10 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
I hiked up the Cripple Creek trail from the Three Lynx area, intending to go to Cache Meadow. The trail is in great shape, but lots of poison oak hanging over the tread in the first half mile, don't recommend shorts on this section. Because of the rain the day before, all of the new growth was dripping wet, and despite my gaiters, I got soggy feet and upper legs. I ended up bailing off the trail onto the 4635 road which circles around the basin, quite a pleasant road walk actually. I then turned down a side road that dead ended and decided to go cross country back towards my car. I ended up having a crazy fun bushwack on the ridge above Surprise Lake, kept getting cliffed out. Lots of cool bluffs hidden in steep forest of old growth, including one cave area that I didn't explore because I was running late. Very nice meander on critter trails.
