The hike to Blanca Lake is harder than I thought it would be. I can handle steep switchbacks but I think what made it so hard was the higher altitude and thinner air. (Huff, puff, rest...) It's a great workout, indeed. The last 600 feet, from Virgin Lake down to Blanca Lake, is a hazardous hike. One misplaced foot and …
We agree, try it from the Lake Eleanor side. This is one of our favorite hikes for beautiful views and taking spectacular photos of the mountain. It is also one of our favorites hikes for taking a nap in the sun at the top. We always bring a big blanket and soak up the atmosphere with a good old fashioned …
Hiked in on Saturday, August 16th, out on Sunday August 17th. Took the upper trail on the way in and the lower trail on the way out. The upper trail is a slow and steady incline and the last 1/2 mile or so is brutal, but worth it once you reach the lake. There were approximately 10 other campers by …
very crowded as i thought since its a weekend...but the parking lot is huge so there is plenty of space.
i'd have to say the difficulty of the hike is not much for most experienced hiker but for a casual hiker i would not recommend it, particularly on a hot day. it peaked at 90+ and i had a …
We hiked Tomie Peak yesterday (8-15). Gorgeous, fairly easy. The only drawback was its popularity. Not a good hike if you like to be alone in the woods with your sweetie. The upside was a teenaged group of trailrunners drenched in Deet passed us up and down keeping the air skeeter free with their fumes! We saw a really cute …
One of the best hikes I have ever been on, hands down. I would highly recommend planning ahead and ensuring a backcountry permit so that you can enjoy the more beautiful and LESS CROWDED downstream journey. It requires you to wake up really early to catch the one time per day shuttle so that you can make it out of …
This is a great day hike within close proximity to Seattle. The road leading up to the trailhead is in great shape, which is an extra bonus. Panaromic views await you at the top, and Mason Lake is an excellent place to cool off on your way down.
TRAIL DIRECTIONS: Follow the trailhead toward Mason Lake. The grade starts …
Did the hike about a week ago and it was, as I've said, just incredible. It was a bit more difficult than I had expected, partially my fault though seeing as I loaded my back down with about 35 pounds of water ballast, but it made for an amazing workout. Ive only recently gotten back into hiking, and I had …
What a great little hike! I had been told by others before I went that the trail was "so steep," so I was prepared for something really strenuous. But it turned out to not be bad at all, although a fairly steady incline. It is very muddy and snowy near the top, so we did a lot of creative puddle-dodging. …
08-09-2008
We are not very active hikers, but we like nature, so we decided to do the Pilchuck hike to see what we could see. We started the hike at about noon, and reached the top around 3:00. Like i said we went to see nature; not just to reach the top, so we spent some time just standing …
This is a great hike for a spur-of-moment get away. A moderate half-day hike that can you can do after the chores are done. Bring water cause you'll need it, especially on warm sunny days. Bring a camera, cause you'll definitely want pics of the expansive views along the way. Bring your thermos of coffee (or Cocoa) for the suset …
This is a great hike if you want something short but with great views. I found it in the "best hikes for kids" book on trails.com, but I'm not sure I would take a kid on this hike. The ledge where everyone stops is always busy and last time we were there some guy stood ten feet away from us …
I did this hike on May 4th, 2008. Being from Arizona, I don't quite understand the concept of snow yet. So it was a little early to get out on this trail without snow shoes. Our group pressed on anyway after meeting snow about 1/2 mile in. Although the squishey wet stuff was annoying, the view of the lake in …
This is a weather warning story. ALWAYS go prepared for bad weather & ALWAYS have the 10 essentials when you're in the mountains. And tell people where you're going & when you'll be back. And DON'T CHANGE YOUR PLANS w/o telling someone. OK, Middle of summer, late July, early August, in the middle of a long hot summer. Yes, we …
The previous reviewers failed to mention the best part of this hike - as far as I'm concerned. The tasty Low Bush Blueberries!!!! MUCH sweeter than store-bought, more flavor & no chemicals! As you leave Eunice Lake and head up the hill toward Tolmie itself, at about the third switchback ( it heads back uphill towards your left ) you …
I just did this hike for training purposes because it was close. I am just starting to carry a pack, so need some miles with weight. I am in shape but not used to a pack. This hike took me about two hours round trip including gawking at the scenery and a short stretch at the top. It gives a …
This is an awesome hike that gives you a little of everything. Some of the hike is inside woods, some runs along open cliff lined valleys. There are two portions w/ significant climbs, several portions that are slightly uphill. Some of trail is bare dirt, some dirt w/ rocks, some is entirely bouldering. Views of waterfalls (after you pass the …
We did this hike in July as our first family hike of the summer. The views of Rattlesnake lake and the Cedar River Watershed reservoir from the top are quite good. There are some steep slopes along the trail so be careful with kids.
Three of us went on this hike on August 2nd. Like many have said before, if you want solitude on your hike, don't go on this one! The parking lot was nearly full when we got there are around 10. The hike itsely is really beautiful. Nice mix of Old Growth, Stream views (with waterfalls) and some mountain meadows. The …
went there a couple years ago. is real easy and fun. good hike for young ones. caves are great. nice and cool after the hike during summer.
Goat Lake is beautiful. The water is clean and clear, but cold. Camping there was great. It was getting pretty crowded when we were about to leave. and the whole walk down many groups of people passed us heading up the trail. the hike isn't too bad. just bring plenty of water.
My wife and I wanted to hike Little Si today, but inexplicably the trail was closed, so we ended up at Rattlesnake Ledge. It was a quite nice hike, but despite the fact that it was a Friday morning and it was cool and misty and there was absolutely no view whatsoever from the top, it was still a little …
My wife and I drove up to Little Si this morning and the signs said the trail was closed. There was construction on the bridge nearby and also construction in the parking lot. I'd check before I went up there... We did Rattlesnake Ledge instead.
I was looking for something close to Seattle that I had never done before, so I hiked up the West Tiger #3 trail. It was a cloudy, misty day and the hike certainly reflected that - a little warm and muggy at the bottom but by the time I got to the summit, it felt chilly. This hike has a …
We wanted to to this hike with kids however we were told the bridge has not been repaired yet. According to a ranger at Darrington Ranger station the temporary bridge will only be available by the end of October '08.