HIKING -- The snowpack that seemed so thick at the end of March has been giving way quickly to hikers itching to get into the high country.

On Memorial Day weekend, the Spokane Mountaineers had to negotiate some snow but still managed to day hike into higher reaches of the Seven Devils Mountains near Riggins.  They certainly beat the crowds that will come later in the season to that portion of the Hells Canyon Wilderness. 

Here's a portion of a trip report by club members Tyler Nyman and Shuwen Wang:

Started from the McCrea Cabin and hiked up to the Wurl Cabin and the "Sound of Music" meadows, where they had the first viewpoint of the Seven Devils Mountains. 

Continued on to the Frank Wurl Trail and up to the Seven Devils Loop Trail.  From the Wurl Cabin, followed the ridge uphill and took a right at the fork in the trail.  (The left fork would soon disappear under dense foliage and blowdowns.)  The route to the loop trail was in fair condition, with faint tread and dense brush in a few places.  The Seven Devils Loop Trail was snow-free so we continued north to the Cannon Lake Trail.  Just before reaching the Lower Cannon Lake (~7042 feet above sea level),  encountered a few patches of snow on the trail.  

From the lower lake, set out to continue cross-country to the Upper Cannon Lake.  The route followed a rocky ridgeline north of the lower lake and continued up snow-covered steep slopes to a pass between the Ogre and Tower of Babel Peaks.  The snow there was more than 5 feet deep and a fall would be disastrous.  (Mountaineering boots for kicking steps and an ice axe would have been ideal while traversing the steep slopes.)   Pressed on 40 minutes to find the Upper Cannon Lake covered in a layer of blue ice, at ~8,100 feet above sea level.

Distance from the McCrea Cabin to the Upper Cannon Lake is about 5.5 miles and cumulative elevation gain is about 4,600 feet.  It took about two and half hours to complete trekking to the upper lake and back to the lower lake, a 2-mile round trip.