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

Tags: Cascade Loop Scenic Highway, Cascades, featured, Highway 20, johnny peak, labrador, many trails peak, Middle Fork Pasayten, mountaineering, Pasayten Wilderness, T200, three pinnacles

Post published:2018/09/30
Reading time:5 mins read

Home > Trips > 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 line up alongside Lost River Gorge in Pasayten Wilderness. The former also overlooks the hard-to-reach Hidden Lakes. Although indirect, Slate Pass is just one of the many route options to reach 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 were going to be 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 other way via Slate Pass, a more extended route. It also happened to be 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.

See more trip photos here.

Middle Fork Pasayten River Valley

The pups and I first went to Slate Pass five years ago, climbing a few Bulger peaks. But we’ve since hiked the same route two more times. One time to Ptarmigan Peak. 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 didn’t know about the PCT reroute until I saw a sign by Pasayten River. Then we met five hikers coming back 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 Doris Lake

Later, we met two fishers by the Eureka Creek junction; then, we chatted a bit. I didn’t know fishing in Lake Doris was a thing. So they were ecstatic to tell me about the trout, as well as the ones deposited in various other lakes here. Who knew?! Meanwhile, the pup loved the attention from everyone.

We reached Freds Pass at 1 PM, with only six more daylight hours to reach Shellrock Pass. So we started going at full speed in the hope of getting there by 4:30. Just past Freds Lake was the patches, so it was 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 the Pass Butte’s west ridge in the night. Then that put us on Johnny Peak’s south end at 8080′.

We spent some time going up and around Pass Butte’s two summits to reach Johnny Pass. Later we dropped 800′ on talus toward Upper Johnny Lake. At the same time, we bypassed the leftover ice sheets in the gully by staying close to 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, how I missed those 9 o’clock sunset times.

Soon, we set up camp and ate dinner. Then I set the alarm clock for an early time to start moving by 6 AM. It made sense to climb Mary Trails Peak first since it was the farther one of the two goals. Also, in case we ran out of time on the way back.

See more trip photos here.