took our first break of the morning. That was the only spot today where I thought it might rain on us but after some mist and about the time we were ready to head back down it stopped.
The trip back was uneventful. We saw 2 runners on the Phil's Creek trail and one hiker on the Central Peak access road which we took part way back. The parking lot had about 20 cars in it when we got back at 9:15. One of the two bathrooms was open and in good shape, clean and stocked as of this morning.
I took SR-900 home and both Margaret's Way and Wilderness Peak were over flowing with cars parked along 900 at both locations.
Stay safe everyone. See you on the trail. SR
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