Gunsight Butte

9 miles of hiking • 2250' elevation gain •

I hiked the Gumjuwac Trail- starting on Highway 35, up to Gumjuwac Saddle. It's pretty nice, easy gain of 1700 feet in 2 1/2 miles through some nice forest. Took me about 1:20 -chaggling. The more single minded hiker can get up there in an hour.

At the Gumjuwac Saddle there are multiple options for some great backpacking. You can turn north on the divide trail and head over to Lookout Mtn. You can head down the ridge to Badger Lake. I took the Gunsight Trail and stayed on top of the ridge, heading southerly for an easy ramble up to Gunsight Butte in about 2 miles. I hiked back to the saddle on the Bennet Pass road that parallels the trail- but it is very rough and still has lots of blow down and snowdrifts. the trail has very little snow- just a few patches. Great rock gardens, just starting to bloom. Even found a few morels, at 5300 ft!! Mt Hood was clouded over, but considering the forecast I was happy with my intermittent sunshine today.

THERE WERE NO BUGS. [smiling emoticon]