The stunning view from the Bear Creek Mountain trail. Photo: DaveH
After the first mile, you'll climb relentlessly, for much of the way in dense forests with few or no views. But the payoff for this thigh-burning, lung-tearing workout: incredible vistas from atop one of the highest peaks on the easternmost flank of the Goat Rocks.
The trail begins on the Tieton Meadow, rolling along Trail 1128 up the south flank of the Tieton Valley. After crossing the Tieton River at less than 0.25 mile, Trail 1128 skirts the marshlands for another 0.75 mile, then angles away from the valley-bottom meadows and climbs steeply to the south, winding upward through the long series of switchbacks.
In the next 3.5 miles you'll stay under the forest canopy as the trail gains 2800 feet, reaching a trail junction at 4.7 miles out. Turn right and continue climbing, now moderately, along a ridgeline. This ridge crest leads into alpine meadow country as you climb west around the headwater basin of Bear Creek.
At 6.5 miles (6450 feet), you'll find a small spur trail leading southwest and the main trail veers east. Turn right onto this spur to scramble the last mile up the final 900 feet of elevation gain to the rocky summit of Bear Creek Mountain. Or simply enjoy the phenomenal views from this last trail junction. You can peer up to the summit crown to the west, and eastward out along the vast expanse of the eastern slope of the Cascades.
Great family day hike, although its easy enough to spend a night camped out at the top of the peak,...
Great family day hike, although its easy enough to spend a night camped out at the top of the peak, there's an excellent place to pitch a tent, or just throw down your bags. There is little elevation gain coming in from road 1204 until the last .9 miles to the peak. One snow patch along this portion required a go-around through loose gravel....kids should be careful. Most of the trail is through flower filled meadows and is extremely well marked, just follow the trough (trail is deep in places, almost like walking in a bucket!) We saw Elk tracks everywhere, but did not come across any Elk until on the way home on Tieton road, where a group of cows and calves ran across the road, then played around in the forest nearby until the last calf caught up. Saw a bobcat at the peak! Mt. Baker to the south and Rainier to the north were awesome but a bit socked in. Next time we'll spend the night on top.....(PS, filter water at the third stream on the way in. At the time it was the largest and fastest flowing......4 days later and we're not ill yet. Oh yeah, the bugs were light...we've had much worse)
8/19 through 8/24.
We initially planned a fairly leisurely 7 day loop hike from Clear-Lost #76 on Hwy 12, past Lost...
8/19 through 8/24.
We initially planned a fairly leisurely 7 day loop hike from Clear-Lost #76 on Hwy 12, past Lost Lake #78, SE on Coyote #79 to Elk Pass, then back out north on the PCT to Hwy 12.
However, we do watch the weather reports and when I heard NOAA forecast 97 for our first day out, and then use the phrase “unusually well organized system for this time of year” I scrambled to generate plan B for the northern Goat Rocks Wilderness .
Tuesday 8/19 while it was raining west of the crest, we went east for a day hike to the Bear Creek Mountain lookout site (#1130 + 1130A). An eyeful of the east side of the area we were about to backpack in, with quite a spread from Devil’s Horn and Cauldron, Teiton Peak, and the high basins northeast of Gilbert, Ives, Old Snowy, and Egg Butte. All west of the divide was socked in. We watched the storm clouds gradually push over the crest, then retreated to a Silver Beach resort room for the night. The trail was rutted in a few spots but otherwise in very good shape, with the idyllic 3+ miles of meadows and small trees others have praised followed by less than a mile of steep climb to vast reward. Lupines, paintbrush, meadow parsley, mountain daisies, and more, freshly watered from rains the day before. Hummingbird at the spur junction. We were not eaten alive by bugs!
Wednesday we started a 5-day in and out backpack from White Pass south 2 days to McCall Basin, dayhike to Elk Pass on the middle day, then 2 days back out. The 1st two days were almost completely socked in and under deluge, so the main thing we noticed was trail drainage: good up the 1st ridge, bad behind the ski area, good with a couple of weak spots washing out around Miriam Lake. One crawl-under log south of ski area humbling if you have a large pack.
The flat stepstone trail work behind the Shoe Lake ridge is a work of art, but we couldn’t enjoy it on the way in because the windstorm behind the front was battering us with huge gusts. When 40 m.p.h. tangles with the backpack’s raincover, it creates uplift and we were crouching low and bracing for balance. There were no views.
First night’s camp at Hidden Spring chosen only because it was a known option, well sheltered from winds, and we needed to hunker down. When phoning for advance info on the trails we had not been told of the Shoe Lake camping closure. We saw finally noticed mention of it in an older book edition the day before and so called to double check,. (This closure is posted on the approach to Shoe Lake from the north, but not from the south that we could find. It extends for the entire basin and anything between the 2 trail junctions for the split around the lake.) Hidden Springs is the recommended alternative. We don’t think it is 7 miles in as the sign posted at the trailhead says. We think it is 8.4. When I am queen I will have that corrected. The rain did not drown the bugs but didn’t give them much time to go to work between drenchings either. Despite the horribly chewed up muck and failing log steps from Tieton pass south into McCall Basin, and another awkard crawl-under log, it was an easy 2nd day to the phenomenal beauty and plentiful camp options. Only one other party there. We had noticed hiker outflow as we started in Wednesday. Those that could were rushing or bailing to avoid another soaking day. But on this 2nd night of ours, it stopped raining and we began to dry out.
Friday we popped up to Elk Pass and enjoyed our rewards. Didn’t see anybody else. Views of both sides of the crest and the highest Goat Rocks peaks from different angles. Johnson Peak and Packwood Lake a bonus. I think I saw the Stewart range peeking out before we rounded the last 2 bends to the pass. There were a few sheep pretty darn far away in upper Lake Creek basin behind Old Snowy and Johnson Peak ridge. Wild flowers of many varieties, one of my favorites Jeffries Shooting Stars brushing color patches in the moist upper basins. Two small snow patches on the way up both easy to cross, though a stream undercutting one points to caution . At camp an evening exploration of the basin. On the way our basin-mates tipped us off to what I think is called a “hanging glacial basin” to our south so we had a peek. That’s the source of the torrent spinning through the deep gorge making the “falls” listed on the map. And they had seen many elk descend the basin in the mornings but we were too lazy to get up at dawn. Add lousewort to my list of flowers spotted. Hardly any bugs at all! Such luck! Other trip sightings: marmot, rat on tent (we pitched by his front door?) chipmunks, dear, soaring hawks, only a little bear scat.
As we broke camp the last morning I heard the rhythm pileated woodpeckers make - but did not spot it. In that area? Reversing course we chose one of the sites off trail just south of the Hidden Springs junction and loved it. Again very few bugs.
Early start for the last 8.7 miles out to allow time for gawking since the weather was holding. The world was a fantastically visible place from the Shoe Lake Ridge this time. Triple waves of lenticular clouds over Tahoma and the Old Snowy area. All the usual flowers, plus penstemmon, larkspur, birdsbeak, phlox. The bugs started getting worse again just north of Hidden Springs all the way through to behind the ski area. At our lunch stop, many through hikers whizzed by us northbound and comments were exchanged about the midweek storm. “Camped too high.” “Do you know an outfitter in Packwood where I can get my tent repaired.” For example. As we descended to the parking lot at White Pass, the temperature began to drop, and a half hour after we got in the car, it was raining steadily. As I listen to the rain beat on our roof today I think how fortunate we were to have those days and views in an unusual weather year.
FS road 1204 up to the trailhead is snow free, but probably hasn't been for long. The road is muddy...
FS road 1204 up to the trailhead is snow free, but probably hasn't been for long. The road is muddy in a few spots and severely rutted and rock for two long stretches within the last 2-3 miles before the trailhead. You may be able to get up there without a high clearance vehicle, but I wouldn't bet the underside of my car on it.
There were a few mosquitoes at the trailhead, but the breeze kept them down enough to deal with as we donned our boots. The hike up to the summit spur is a very pleasant hike and is easy to follow as you go over the snow patches. The spur trail has three or four large snow patches that are somewhat steep and sloppy, but certainly doable for an average hiker. Again, it is easy to keep the trail through the snow. The view from the top was outstanding. Great views of Adams to the SW (through smoke, obviously), Old Snowy to the west, Rainier to the NW, Mt. Aix to the north and even Stuart peeking at us from the NE. The east slope of Goat Rocks still has significant snow cover over about 5700-ish feet.
One really unique aspect of the hike was the swarm of lady bugs up on top. It was a really cool experience to eat lunch and enjoy the awesome views while 1000s of lady bugs flew around us.
A really nice hike above 7300 feet for a snowy July if your vehicle can make the voyage.
I hiked from Section 3 Lake at the trail 1129 trailhead to trail 1130 then 1130A to the Bear...
I hiked from Section 3 Lake at the trail 1129 trailhead to trail 1130 then 1130A to the Bear Creek Mountain lookout.
The road to the trailhead was bumpy but manageable even in my plain old 2wd car. No major mud to speak of, but I had to take it slow and pick my route to avoid bottoming out.
Monday afternoon is aparently not an overly popular day for this area - mine was the only car at the trailhead and I did not see another hiker. A ranger drove through while I was waiting for the sun to drop in the sky a bit before heading out.
The mostly flat hike to the intersection with trail 1130A was uneventful. I crossed 9 flowing ""streams"" or seeps along the route - the first 3 were flowing well enough to collect/filter water, as were the last two (closest to Bear Creek Mountain). The ones in the middle were questionable at best. The stream closest to Bear Creek Mountain which was flowing reasonably well and from which I collected water is just 10 minutes north of the trail 1130/1130A intersection. There was no water at all on trail 1130A, so filter before you start climbing. There was also very little snow anywhere in the area - I suspect this will lead to very dry conditions in the not too distant future.
The view from the top was phenomenal, and the Cascadians had left a cache/log at the lookout in early July that was just beginning to get filled out. Bugs were non-existent. Sunset and sunrise were breathtaking, as was the view of the night sky and milky way at 3 AM. If you stick around for the night view, dress warm :-)
Goat Rocks Wilderness offers unstoppable views of Rainier, Adams and Goat Rocks, Washington’s sixth volcano, according to “Hiking Washington’s...
Goat Rocks Wilderness offers unstoppable views of Rainier, Adams and Goat Rocks, Washington’s sixth volcano, according to “Hiking Washington’s Geology"" by Scott Babcock and Bob Carson. It’s 3-1/2 hours south and east of Seattle
Bear Creek Mountain, fully described in the geology book, turned out to be a great hike, with variety, forest, meadows and views.
After camping at Rimrock Lake on the eastside of the mountains, we drove the 15 miles of gravel and two miles of deeply rutted dirt road to the trail parking lot and Section Two Lake. It’s a pond really, full of fat pollywogs.
The trail’s first two miles is a pleasant walk in and out of forest and meadow, along the North Fork Tietin drainage. A progressive floral display begins with yellows, arnica and butter cup, then deep purple gentian. In the distance we started to see a reddish brown rock wall. That’s Bear Creek Mountain. We walked around three minor blowdowns. The trail starts climbing into subalpine forest, where two streams of Bear Creek tumble down, red and magenta paintbrush spiking up through lush green gardens. At 2-1/2 miles a fork to Conrad Meadows is marked, a potential return route if you have two cars.
The way turns steep and open as you climb through St. Helens ash, past brilliant red boulder fields. The trees are shrubby, but thick with needles, twisted with wind.
Hardy alpine plants appear--resilient phlox in hues from pale lavender to magenta poking up through the volcanic ash and red rock, heather both white and purple—all attracting multitudes of butterflies.
A small snowfield was easy to cross, but one large field intersects the trail toward the top. We scrambled up along side it (as others had done), walked across a ledge, then dropped down to continue the trail, which circles clockwise around the summit, teasing us with first Adams, then fascinating glaciered Goat Rocks, then Rainier. This was a piece of heaven, definitely worth it. At the top (site of a former fire lookout) sit and enjoy. Hardly any bugs on this trail that day.
From Packwood, drive east over White Pass, then east on U.S. Highway 12 to Rimrock Lake, and turn south onto Clear Lake Road (Forest Road 1200). Continue about 3 miles, contouring around the west end of Clear Lake, before turning south onto FR 1207 (North Fork Tieton River Road). Drive south on FR 1207 to the trailhead at the road's end.
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