One of my visits to the Jones Slope Coal Mine Area near Lake Desire I ran into a family hiking along the trail.  They told me they had gone to Echo Peak.  What a view was had from there.

I had seen this peak on my maps and that it was also called Cedar Mountain.  This name caught my eye because of several small coal mine operations occurred under that name.  It is also the name of the neighborhood to the northeast of Lake Desire.

A week later off I went to summit this peak.  I know it sounds like going to a real mountain top but for me it was just as exciting.  To some 900 feet tall seems like a mole hill.

From my car I started at about 500 feet. The trail wound through forest and along the edge of a marsh that feeds Lake Desire. Once I crossed a feeder creek it started to climb slowly.  The trail changed names to Echo Quarry Trail.  Since I am an investigator of old things I looked for signs of an old mine.  Never found it!!

But I did make the peak. It got serious when I turned onto the Echo Peak North Trail.  Up we went and it was steep. Glad I had my walking stick.  Then about half way it got rocky and rougher going.  I kept trudging up, drinking water and resting a few times. Then I saw a sign that said stay off the rare plants at the top and I knew I had arrived.

Here is what I saw!!

Let us get a little closer & closer to that mountain through the technology of a zoom lens.

I leave you with a short video of the summit and the views!!  Enjoy!!