Humpback Mountain by Silver Peak perches over Interstate 90. Despite its growing popularity, it doesn’t see nearly as many people as the nearby places in winter. Moreover, it’s possible to combine it with a neighboring peak during the dry months.
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Humpback Mountain at a Glance
Access: Asahel Curtis Road/Tinkham Road
Round Trip: 6.5 miles
Elevation Range: 1900′-5174′
Gear: ice ax, snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Humpback Mountain
I first visited Humpback Mountain five years ago. But it was the pups’ first time here today with me. Asahel Curtis Road was only drivable to the stop sign at the Tinkham Road fork due to snow.
Soon, we walked a short distance to Annette Lake Trailhead. Then we hiked up to the footbridge and checked out the route. Taking the same way as before, the pups and I scrambled southwest to the northeast ridge.
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En Route to Northeast Ridge
Snow conditions in the forest were excellent. But it turned icy quickly as we went above the trees. Several inches of snow over an old thin crust made for an “exciting” approach.
The crampons could’ve been beneficial, but I left them in the car. But snowshoes did a great job biting into the ice through the steep terrain. Meanwhile, the pick of the ice ax went into overdrive.
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Traversing the Snowy Ridge
We moved more efficiently after reaching north of Point 4883 in more fresh snow. Then we traversed south and rounded the high point at 4600′ from the east. Soon, we got our first kiss from the sun.
Before long, we had reached the northeast saddle below the summit. Then we traversed the east below the crest, which felt less strenuous. Soon, we reencountered ice in the final 200′ to the top.
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Humpback Mountain Summit Views
Temperatures rose to the mid-40s, and it was virtually windless. Granite Mountain stole the show with its three impressive avalanche chutes on the south. The gullies merged right below the treeline.
We stayed on top for an hour to savor the heat and the immense views. But most importantly, it was the black pup’s special day. Afterward the birthday celebration, we returned to the shade in the north.
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Outro
As the clouds slowly rolled into the area, temperatures soon dropped to the low 20s as we reached back at the northeast ridge. The pups patiently waited for me to make steps through the icy slope.
At one point, I downclimbed while facing inward to maintain the traction. It was also easier to kick steps for the dogs that way. Then we moved faster in the trees through deep snow before returning to the car.
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