Mt. Dickerman 

8.2 Miles
3950 Elevation Gain

Since returning from my Wonderland trail hike, I’ve stayed in shape mostly by trail running or exploring urban trails around Seattle.  The weather has been pretty consistently awful and I haven’t had a chance to make it back up to the mountains.  Last week, however, I saw a break in the weather forecast and took the day off on Friday to enjoy the sunshine.

I was eager to explore new territory away from the I-90 corridor, and asked for recommendations on a local women’s Facebook group page.   I wanted a challenging hike in the mountains, but not one at such a high elevation that it would require serious snow gear.  And that’s how heard about Mt. Dickerman.

Most of my hikes have been solo adventures so far, but on Friday I decided to try something new.  I met Amanda from the same previously-mentioned women’s Facebook group and we met up at the trailhead at 10:00 am.

Registration is Closed for Winter Season

Mt. Dickerman is a moderately challenging hike, and boasts 52 switchbacks as it travels up the mountain.  The first couple of miles wind through verdant forests.  Given all the rain we’ve been having lately, the mosses seemed particularly vibrant and water seeped and dripped from mossy rocks.  I payed closer attention to mosses on this trip as I recently finished reading the fabulous book The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, which features a bryologist as the main character  (someone who studies mosses).

Moss Rocks!

After a couple of miles, we began seeing glimpses of the neighboring mountains peeking through the trees, such as Vesper mountain.  Soon we had our cameras out (or, in my case, my iPhone).  Amanda is a more experienced photographer than me, and got some good photos.

Amanda Snaps some Pictures

As we neared the last mile from the summit, we broke from the trees and the views were amazing.

Views from Near the Top of Dickerman

The last half mile of the hike, the trail was covered with slushy snow.  I don’t own waterproof shoes yet (it’s on my list of gear to buy) and was wearing my New Balance running shoes.  My feet got soaked but the shoes worked fine.  At some points the snowdrifts next to the trail were 2-feet deep.

The Slushiest Part of the Trail

The views at the top were spectacular!  360 degrees of fabulous views all the way around.  There were only a few other people on top ; the advantage of hiking on a Friday in November.  We chatted with a few of them, but mostly we had the views to ourselves.

Selfie at the top of Mt. Dickerman

One of my favorite hikes so far.  I’m looking forward to going back hopefully next summer.