Cannon Mountain by Enchantment Peak lies in The Enchantments in Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Lake Stuart Trailhead to the northeast ridge reaches the peak above Coney Lake. Meanwhile, Edward Peak sits two miles east atop Edward Mesa.
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Cannon Mountain at a Glance
Access: NF-7601-118
Round Trip: 8.5 miles
Elevation Range: 3400′-8638′
Gear: helmet
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
NF-7601 by Lake Stuart Trailhead
So far, Cannon Mountain sees Bulger List chasers or folks who enjoy type 2 climbs. The route began from the gated road behind the parking lot by Lake Stuart Trailhead. It was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday at a place like this.
Without a dog sitter, I brought the pups along at the last minute, so guilty as changed. We walked the brushy path for two miles before going up the steep northwest slopes. Meanwhile, we aimed at the mountain’s northeast ridge.
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Through the Down Tree Terrain
Soon, we started the tedious work of going under, above, and around numerous down logs. I had read about the windfall-infested terrain but didn’t anticipate the magnitude. But only seeing was believing!
At one point, I slipped on a log and fell forward before landing on my chest. Since I strapped the point-and-shoot camera in the front, the impact kept the lens curtain from opening. Glad I brought my phone as a backup.
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Final Stretch on the Northeast Ridge
From the ridge at 8000′, we scrambled south along the crest west of Coney Lake. Meanwhile, we had a clear view of the summit as the ridgeline veered south. It soon grew rockier, so we dropped down the east to continue.
We moved through the northeast gully while bypassing the ice from the right. Then we were back on the rocks through the exposed class 3 terrain. The pups went through this part more quickly as we finished the rest to the top.
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Cannon Mountain Summit
When we reached the top, we immediately felt the impact of the north wind gusts. Little did we know, the mountain had shielded us from the gusts this whole time. So we quickly took shelter behind the boulders for most of the visit.
We hung out behind the rocks when I wasn’t taking photos of The Enchantments. Though the sun had cast shadows on the high points, the views were still stunning. But what an exhausting trip, especially for the pups!
See more trip photos here.