John and I had a plan to do a bike ride but at the last minute decided to climb a peak. Beaverdam Peak is a beautiful and foreboding mountain in the Lick Creek Range. Two years ago, we attempted and failed to climb this peak (See that trip report here.), something we rarely do…… turn back before the summit. See John’s trip report here. This image is from a hike to Tsum Lake back in June looking at Beaverdam Peak from across the valley. Yes, that was before the smoke season.
One of the reason it has been about 15 years since John last climbed it, I never have climbed it, and we were turned back two years ago….. as you can see from the image above, it is well “armored”. We decided to take a short and direct route to the summit. The climb started out with about an hour long brush beat down. A true bushwhack! Below, a rare moment where I could see more than 5 feet.
After a goodly amount of time, we popped out of the brush and had views of nearby peaks. Here is Pot Peak, one we climbed a couple years ago.
Finally, our first view of Beaverdam Peak.
This area is rugged and exposed. Very pretty.
Although Ruby had never climbed Beaverdam Peak, she know where we were going…. This is Ruby’s 250th peak in her short 4 year life. To say she knows how to climb mountains is an understatement, it is truly amazing how good she is at peak bagging!
Summit!
Ruby and John posing on the summit followed by the reflexive NTP. The top of this peak does not look as pointy as it does from a distance.
A view to the north showing many peaks we have climbed, some recently like Teardrop Peak (in the foreground) which we climbed on the 4th of July.
Flowers with Sawtooth Peak in the background.
Down in the canyon, the big slab rock know around here as “Slickrock”…. a favorite with the local rock climbers.
Pot Lake. A small but pretty little lake under Pot Peak.
Finally, on the way back to the car, we walked through this beautiful high meadow. Sawtooth Peak in the background. From here, the camera went into the backpack as the brush beatdown starts on the other side of these trees. Only about a 4.5 mile hike, this was a tough one!
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