Hatch Peak and April Bowl Loop

 Today was another cloudy cold boring kind of day. I didn't feel like getting the kayak out but I really didn't want to stay home either. I just got in the car and drove up to Hatcher Pass with no real destination in mind. I considered climbing Skyscraper, but the parking spot was too crowded. I just went up a little farther and parked at the April Bowl Trailhead. I figured I would just take a leisurely stroll up the April Bowl Trail for a short time, enjoying being able to keep Bella on her leash instead of screaming her name the whole way. It's a nice gentle climb with a few rock scrambles to the top of Hatch Peak. I didn't have time or desire to continue across the ridge to Government Peak again. But just for something different, I decided to continue past Hatch on the same ridge. It gets rocky and I really had no idea what I would find if I continued. Although, I'm sure it's possible to follow it and go all the way down to Summit Lake. I had tried that once before but never found a reasonable route. Off in the distance I saw a couple of young kids scrambling on the rocks. I kept them in sight and saw that they had found a way down off the ridge. I noticed what looked like it could be a trail, and just followed it down for a while. Then I saw those other two hikers way down the mountain. At that point I figured if they could find a way down, so could I. It didn't really seem like an official trail, but I could tell others had passed through there. Bella and I continued on down through the rocks and eventually, above the small lakes in April Bowl, I spotted an actual well-defined trail along a ridge above the lakes. The route I was following finally led me to that trail, which ultimately joined the April Bowl Trail and led us back to the car. I had great views of Summit Lake down below. Next time I go there, I may try to access that ridge and climb Hatch Peak from the trail around Summit Lake. I'm quite sure it's been done before.

So what was not really a planned hike at all, turned out to be really wonderful. 

Summit Lake down below