This trail is more long than difficult. Being in a remote part of the Roslyn area east of the pass and a good two hours from Seattle, this trail doesn't see a lot of traffic. The remnants of an old fire lookout lured me here and made the trip very worthwhile. The switchbacks are relentless for the first 2/3 of the way up. A fire came through a portion of the hill near the top, leaving snags that have become bleached in the sun. This opened up the views and created some variation to the trek up.
After 5.5 miles and over 90 switchbacks, seeing the stone foundation of the lookout was a welcome sight. The remains sit at the summit of the 6426 ft Davis Peak with sprawling views of… everything! The Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area lies at your feet.
Don't stop at the fire lookout location without continuing to the end of the trail which overlooks the northern wilderness. The views are stunning and made the trip worth the effort. If you run into anyone else here, it will be rare. I stayed for the sunset and did the last portion of the descent by headlamp.
