The forest road leading to the trail head is the worst I've experienced. It's really bad. But the hike itself is pretty tame. The trail begins in a young forest and switchbacks up the mountainside and along a ridge to a meadow east of the lake where camping is allowed. We didn't see anyone on the hike until our way back down. The trail is relatively remote so you won't get the crowds here.
Granite Mountain is a 5633 ft tall peak near Snoqualmie Pass off I-90 east of Seattle. It is located in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Everything you might have heard about this hike is true. It's hard. You will be climbing an average of roughly 1000 ft/mile. The first mile is a nice walk in the woods. Mile 2-3 is intense as you climb through a dense forest. The last mile is more insane than intense. All of it is worth every step. Once the rocks begin you are treated to an unexpected visual feast as you round the north side and ascend to the 1924 lookout.
Cascade Lake lies within Moran State Park located on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington state. A relatively flat 2.7 mi perimeter trail loops around the lake. It makes for a great walk and takes about an hour. We've been coming here to camp for the last 20 years. This lake is idyllic, especially in the early morning. The hike is simple for kids and the trail is beautifully maintained. There is a short stretch on the east side where you have to walk along the road that runs next to the lake edge. Not a big deal.
Unsurprisingly, there was nobody on the trail at ~4pm, which made it really nice. I didn't see a soul the whole time I was there. I walked up the road a bit to pay my respects to the PCT before heading up the mountain. There were a couple of cars parked there for Silver Peak. The trail to Mount Catherine is lovingly marked "Trail #1348". It starts out flat and rocky before beginning the aggressive switchbacks up the mountain’s southern flank. This section is pretty relentless, but nothing you haven't seen before.
I arrived at the trailhead at 2pm. There were easily 150 cars parked along the road. Everyone is trying to take advantage of a perfect Saturday at the end of the summer I guess. For me, crowds ruin the hiking experience, so I decided to do the Spray Park Trail first in hopes of Tolmie Peak thinning out a bit. I returned to the trailhead at 5pm and there were only around 30 cars left. I passed most of those people heading back as I hiked up. At the top there were only four people when I arrived. Perfect.
My ultimate destination was the Tolmie Peak Lookout, but that trail was way too busy for me so I decided to take this hike first and allow the crowds to disperse. From Mowich Lake, the trail descends into a beautiful forest to connect with the Wonderland Trail before it ascends again. Take the short 100 ft spur trail to the overlook for amazing mountain views, then keep heading up to a side trail that takes you to Spray Falls in .25 mile. The falls themselves are beautiful, but you need to cross the creek to get a good view and the rocks were pretty slippery. I didn't want to risk getting wet since I still had a long way to hike. I assumed I could get a better view from the top so I continued up to the meadows.
Marmot Pass is on the Olympic Peninsula and lies within Olympic National Park. It's a worthwhile trek if you get to the area. The forest road is paved for the first 9 miles. The last 4 miles are unpaved, but still a great road. I was surprised. Not a difficult hike, but a long one with a steady incline the whole way to the pass as the trail follows the Big Quilcene River most of the way.
Shi Shi Beach (pronounced "Shy Shy") is easily the most picturesque Washington coastline that I have seen. Access to the beach begins on the Makah Indian Reservation near the fish hatchery, so a Makah Recreation Pass is needed to park there. Pick one up on your way in Neah Bay at Washburns. The four mile trail begins in a Sitka spruce grove and winds through several bridges and boardwalks. The next portion that parallels the beach is almost always muddy and wet, but flat. Getting to the beach does require a steep decent using guide ropes. Not everyone will be able to do that.
This was my first trip to Lake Ingalls. For my second trip I stayed overnight. Read that trail report here.
Lake Ingalls is located in the Wenatchee National Forest of Washington State. Getting there from Seattle takes a couple of hours with a formidable nine mile dirt road to deal with, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the most popular destinations in the Alpine Wilderness Area. The setting is idyllic with a stunning blue lake set high among massive boulders in the shadow of Mount Stuart, one of the peaks composing the border to The Enchantments.
The Mount Fremont Lookout can be easily accessed from the Sunrise parking lot via Frozen Lake, but I came up from the White River Campground and Burroughs Mountain, then back to the campground on the Wonderland Trail. It was a full, spectacular day on the mountain. Most of the crowds come from Sunrise and either stop at Frozen Lake or continuing to Burroughs Mountain. Fewer people brave the incline to Mount Fremont. That's not to say that there weren't plenty of people there.
We have naturalist John Burroughs to thanks for this location's name. It is a fantastic hike with unparalleled views of Mt Rainier. The three distinct mountains making up the Burroughs range from 7000 to 7800 ft in elevation and are all but barren landscapes with nothing to impede your views. You are likely to see mountain goats, marmot, pikas and other critters while visiting this area near Sunrise on the north side of Mt Rainier National Park.
The Emmons Glacier has the largest surface area of any glacier in the lower states. It is the source of the White River and a trail on the north side of the valley it has scratched out of the earth is waiting for you to visit. The glacier's massive 2 mile vertical scale is difficult to comprehend, until you get close to it. luckily for all, this is a short, easily accessible trail without much elevation gain. No excuses not to visit this amazing location.
I am always looking for a new location to hike. Because of this, I rarely repeat a hike, but I make an exception in the case of Sheep Lake near Mt Rainier on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It's such an idyllic setting and perfect for a quick hike to become lost in nature. With a little extra effort you can make it to Sourdough Gap and points beyond. The best part of all: Dogs are welcome.
This is another amazing destination along the Pacific Crest Trail near Snoqualmie Pass east of Seattle. It's a bit long for a day hike so you could camp at Ridge Lake about .5 mi further past the Katwalk itself. The Katwalk is a narrow pathway that was blasted out of a steeply sloped rock face. It doesn't feel nearly as precarious as some photos make it appear, but you still might find yourself hugging the rock side as you pass through. When I first saw photos of the area I knew I had to get there. You will too.
The first time I attempted this hike the weather was very much against me. Lots of fog concealed the path as well as the lookout, and dew covered every portion of every plant, soaking me shoes and pants. The second time I made sure to time it better and the results were fantastic. Your reward at the top is a fire lookout with Mt Rainier in your front yard.
Snow Lake is beautiful, plain and simple. But I will probably never hike it again because of the crowds. It had all the peacefulness of a public pool with hikers eating lunch, talking loudly, playing music, swimming, etc. If you go with a large group and aren't looking for quiet, nature or peace, then this will be a perfect hike for you.
Anyone who has driven along I-90 west of Snoqualmie Pass has seen McClellan Butte whether they knew it or not. I used to tell my kids it was Mt Crumpit where the Grinch lived. The peak is so prominent that it can't be missed and calls out to be climbed. This is a long 9 mile hike with a significant rock scramble at the top. Is it worth the effort? Of course it is.
Don't let the easy first half fool you. This hike starts out as a leisurely stroll in the woods and ends in a thigh-burning boulder climb that seems to never end. Once it does, you will be perched on top of a mountain with expansive views to the south and north. On a clear day you'll easily see Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, Mt Baker and Glacier Peak.
The trail to Otter falls is long but flat. If you have more stamina than quads, you'll be just fine. The payoff at the end is a very unique, picturesque 1200 ft waterfall that cascades down the face of a massive granite mountainside. There's even a small sandy beach to enjoy and very little crowds. Dogs are allowed and will no doubt take a dip in the small Lipsy Lake at the base of the falls.
This may be the second most popular hike in the area aside from Mt Si. You will encounter crowds on most days of the week. It's a great hike to do when you don't have all day to spent hiking. It's long enough and challenging enough to get your heart pumping and the ledge overlook will let you know that you really made some progress.
