Neahkahnie True Summit
The final section of this hike involves a knife-edge ridge approach to the summit with sharp drop-offs. Please do not attempt it if you are not comfortable with hiking in this type of exposure.
A new entry in the Neahkahnie Loop series! This one is on the "other" summit of Neahkahnie Mountain! It is about 700 feet east of the "main" summit. From Manzanita Beach, the east summit appeared slightly higher, and my GPS receiver backed that up with a reading of about 10 more feet of altitude here. So, I'm going out on a limb and naming this the "true" summit!
One thing is certain: There are a lot fewer folks on this side, and it's only slightly more difficult to get to. In addition, the views to the southeast are better here. Still no view to the north, though.
Please do NOT attempt to bushwhack up to this summit from the trail directly below! Rather, continue to follow the trail toward the main peak. You will reach a pass with one peak on each side. From here, you can visit each easily by following the ridgelines up. No need to bushwhack!
Please see Neahkahnie Trailhead West for a description of the full loop of Neahkahnie caches.
Please watch young children and dogs closely as there are some steep dropoffs nearby.
The cache is a plastic match tube, but should be an easy find with the hint.