Another great backpack including Blissman, Phlemy, the Transporter, Maria, and Cathy. The trail to Snowy Lakes is great as you'd expect from the PCT. The side trail to Snowy Lakes is rough though and a bit of an ankle twister. We had fine summer weather (October!), although we were a bit late and most of the larch had turned to brown and fallen. Still, the scenery here can't be beat. We camped at the upper lake with wonderful views of Golden Horn and Mt. Harding. On our second day, things got a bit crowded and by nightime there were probably 30 camps at the upper lake. Very strange. I've never seen anything like it. We were camped so close that there was a tents set up 30 feet from ours on all sides. I have more living space at my home on Camano Island! I'm thinking that we all got pushed up north due to the fires. In either case, it was a great weekend. Dinner at the Bird's View Brewery, and a quick drive home!

Did an overnight trip to Goldenhorn - Snowy Lakes via Rainy Pass. My oh my was this a wonderful trip! The fall color is in full effect, with golden larches and crimson ground cover. Now is the time to go.

Started from Rainy Pass trailhead around 9:30 am. Chatted briefly with some PCT-through hikers on the last leg of their journey. The PCT from Rainy Pass is in impeccable condition. Saturday was a bit overcast, but there was plenty of distraction with all the fall color. The views start almost immediately. Cutthroat Pass with a view down to Cutthroat Lake was spectacular, and just the beginning.

The trail from Cutthroat Pass is mostly flat for the next couple miles. Then you drop several hundred feet down to Granite Pass, with views of Tower Mountain and Golden Horn. The final push up to Lower and Upper Snowy Lakes isn't fun (about 500 feet in a half mile and rocky), but it's short-lived and well worth it. The views from Upper Snowy Lake were spectacular. All the larches and fall color were truly breathtaking. It was a little challenging finding a somewhat sheltered campsite not on the meadows around the lake.

If you have time to make the journey, this is a wonderful overnight. If you only have a day, I recommend hike to Cutthroat Pass then another mile or so until you can see Tower Mountain. This has to be one of my favorite hikes yet in Washington--now is the time to go!

Started 6:30 AM at TH West Fork Methow River (WFMR), and glad I did because it turned out to be a very hot day (my ballpark thermometer registered 95+ deg. F.). The trail parallels the Methow River up valley but I only found 2 places (unmarked) where I could get to the river for water during the 8.5 miles to the jct. with the PCT. Also, there was a big fire several years ago and mostly dead trees and very little shade (not the most scenic trail I've been on, but it's shorter to the PCT than coming up from Rainy Pass). I didn't see any mosquitos and only a few horse flies when I stopped for water breaks. The WFMR trail meets the PCT at Brush Creek approx. 18 miles n/o Rainy Pass, and there are two nice, but small campsites near the creek (there is a bridge over the creek and the water flow was still fairly strong). The ranger in Winthrop said she heard that the last mile or so on the WFMR was very brushy, but I found the trail to be pretty clear EXCEPT for 2 locations just before starting climb up to PCT; there was a large (24" dia.) downed tree from the fire that was completely coated with black ashy soot that got on your hands and clothes if you just looked at it! Had to take off my pack and lift it over and then climbed log stump and hopped over; the 2nd tree (18" dia.) was about 100 yds further on and in same condition but easier to get over. Once on PCT, I hiked south about 3 miles (first mile+ was very brushy but trail quite visible) and made camp at the (Upper) Methow River Bridge. There were 2 really nice camp sites (one ea. side of river, but the one on the north side of bridge was off the trail approx. 75' and did have a small sign showing it); both had benches and fire pits (tho burn ban in effect); only a couple of mosquitos, but DEET took care of them! Good water flow in the river. Next morning, I left approx. 8:30 AM and began climb (for the next 3-1/2 to 4 miles up to Methow Pass. Another hot day (90-deg. +) made for slow going (for me at age 73!), but views of the Golden Horn were worth it. There was fairly good water flow at Golden Creek about 1 mile s/o Methow River Bridge. Decided to stop early (after approx. 6 miles) at Snowy Lakes area because only one primitive camp site indicated between there and Cutthroat Pass and wasn't sure where that was. I camped in what was a sort of open meadow like bowl just below the 2 Snowy Lakes (hidden in the trees), with a small stream running thru one end of it. Beautiful views and sunset looking out over the adjacent valley and with Tower Mtn. looming in the background; a few mosquitos late afternoon, but evening breeze cleared all bugs out. Left early (6:00 AM) next morning and began slight climb from 6200' elev.to 6350' elev. at Granite Pass; I'm not sure why they call it a pass because the trail starts a fairly steep ascent for the next mile beyond it. This is where I met my first thru-hikers (Beardso, Cueball, and Jeremiah Johnson!!...all were aptly named). This last section of the trail has several narrow places of talus and very steep side slopes; good idea to have trekking poles. Stopped for lunch at Cutthroat Pass and enjoyed views down 2 different valleys, but a little early for any Fall colors. I noticed a nice camp site approx. 1 mile s/o Cutthroat Pass, and there was a creek with a fairly good flow of water about 1/2 way between this camp and Porcupine Creek. Weather was again very nice, but still warm (85+) and I enjoyed hike down to Rainy Pass and a cold Pepsi with my wife in our A/C car! The trail between Rainy and Cutthroat Passes was "family friendly", but the sections between Granite Pass to Methow Pass can be tricky for the inexperienced. My highest elevation point was about 7,000', but I did not encounter any snow the whole way.

Hit the trail at first light on Thursday, 8/25 with a group of 7 men & made it to Cutthroat Pass by 8:30am for a quick break & to take in the amazing scenery. From there we made the rest of the trek in a few hours and were set up at Upper Snowy Lake by 11:30am.
Still a few snow patches on the trail but nothing you can't go around or make it across on your own.
So many bugs at Snowy Lakes that we either spent hours on end in our tents or walking around swatting the bugs off of us. Other than the bugs, had an amazing time.
Some of our crew made it up Mt. Hardy & they said it was the most incredible views they'd ever seen. Others made it up Golden Horn & said it was also amazing.