Gunsight Mt. - Glaciers and flowers, flowers everywhere


   It all started with my support bid for the Fireweed 400 (which is a long, LONG race by the way).  My neck was literally on a swivel, looking from one mountain, to the next mountain, and wondering, sometimes aloud, which mountain was which.  The obvious first one I laid name on - Gunsight Mt. near Sheep Lodge.  It turned out to be a very straightforward walk up, although I did manage some unnecessary bushwacking for good measure...

   Parking at the Nelchina/Knik/Chickaloon Trail System parking lot, I immediately saw the summit and some 4-wheeler trails to get started.  That looked too easy, so instead, I decided to make my own loop and walk on an abandoned road for a while...  This turned out to be bushwack time!

   It became obvious that the abandoned road didn't have any trails coming off it, so nearing the end, I just said "screw it!" and into the bushes I went.  Luckily, this 'shwacking was nowhere near that of Eklutna or Icicle creek, and I was soon above it and well on my way to the summit.

Above the 'shwack, climbing a big field, and looking back into the Chugach.

   Reaching the summit, I was in a mild state of disbelief that a 6400' mountain could be this easy!  I guess that's how it is when you start at nearly 3200'!  Gunsight is by far the easiest time I've had on a mountain this tall.  The views of the Talkeetna range and central Chugach were unbeatable though, and reluctantly, I decided to leave them and head back down to the car.
Full 360 pano from the top!  Full view here
   I wisely decided to head back the "normal" route and avoid the majority of the 'shwacking.  It was a pleasant walk off with the added bonus of wildflowers of nearly every kind beckoning me to take their pictures.








Looking back up the normal route.  You can see Gunsight just peeking above the hill on the right...

ROUTE STUFF
There really isn't much to be said.  Don't follow the old road, go on the 4-wheeler trails.  Eventually, the trails will disappear, but it's an obvious walk up a field with some very low brush.

 

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 23, 2018 at 7:56 PM

    A more straightfoward approach (and possibly more of a challenge for a beast such as yourself!) is to start from the gravelpit at mile 113.9 (just past Sheep Mountain Lodge if you're heading north, after the Glacier Fanning Creek bridge). It mobs straight up with a couple nice breaks, and you summit in less than 3 miles. 😁 Badass summit regardless!

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