Previously we had hiked to Fox Peak and started at the main Condor Peak Trailhead further up the road. But this time I wanted to check out the alternative beginning, which shaves off a couple miles from the main roundtrip total. Still, even with the shortcut, our total miles would end up being about sixteen, according to Trails.
Incidentally, the guidebook recommends calling the Forest Service to get a post-Station Fire update on the trail conditions. This gave me a chuckle--that the author assumes the FS would be the best source for such information.
Anyway, the shortcut trail is in poor but passable shape and starts off pretty steep before mellowing out and joining the main trail after a quarter-mile or so.
At the junction we turned left. At first the main path was decent with only minimal issues. There was a nice, early morning view of Mt. Lukens across the way.
But then, after contouring above Vogel Canyon, we crossed the ridge into the Fusier Canyon watershed.
Here the trail takes a turn for the worse. It's rocky and overgrown, especially in the water-bearing gullies, where we had to dodge poison oak and scramble over some logs and rocks.
In case you're wondering, the Fusier Springs were trickling, but not really enough to fill a bottle in a reasonable amount of time. A couple-inch deep puddle might be scooped if one were desperate. Still, it was nice to soak a bandana and cool off my head, as 95% of the trail is exposed to the sun. I doubt this water source will persist into the summer months.
A redeeming quality of this trail is the cliff section after the springs. Some bits are narrow and dangerous should you take a nasty spill at the wrong moment.
After contouring all the way across Fusier Canyon, we finally reached the opposite ridgeline and got a view of Fox Peak.
This next section of trail was particularly overgrown. Sometimes the flowering plants were full of bees. Thankfully they had no interest in stinging us. Also, a helpful rattlesnake provided us with a loud warning in one area of thick brush.
The path around the west side of Fox has definitely seen better days. It's narrow and slightly exposed with a couple spots where rockfall has taken out the tread. But the view of the ridge to Condor makes up for the hassle.
Once we reached Fox Divide, we took a break in some shade and stashed water.
It was getting a little warm, but a periodic breeze felt nice. The stretch of ridge between Fox and Condor took us down and up, down and up. The views and final bit of scrambling, though, made this section our favorite portion of the entire route.
The last climb is about 300' of gain on a steep, class 2 use trail. Several cairns marked the preferred way to the top, which apparently requires skirting the ridgetop for a bit.
Cecelia did her summit pose...
...and signed the register. Meanwhile, a big plane flew right over us.
At first I tried to squeeze my big body into the small shadow of a nearby bush, in order to cool off. But then Cecelia said there was a breeze on the summit rocks. So instead I enjoyed the refreshing wind. We noticed another couple down below on the trail, but they turned back and did not summit. How odd, I thought, to push up that trail for miles and miles, only to give up at the final hurdle! Maybe they ran out of water.
Condor Peak kept us company for an hour or so, then we said farewell. The return trip was thirsty and painful. We tended to cuts and blisters. But we were also treated to close encounters with three camera-friendly, sun-bathing lizards.
