Mount Magrst

Drive east on SR 706 and take first left past Kernahan Rd. east of Ashford. Follow FS road #59 until snow prohibits further traveling. The trail: Marti, Stefan and I started out at about 3,300' of elevation before we were stopped by snow. Supposedly there is a snowpark at the jct. between roads #59 and #5920 (@~3,700') and there is snow and you could park there if there wasn't any snow, but it isn't plowed or maintained except by the last 4X4 to have rolled through! High clearance, 4-wheel drive and chains are a few of the necessities that would be necessary to get to the "snowpark." We had a nice little experience trying to get Stefan's poor little, rear-wheeled drive truck turned around to start the day which entailed both getting it stuck and ripping a chain from one of his tires. Fortunately we got it turned around and began slogging up the road around 9:30 towards Mt. Beljica, our intended destination. The three of us began in a light, wet, snow following in the tracks of one courageous vehicle. After reaching FS road #5920 we donned snowshoes and began heading up the road towards Lake Christine. At 4,040+' the road crosses the main stream coming down from Lk. Christine. At this point we left the road and began following the stream heading almost due east on the north side of the creek. The going was fairly arduous at times in 18-24" of new powdery snow. Stefan led when things got ugly and at one point we got into a real interesting rock formation enroute at ~4,600'. The rock was an overhanging continuous shelf seemingly impossible to get over and snow-free beneath with icicles hanging from the roof. This would have been a great bivy spot aside from the fact that it was very close to a major "arterial" (a major road a few hundred feet below!), funny how you never find these things when you are really "hanging" it out there. Above the shelf the steepness relented and soon we found ourselves sitting on a little knoll above the Lake. Here we took a short break before heading NNW up very gradual slopes to the top of Mt. Beljica @ 5,475'. Marti and Stefan did most of the leading and the route was fairly protected except for the last 50' or so which were cold and very exposed (to the elements). I hadn't been wearing any head gear to this point and experienced an immediate "ice cream headache" upon being blasted by snow and wind at the summit. Stefan kissed the treeless summit (no views) and we quickly descended back to the shelter of the trees where we had a "extended" five minute break. Poor Stefan was beside himself having to wait this long (perhaps his longest stop ever!) while Marti and I ate. The "hammer" had work to do and time was a wastin', it was already 12:45 and peak 5,528' was calling! So back down to the lake, across the outlet (where we left our packs, Stefans pack was already there by the time Marti and I got there!) and before we had a chance to breathe out the "hammer" had set off heading SE to the east ridge of point 5,528. Stefan kicked steps the entire way leading us valiantly to the summit. This little summit is the highest thing in the surrounding vicinity and again there were no views other than the one of Stefan heading out on a small cornice to kiss the summit! Not knowing if this peak had a name we called it "Mt. Magrst" in the same spirit "Mt. Beljica" was named (there were no vowels in the first letter of our names so we had to add some letters!). The descent was very straightforward and we went straight down our up route (staying a bit closer to the stream, to avoid the rocks encountered on the up route).