Hiking time: 455 minutes and 5.58 seconds, or 7 hours and 35 minutes. This is the most successful hike I've taken in recent memory: some very hairy descents and ascents and no falls! Although I was nervous making some of these steep climbs (both ascending and descending) as well as leaps onto rocks crossing the first branch of the White River, they were low risk compared to what I've gotten myself into lately.

In the 1990's, this was one of my favorite hikes But the last time I was able to get out onto this ridge was July 11, 1999 and I went with David and we took our tripods. A short time after that (not sure when), an "event" took place on the White River Glacier that tore the landscape apart and made it impossible to get up onto the White River Ridge. Since I wasn't hiking for several years, I'm not sure when it became passable again, but the river banks had to wear down so they could be climbed up. After the "event," the banks of the river were vertical cliffs about 20 or 30 feet high. Now they are worn down enough so that it is possible, with careful effort, to climb down and up the river banks.

Hike was about 7.8 miles round trip, of which 4 miles was off trail, up the White River Ridge. Total climb was about 2,200 feet. Starts out east on the Pacific Crest Trail at Timberline Lodge at 5,900 feet, climbs to 6,000 feet, then drops back down to 5,900 feet for an easy ford of the Salmon River, climbs back up to 6,000 feet then drops along the west ridge of the White River Canyon for 1.6 miles to 5,430 feet at a junction with the Timberline Trail, left on the Timberline trail for 0.3 miles down to the first tributary of the White River at 4,900 feet. Cross the tributary at the narrowest spot by leaping onto a secure small (but rounded, hence scary) boulder, and leap from boulder to the other side of the tributary. Then head cross country left (north) up the White River Ridge for 2 miles to an elevation of 6,000 feet. Then retrace my steps.

The climb up the White River Ridge starts out with several slippery, steep slopes that take great care to avoid making mistakes. The rest of the 1,100 foot climb up the ridge is straightforward with alternating easy grades across wide platforms and narrow ridges up steep grades, but once you're up on the main section of the ridge, footing is good, except the volcanic sand gives way on and off up the ridge and your foot suddenly and without warning sinks in about 8 inches, like minor quicksand.

This is a spectacular, lonely hike. It presents a 360°, expansive view of wild and awesome scenery. The only footprints I encountered on the ridge were elk tracks, and there weren't many of them.

Took 393 photos of which 155 made the cut.