Many Trails Peak + Johnny Peak + Three Pinnacles via Slate Pass / 多路峯

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Many Trails Peak, Johnny Peak, and Three Pinnacles perch above Lost River Gorge in Pasayten Wilderness. Meanwhile, the former overlooks the hard-to-reach Hidden Lakes. Though indirect, Slate Pass is one of the several options to these obscure peaks.

"Many trails" and not one to follow — “Many trails” and not one to follow

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Many Trails Peak + Johnny Peak + Three Pinnacles at a Glance

Lost Slam = Many Trails Peak + Johnny Peak (aka Trailblazer) + Three Pinnacles
失落滿貫=多路峯+強尼峯 (亦稱先驅峯) +三巔峯

Access: Buckskin Ridge Trailhead @ at Slate Pass
Round Trip: 56 miles
Elevation Range: 4920′-8241′
Gear: helmet
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance

September 27-30, 2018

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

Day 1 – Thursday, September 27
Upper Johnny Lake
Night 1 – Upper Johnny Lake

Day 2 – Friday, September 28
Many Trails Peak + Johnny Peak
Night 2 – Upper Johnny Lake

Day 3 – Saturday, September 29
Three Pinnacles
Night 3 – Monument Creek Basin at 7200′

Day 4 – Sunday, September 30
Exit

Day 1

Upper Johnny Lake

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

The Preface

Many Trails Peak, Johnny Peak, and Three Pinnacles would’ve been our Labor day weekend trip. But in mid-August, McLeod Fire had forced several road closures near Mazama to go in through Eightmile Pass. As I wrote this post, the order was still in effect.

So pup and I sought the more extended route via Slate Pass. It was also the reroute of Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) thru-hikers because of Holman Fire. So we met many of them along the final stretch of their long journey.

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Middle Fork Pasayten River Valley

The pups and I first went to Slate Pass five years ago, climbing several Bulger peaks. But we’ve since hiked the same route two more times. One time to Ptarmigan Peak, and the other was to Mount Rolo via Ferguson Lake. We pushed through the 20-mile to Johnny Lakes to have all the daylight the following day

I wasn’t aware of the PCT reroute until I saw a sign by Pasayten River. Then we met five hikers returning from their victory lap at the border. Some people needed to go back to Harts Pass because of logistical reasons. Meanwhile, others preferred having a permit to enter Canada past the northern terminus.

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Through Freds Lake and Lake Doris

I chatted with two fishers by the Eureka Creek Trail and found that fishing in Lake Doris was a thing. Who knew?! But they were ecstatic to tell me about the trout deposited in various lakes here. Meanwhile, the pup loved getting attention from everyone.

We reached Freds Pass at 1 PM, with six more hours of daylight to reach Shellrock Pass. So we started going at full speed, hoping to get there by 4:30. But the larches past Freds Lake were hard to keep from stopping for photos!

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Shellrock Pass to Johnny Lake

We were on track going up to Shellrock Pass. But when I looked to the east, I had doubts about reaching Johnny Lakes before dark. Later, we went past Butte Pass and Point 7275 near sunset and climbed up Pass Butte’s west ridge at night. That put us on Johnny Peak’s south end at 8080′.

We went up and around Pass Butte’s two peaks before reaching Johnny Pass. Soon, we dropped 800′ on talus to Upper Johnny Lake. At the same time, we bypassed the leftover ice sheets in the gully by hugging the cliffs above the lake.

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Upper Johnny Lake Camp

I can’t remember the last time we went down a talus field through cliffs in the dark. But it was a bit nerve-racking, especially with a dog. At last, we reached the lake at 8:30 PM. Oh, but now I’ve missed those 9 o’clock sunset times.

Shortly, we set up camp and ate. Then I set the alarm early to leave by 6 AM. It made sense to climb Mary Trails Peak first since it was the farther one of the two goals here. I also wanted to give ourselves enough leeway.

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