Trip Reports

Mount Dickerman 07-30-2023

Mount Forgotten is in the center, flanked left to right by Whitechuck Mountain and Mount Pugh.

After my Mount Gardner outing with KT, we wanted to get out again soon. As fortune would dictate, his brother Sam, who I last saw in Kyoto, was available after a recent climb and summit of Sloan Peak with his Dad. We agonized over what to do as KT had a concert he wanted to attend that evening, and I am famous for long hikes, often ending in the dark – my infamous “Alpine Finish”. We settled on Dickerman as it seemed relatively easy, 8+ miles, 4000 feet gain. We soon found that the trail was carved into the side of the mountain with many switchbacks, too many to count.

Elevation and terrain profile.

Ready for our adventure!

Making our way on the trail.

The trail started gently for a few hundred yards through a beautiful, lush forest, passing many sizeable glacial rock formations and downed trees. Soon the switchbacks began. I have not hiked this many since the famous switchbacks on Mount Whitney last year.

Sam and KT cruising up the switchbacks.
Looking up the steep mountainside.
The trail is carved in a steep hillside and exceptionally well built and maintained.
The endless switchbacks carved their way up through trees and giant glacial rocks the size of buildings.
More rock.

We finally left the forest and switchbacks behind us and went under this cliff band to high alpine meadows.

Finally, out of the switchbacks and into the meadow.
Our initial view of Dickerman. These were cliffs below the trust summit. The entire West side of the mountain is a sheer cliff to the Perry Creek drainage.
Past the meadow, the trail again climbed upwards until we reached a broad plateau offering amazing views of the Mountain Loop Highway Peaks.
Stunning scenery.
Views of Foggy, Kyes, Columbia, Sheep, Silvertip, and Del Campo Peaks.
Big Four in the distance.

We pushed a few more hundred feet along some longer switchbacks to reach the summit. The views were amazing! Three hundred sixty degrees of so many peaks.

Did I finally make the actual summit?
Happy Hikers!
Glacier Peak is in the distance on the right.
White Chuck, Forgotten, and Pugh.
Sheep, Lewis, Del Campo, Gothic, Morning Star, Sperry, and Vesper.
After summiting, we started the journey down.

On the ascent, we were running low on water. We passed several small trickling springs on the way up and planned to filter at a notable stream on the map. As we approached the spring, we met a woman descending, and Sam wisely inquired if there was any viable water. She said the source was dry. I was out of the water, and we had another 1500 feet to climb. We would have to turn around as it was hot, and I was sweating like crazy. The woman kindly offered us a liter of water, allowing us to push on to the summit; however, we would need water on the way down to make it through the heat. Fortunately, on the descent, KT found a dribble at best that had accumulated into a small pool, and we could gather about 3 liters of water which we filtered.

Sam and I filtering water.
Waning daylight filtering through the trees.
Final shot on the way down.

Sam, KT, and I had a great hike today and were treated to spectacular views. There are many more peaks to bag on the Mountain Loop Highway, and we will be back to share our stories soon!

3D View of our route and neighboring peaks. I have climbed Sloan and Glacier Peak. Pugh and Forgotten are on our list of peaks to summit soon. As always, thanks for #HikingWithHadland, @hikingwiththehad.

Route details:

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/mount-dickerman-f1ababf

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markhadland

One thought on “Mount Dickerman 07-30-2023”

  1. Mark, I really enjoy following you on your adventures. Wanted you to know. I am living vicariously through your pictures and comments.
    Thank you

    Reply

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