The scenic drive up was breath taking. Having received no instruction as to where to park, I did so in the most appropriate appearing spot: the Mirror Lake parking lot. This is a key point and the reason that it all "went wrong". Don't park there. The CORRECT parking area is further up the road on the right hand side (the same side as the trails). If you park in the right place you go up the right trail to Artist's Bluff and it would have, indeed, been an easy hike up and back with a great view at the end of it.
Instead, I used the map that I had to locate the trail that looked like it arose right across the street from the parking lot. It was easy enough to find and follow due to the large red blazes on the trees. The first little bit was a nice walk but I was soon confronted with a sign that indicated that the trail that I was on was a "loop" trail and that I could go left or right. Randomly I picked left. That was my second big mistake.
The "loop" part of the trail is rough cut, rocky, rooty and eroded. Its' kind of slippery and dangerous and it's sole purpose seams to be to funnel hikers "in the know" away from the right hand trail and back onto the ACTUAL, easier trail that leads out from the ACTUAL parking lot. Of course, and hiker savvy enough to know tis probably also knows that they are in the wrong starting point to begin with. Ultimately, this trail is kind of useless.
I followed it any way and was, indeed, brought to a nice wide relatively obstical-free path that led steadily up the saddle between the mountain and the Bluff. At the top of this short climb there was a sign that indicated the location of the two features leading to the respective trails. As this was all going much smoother than I had expected, I picked the left (again!) trail and went up Bald Mt.
This was more interesting to be sure and NOT part of the recommended hike. That was highlighted on my map by the Rangers and did not include this section. There was a significant amount of actual climbing involved in this part of the hike but it was easily conquered and I was rewarded at the top by great views of Canon Mountain and the surrounding peaks. When it was time to come down I searched for another trail off of the top and, finding none, went back down the way that I came up. It was harder going down than up.
BAck on the right trail I had a nice hike over the ridge and started down the other side. There the rock-scrambling began again but after a few feet there was a sign "bluff" painted in red on the rock. A sort hike down a side trail shoed me spectacular views of Lafayette, Cannon and south back down the notch. It was better than the summit of Bald Mt.
Still convinced of this "loop" thing I continued down the rock scrambles instead of just walking back down the trail. It was difficult. It would have been difficult to come UP that way. The trail soon passed the "loop trail" sign and emptied back out onto the road.
It was a great little hike that would have been more fun if I had done it the "right way".
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