Wagonwheel Lake and Cub Peak July 10, 2020

Woke up about 5:30 and went to Starbucks to pick up a coffee and breakfast wrap and started driving about 5:50. Arrived at Staircase Trailhead at 7:20 and was hiking by 7:30.

It was cool and overcast when I started up the switchbacks. The sign at the trailhead said, “2.9 miles, Very Steep.” Actually I didn’t think it was that bad. The trail was steep but the tread was good and I made my way slowly up the ridge, stopping every 30 minutes for a breather. I felt really good. My feet were comfortable in my boots, my legs felt good, and my heart and lungs were pumping away. When the endorphins get going, it feels great.

About 10:30 the trail began to level off, I crossed an avalanche chute with lots of slide alder and arrived at the lake at 11:00. There wasn’t much to see because trees and brush crowd the lake. I took a 20 minute break and continued up the boot path to Cub Peak. On the way up I met a man coming down who said that the views from the peak made the hike worthwhile. 

The boot path was a scramble in many places, requiring handholds from nearby brush and tree limbs. I could feel my left ankle starting to hurt and my left foot felt weak. It was about 500 feet elevation gain and I made it to the top, quite tired, right at 12:00. I sat down on the heather and moss and had a good break and ate lunch. I was there for 45 minutes enjoying the view and resting. 

The clouds that were coming up the valleys against the ridges began to disperse and I had some nice views.

I started down at 11:45 and quickly began to feel the stress of descending. The bottoms of my feet and the tops of my thighs were screaming, especially near the end of the day. It seems like this switchbacks would never end. I arrived at the parking lot at 3:45 and flopped thankfully into the car so I could take off my boots and give my feet a much needed rest.