Porcupine Ridge to Goat Peak

Oct. 1, 2021 -- Stats: 14.2 km / 1795m gain / 1897m high / 8:15 hours MT (12 hours on the mountain - from dawn till dusk)

This is one of the most challenging hikes I've ever done. In fact, I hestitate to call it a hike. It was a mixed bag of requirements and emotions; involving pulling, hoisting, squeezing, manuavering, rock climbing, calculating, balancing, route-finding, hoping, frustration, elation and dogged determination.

Why could none of us find Goat Peak on our 3 different GPSs? Porcupine and Goat Ridge, yes. But not a peak. And why did all 3 not show a route going all the way to Goat Peak? On All Trails and Gaia it only goes halfway. And on my Garmin 66i it didn't show any trail at all.

I now realize why they named it Porcupine Ridge. Looking at my GPSs, I concluded that once we were on the ridge at 1600m, it'd level off and become easier. A big NO. It in fact it became much more difficult, often walking on a knife edge of granite and scrambling up & between trees and unforgiving rock. Then there was the issue of time, having only 12 hours of daylight for a 12 hour hike.

But what a sense of satifaction was ours when we emerged from the woods just as darkness was closing in, all in one piece. We're glad we saved this hike from the Quest-for-Ten for last, having had the chance to work up to it. Terry has now completed all ten hikes. Good for you Terry!!!

Is this why its hard to get info on this hike?

The trail quickly leads to Post Creek where we followed alongside it briefly and then turned left at the fork in the FSR. Within minutes we turned right here at this rock. And that's about it for any flat ground. The trail didn't waste any time in becoming rapidly steep.

We started out at the crack of dawn (7:15am). Morning fog hung in the air.

This was the first and longest and most necessary of 6 rope sections.

The trail was well maintained in the forest.

Mt. Webb.

A second rope.

On top and on the edge of the cliff.

Chilliwack Lake -- south.

Lindeman Lake.

There were 3 viewpoints marked on our GPSs on the route. This was the third.

Looking at Lindeman, where the Gargoylese are reflecting in it's water.

Flora Peak (1920m) across the valley -- east.

The peaks surrounding Chilliwack Lake were topped by clouds till late afternoon.

Squeezing and balancing.

Mt. Goetz (1950m), Northgrave (1980m) and then what we thought was Goat Peak. But we were wrong.

Looking back at Chilliwack River valley.

Now that we were on the rocky ridge, we had full views of Williams Peak (2040m), Goetz Peak (1950m) and Northgrave Peak (tucked behind Porcupine/Goat Ridge).

This was a very steep slippery slope. There wasn't much of a trail so it was hard to avoid stepping on the wet blueberry bushes. On the way back we stayed higher up on the knife-edge ridge. We also kept our micro-spikes on during the entire descent.

Me and Allana were watching Terry & Ingrid make their way across the slippery slope. We yelled at them to put their micro-spikes on first.

At one of many high points along the ridge but this one had two summit cairns. This is where Ingrid decided to turn back and meet up with Anne who was waiting a bit farther back. I was also beginning

to feel done. Especially while looking at the drop before the next peak. But bound and determined I was, to support Terry & Allana in thier quest and get to the finish line. One step led to another and we carried on...

Looking back at Terry, descending the 2-cairn peak.

Up & down, up & down.

When we got to what we thought was the peak, our hopes plummeted. We still had to go farther along the ridge. Although that terrain looked more doable.

The actual Goat Peak is the one to the right. It was not very peakish.

From Williams Peak to the west to Goetz to Northgrave to the north.

The final steps. Terry with the Rexford range behind her - southwest.

We made it!!!!!

Well done! Terry has now completed all ten! Allana is not far behind.

At the true summit with Northgrave Mt. right across from us.

We had now climbed 1535m in only 7 km!

Could see the base of Foley Mt. -- northwest.

Jeffrey range (1980m) -- north.

From Williams to the west, ending at Chilliwack Lake to the south.

We didn't linger too long at the summit because it was 2:45pm and we needed to get cautiously down and out before dark.

Mt. Webb.

The clouds were clearing from the more distant peaks.

The descent was not a time to relax. Quite the opposite. There's more chance of falling during the descent. Every step I took was guarded and controlled.

Tucked in at the base of the largest boulder slope.

Our bodies were really starting to bulk and rebel at the steep sections of uphill on the way down.

There wasn't much to hang on to nor get a good foothold on on this rock section, so Terry played it safe and crawled up.

Webb & Rexford.

The tall peak in the middle is Mt. Redoubt (2689m). Only 4 days prior we were looking at it from the east side, from the ridge leading to the Hozameens.

Looking back at Greendrop Lake -- northeast.

We weren't done with the rocky edge yet.

Lindeman and Chilliwack Lakes.

Terry sandwiched between rock and tree.

Lindeman Lake and the Gargoyles above it.

Lindeman, Gargoyles & Flora Peak.

Another rope section.

Another 1000m to drop in only a few km....

As we approached the road at 7:15pm, we thought our cars were being broken into because we saw some lights and movement. We were suprised to find Ingrid worriedly waiting for us. Anne had left just an hour before. She said now she could sleep better, knowing we were safe.

The Lindeman, Greendrop and Flora lake curcuit.