notafanofthepermitsystem – Wild Wanderer

RT Length: 19.63 miles

Elevation Gain: 3728’

Imagine my surprise when I was heading towards the Long Lake trailhead, only to find the entire area was closed a the Brainard Lake entrance station. While I’d known the permit system ended October 15 (yay!!!) I’d not heard they planned to lock the gate as well. Have I mentioned I’m not a fan of the permit system? In any event, I parked in the winter lot, and was on my way at 5:15am.

I walked for 3.1 miles west, on a snow-free, dry, and clear paved road, to the Long Lake trailhead.

Now on the trail, I followed it west. This is a very well-marked, class 1 trail, all the way to Pawnee Pass.

There are several junctions. I went right at each one. First to follow the Pawnee Pass trail.

The second to also keep following the Pawnee Pass Trail

And the third time, just before making it to Lake Isabelle, to also keep following the Pawnee Pass Trail.

I followed the Pawnee Pass Trail almost all the way to Pawnee Pass

At 12530’ I left the Pawnee Pass trail, and headed southwest towards the saddle of Shoshoni and Paswhoni

This was straightforward, class 2 rock hopping.

When I made it to the saddle I turned left, and followed the ridge south towards Shoshoni Peak

When I got to what I thought was the peak, I saw this

Not sure which was the actual peak, where I was standing or the outcropping in front of me, I decided to climb up the rocks, just to be sure. This was class 3 climbing. I ascended on the left

At the summit, the views of Navajo and Apache were amazing

I summited Shoshoni Peak at 9:45am

Shoshoni Peak:

I climbed back down, and retraced my steps to the Shoshoni/Pawshoni saddle on class 2 terrain

I followed the class 2 ridge northwest and then northeast all the way to Pawshoni

I summited Pawshoni at 10:30am

Pawshoni:

Next up was Pawnee Peak, to the northeast

I continued to follow the ridge down to Pawnee Pass, and the up to Pawnee Peak. Once at the pass, there was a game trail I could follow to the summit.