Pocaterra ridge (North to South) - Sept 15th 2024

Trail : Pocaterra ridge (North to South)
Note that the South trailhead is
closed due to construction but
Highwood Meadow parking lot
remains opened. So we used a
different trail to get to South parking
lot without trespassing the closed
area.
Date : Sept 15th 2024
Distance : 10.7 km
Elevation gain : 1022 m
Starting time : 8h01 am
Time to complete including 17 min lunch : 6h27 (we took our time, enjoyed that perfect day, taking zillions of pictures!!! )
Difficulty : Hard hike with easy scramble
Trail traffic : We were alone until we reached the summit and then moderate from summit to the South parking lot.
What a breathtaking hike Pocaterra Ridge is!
Today, I took my friend Roxanne on her first-ever mountain summit, and it was just as special for me.
We started from the North as the South trailhead was closed… not knowing there was a different way in at this time. The trail is a bit hard to follow at the start of the North trailhead but AllTrails was very helpful and we had no problems to find our way.
Our plan was to walk the ridge as long as Roxanne wanted to and come back the way we came. As we were hiking the ridge traversing peaks, we couldn’t stop as our eyes just wanted more of that ridge! Trooper Roxanne also wanted to hit that summit!! At the summit, we realized that everyone doing the trail was starting from South so we chatted with a pair of hikers and they told us there was a way in without trespassing the closed trailhead. We were so released as Matthew offered us a drive back to our vehicle!! We honestly were ready to just walk back the 6 km on the highway so we didn’t have to go back the way we came. This ridge consists of 4 different peaks so lots of up and down and for Roxanne first hike, going back would have been lots as the summit is the last of the 4 peaks if you start North!!! But what a trooper today doing 1055m elevation gain on her first mountain! We were lucky to spot 3 bighorn sheep, enjoy stunning cloud inversions, discover beautiful wildflowers and cool mushrooms. Although the larches weren't in full color yet, the snow-covered trail near the 3rd peak added a touch of winter magic. Overall, an Amazing hike with an amazing girl!!♥️