Alpine Scramble - Iron Mountain & Conglomerate Point

Met around 7:40am at the junction of Index-Galena Road and Trout Creek Road  (47.86294, -121.48224).  Parked 4 vehicles on once side of the pullout before the closed gate. Started up the old mining road at about 8am. A few blowdowns on the trail but was able to walk around them. Missed the intersection at about 1300 feet where Trout Creek Road splits to the left. Backtracked but still unable to find it. Bushwhacked the thick and wet vegetation up the hill and got back on track.  Started seeing snow at about 3500 feet and became calf-deep pretty quickly. Uneven snow surface and wooded trail made snowshoes unfavorable, and the group opted not to wear them. After more bushwhacking through the trees,  became drenched from the wet snow that had been coming down all morning. A few steps later, the trail became narrow and hard to navigate with thick vegetation and soft snow.  Turned around at about 4150 feet. On the way down, we were able to find the intersection with Trout Creek Road. Look for faint foot steps on the muddy hillside obscured by tree branches.