Tonga Ridge 8.4.09

****WARNING NO USEFUL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT**




I had hoped to make a try for Shroud Mt. but with the wife nursing a unpleasant cold I thought it best to get the kids started and let another summer day slip away. After the wife showed signs of recovering my need to get out over rode my sense of duty. With the later start I knew Shroud was out so I thought something shorter was in order. I thought the Highpoint of Tonga Ridge would be perfect. The highpoint is just over the end of the Tonga Ridge road and SE of the more popular Mt Sawer. I have never read any reports for this peak so I thought I would go blindly. The plan was to use the logging clearly marked just East of Sawyer Creek and put me in close proximity of the summit. After coming to a logging road in pristine shape I made my way up. It wasn't the road I intended but it was in such good shape I thought it best to investigate. I was able to ride it quite high on the ridge and park. After walking a short ways I stumbled on a car parked which I thought may have been abandoned. The things inside looked fresh so I kept moving in the direction of my intended target. I broke out the GPS because the terrain was confusing to me. I was less than two miles out and less than 1000' below the summit but I was sure that there must be a better way. I walked back to the car to find my logging road. I was unable to find this road and ended up making my way all the to the end of the road and turned around. After wasting so much time I just did some exploring on the way out. After looking at my maps closer when I returned home I am just as confused.