Mount Sawyer 7.3.03

With some company in town, I chose the Tonga ridge trail. I always choose this trail when with inexperienced hikers. You do almost all of the climbing in the car. The views are stunning with minimal effort. I left the rest of my party in the meadows just under Mt Sawyer and set off the climber's trail that starts just past the meadows. The trail was clearly defined and easy to follow. The trail wraps around the eastern shoulder and reaches the summit from the north side. There was still some patchy snow on the north side. Amazing views of the Alpine Lakes area as well as Glacier Pk. to the north. The bugs were, suprising to me, very minimal.