SUMMARY: Depending on how you approach the loop the difficulty varies. Approaching from Hydraulic creek trail is VERY steep, while approaching from the headquarters is significantly less so in comparison.create
fullscreen
NOTICEBOARD
add_box
Lynn Peak (via Hydraulic Creek Trail)
starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Jun 16, 2018
A supposed 10km was not what I experienced while tackling this summit. Initially setting out to the south peak, the trail is quite wide and consists of mainly rocks. This is also the stretch where we encountered the most people. The rocky expanse of the lookout to admire the views is quite small so I imagine on a busy day it is potentially hard to find a spot to lurk. The first picture is that of the view from the lookout. With a small army of bugs slowly overtaking our peace, my hiking buddy and I wandered off to tackle the true summit of Lynn Peak.
The trail quickly morphs into familiar backcountry terrain, and the clusters of people are left behind. There are no official markers at this point, and the flagging tape occasionally spaces out. Within the first 10-15 minutes of leaving the south summit a significant amount of elevation is lost. Significant enough that we decided not to attempt returning the way we came and make a descent at a junction closer to the Needles.
The true summit of Lynn Peak is not particularly eventful (my second image contains a picture of it. Yet there is a certain charm in knowing you’re sitting on the highest peak of the terrain that still makes it pleasant. Granted, we had to bushwack to the rocky clearing surrounded by trees.
Another plunge in elevation is taken heading towards the needles, making us appreciate the people that make this trek considering they essentially lose a large fraction of elevation before gaining it all again. Here we hit the junction that brought us down to Hydraulic Creek Trail. It was another five kilometers roughly back to civilization, and another 3-4 to complete the loop to the car. It’s safe to say we did more than we signed up for, and we were overjoyed at the sight of the vehicle.
Personally, this is not a hike I would redo. There is a large amount of time and effort with minimal payoff. However, the solitude of the backcountry was welcoming, and chances are I’ll try reaching the needles via the steepest route eventually.