First Steps into My 2026 Goal to Hike as Many Hikes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Complete Hiking Guide: Stegosaurus Butte

Sunday afternoon, February 15th, I cracked open a new chapter—literally.

This was my first hike pulled from the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Complete Hiking Guide, and I chose Stegosaurus Butte, tucked inside the vast beauty of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It felt appropriate to start with something short, steep, and slightly mysterious.

It delivered on all three.

The Vanishing Trailhead

The adventure begins off the Pratt River Trail—except “begins” might be too strong a word.

There are no trail markings.

No helpful sign.

No reassuring wooden post with a name burned into it.

Just a vague departure point from the main trail and a sense that this must be it. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll walk right past it. If you are paying attention, you’ll still question yourself.

The first stretch was muddy—slick, slide-prone mud that tests your balance and commitment. I found myself stepping carefully, choosing each foot placement like I was crossing a shallow river of grease. It would have been easy to turn around early and declare the whole thing “questionable.”

Instead, I kept climbing.

Off Trail, On Purpose (Mostly)

Without markings, it’s easy to drift. A faint path splits. Another line looks more worn. Suddenly you’re wondering if you’re still on route or simply hiking parallel to it.

A few times I paused, recalibrated, and made my best guess upward. The rule seemed simple: when in doubt, go up.

And up it goes.

950 Feet in a Mile

Stegosaurus Butte wastes no time with gradual introductions.

The climb gains roughly 950 feet in about a mile, and it feels every bit of it. The forest closes in. The slope steepens. Your breathing finds a rhythm somewhere between determination and mild protest.

For a short hike, it packs a punch.

The incline forces focus—head down, steady cadence, careful steps on damp soil and roots. It’s the kind of climb that makes you grateful for treadmill hill intervals… even if those don’t quite prepare you for slick February mud.

The Summit Pause

And then—suddenly—it levels out.

No dramatic fanfare. No big summit sign.

Just quiet.

I lingered briefly at the top, letting the silence settle in. Winter has a way of muting everything in the forest. The air felt still. The trees stood close and patient. Through gaps in the canopy, surrounding ridges rolled outward in layered shades of gray-green.

It wasn’t a sweeping alpine panorama. It was something subtler.

A quiet reward.

The kind that reminds you that effort sharpens appreciation.

Reflections on a First

There’s something meaningful about the first hike from a new guidebook. It feels like opening a long-term relationship with a landscape—one page, one trail at a time.

Stegosaurus Butte isn’t polished.It isn’t obvious.It doesn’t hold your hand.

But that’s exactly what made it memorable.

A muddy start.A steep grind.A few moments of doubt.And a quiet summit earned the honest way.

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness has a lot more pages waiting.

This was a solid first step.

If You Go

• Location: Off the Pratt River Trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness

• Distance: ~2 miles round trip

• Elevation Gain: ~950 feet

• Trail Markings: None. Navigation awareness required.

• Best For: Hikers comfortable with steep, unmaintained routes

• Winter Notes: Expect mud and slippery sections

Would I do it again?Yes.

But next time, I might bring trekking poles—and maybe accept that mud is just part of the story.

If this is the opening chapter of the guide, I’m looking forward to what’s next.