Home»All Photographs»2012 Hikes»Mt. Weed 09-15-12

For about the last 2 years, Mt. Weed has been the mountain I've most wanted to summit. A very short season of good conditions for this peak, a longer driving distance (250km each way) for a dayhike, and temperamental weather in this area all conspire to keep Mt. Weed elusive.
There is no sign, no trailhead and no trail. This keeps the number of visitors to the summit at a minimum as well.
From the highway shoulder, Clayton and I ascended through forest and up a dry creek drainage. After bypassing a waterfall, we hiked up scree slopes to the summit cliffs. A steep gully ascends through the cliffs and narrows higher up. I really enjoyed the scrambling here. Adjacent ledges provided a better route in spots, and minimized rockfall sent down to Clayton. A brief ridgecrest led to the summit, where a fantastic view of the Continental Divide opened up. Glaciers, turquoise lakes, and a full host of big peaks can be seen. Mt. Weed ranks among my favorite scrambles of all time.
According to the summit register, we were only the 9th and 10th visitors to the top in 2012.