I haven't tried the popular book approach, but the east ridge approach probably offers a more interesting trip: it's largely a ridge walk rather than a scree slog. No bike required.

From the Little Elbow Recreation Area, we crossed the suspension bridge and made a sharp right onto a side trail that leads to the river. Ten minutes later we left the riverside trail at a right angle and set off to find the cutline. After hiking about 100 m or so we came across a trail that follows the cutline. The cutline trail eventually ends above a valley meadow. Picking up on another trail, we headed down to the meadow; that placed us at the foot of an outlier (GR484250) marking the end of the east ridge. We headed up the wooded slope towards it.

Just below the outlier, there is a cliff band going right, so we headed left, traversed below the top and dropped down to the col at GR479247. A trail on the left took us past a small point. After that we stayed close to the ridge except for a rock prominence which we detoured left around.

We continued on the ridge until about 70 m below the summit where a buttress stopped us. We headed left to the open slope and scrambled up some steep, scree-covered slabs where we could regain the ridge. This section upped the trip to a difficult rating.

On the return, we saved time by going down a scree gully at the col before the outlier and followed the Glasgow Creek back to the cutline.

Ours was a slow group. A fast group could do it in less than 8 hours.

MOVIE (1:09)
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