The first gate on the Cascade River Road at MP 20 was open, so we drove to the second gate at MP21 and began hiking the road from there. We began having a few patches of snow at about 3100 ft and solid snow at 3200 ft. The snow was packed so we were able to walk with our hiking boots. No traction devices or snowshoes were needed although one needed to avoid ice in a few areas. There was a slanting snow wall across the road about 1/4 mile from the TH which we were able to cross after making steps at the shorter end. This made "wimpy" me nervous as there was a steep drop-off at this point, but it was very doable once I was over it! :)! Johannesburg was beautiful and impressive as always as were the other peaks seen from the TH parking area which is 3600 ft. All the snow added to the beauty of the scene. There was 6 ft of snow around the outhouse, but the area in front of it was melted out so one could use it. TP was plentiful! The wind was bitterly cold, but we were able to find a lunch spot out of the wind where we could absorb the views as we ate! It was hard to have to leave such a beautiful area! We have hiked to Sahale Arm in the summer and fall,but we had never seen the area with snow which adds to its beauty! A young couple with 2 dogs started ahead of us. Shortly after starting down we met a group of 4 coming up. They passed us on the way out about 10 minutes later, so must not have gone all the way to the TH.

Gorgeous and famous hike - not much to add. Trail is outstanding tread, views from the trailhead are better than from many trail destinations, and trail is very heavily traveled; to wit, there is a composting toilet and granite blocks arranged in amphitheater seating at the pass to accommodate the crowds. There is no solitude here, but the views remain.

From the pass the 800 feet up the switchbacks to Sahale Arm are well worth it. We went just past the turnoff for Doubtful Lake, to the little ridge that gives you views of Sahale Glacier, the Lake, and far off peaks in all directions. We didn't go up to the Glacier - it looked a long way away.

There are a few berries on the trail, more as you hike up to Sahale Arm.

Beware that the Cascade River Road is closed at milepost 12 beginning Tuesday September 8 through the end of October, so Labor Day weekend is possibly your last chance of the season to get this hike in.

To read this report in its original form, with photos, check out my blog: http://dontlookdown.wordpress.com/[…]/

And, more photos at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

After seeing friends' photos from an overnight trip up Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass several years ago—even before we began hiking seriously—the trip has sat almost constantly atop our queue, waiting for the perfect window of time and weather to savor the experience.

This wouldn't be that.

But it wasn't half-bad, either.

After reading that the Cascade River Road would close September 1st and remain closed through much of October, I set aside the hope that this would be the year that we'd backpack up Sahale Arm and spend the night under starry skies and, instead, settled for a dayhike up to Cascade Pass, or perhaps a bit beyond. If all I'd read was to be believed—i.e., that I'd run out of superlatives before reaching the pass—we'd be returning for that idealized evening on the Arm, anyway.

Knowing that the trail would be busy no matter what the time, and doing our best to get all of six hours of sleep after watching [a movie] the night before, we left West Seattle at 06:20. After stopping in Marblemount in a thwarted attempt at a warm breakfast sandwich, we headed up the 23-mile Cascade River Road stuffing a quarter-pound of Costco muffin into each of our mouths. Signs along the way warn that the road is primitive, but it's actually an excellent road, with glimpses up and across the valley all along the way. At 09:10, just less than three hours after leaving home, we pulled into a large, mostly-full parking lot. I'd expected views at the parking lot, but I was impressed nevertheless by the dominating face of Johannesburg Mountain, even as seen through our cracked windshield. Its upper reaches were shrouded in clouds.

Once booted up, we left the trailhead (3600') behind us and set ourselves a speedy pace, putting space between us and a party of ~ten that seemed like it was almost ready to hit the trail as well. The trail ascends numerous—but gentle—switchbacks, and though we heard voices below us from time-to-time, we were treated to a surprising quietness as we climbed. Our pace stayed quick, slowing only as we glanced over our shoulders down the Cascade River valley (which came into view about forty minutes into the hike) or across to Johannesburg again.

Around 10:30, the trail—no longer switchbacking, now traversing—crosses a large rockfield; pika sounds abound. Cascade Pass is in sight.

As we rose to the pass, so too did the voices of those who had stopped at the pass: admirers of the Stehekin Valley and the peaks on either side, climbers off to Eldorado, et al., and those content to take a seat on rock benches and eat their early lunches. We sat down briefly among the eight—nine—ten there and added our quiet voices to the chorus. It was 10:55; it had taken us just over an hour-and-a-half to make it the ~3.7 miles and 1800' of gain to the pass (5400').

Though the views were nice when we reached the pass, in all honesty, the views toward the direction we'd come from (West) were better than those over the pass (East). Since we'd made such good time, we set off again, toward Sahale Arm, intending to climb only as far as we felt like it, hoping to see Sahale Peak itself and Doubtful Lake below it.

The climb from Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm is by far steeper than the trail beforehand, but not overly difficult. It is, however, quite rocky, and after ~thirty minutes and an encounter with a relaxed marmot, Nicole decided to turn around and wait for me at the pass. Her ankle had been bothering her since the weekend before, when we'd backpacked up to and down from Gothic Basin. Giving the ankle a rest was probably a good idea, as we have a lot of hiking to do in the next few weeks...

I continued up alone, reaching the ridge crest (6200') and an intersection with a trail down to Doubtful Lake at 11:35. Here, Sahale Peak and its Arm are visible, though the summit itself remained hidden in the clouds. I continued several steps further. Then the beautiful blue Doubtful Lake appeared below me. I took pictures for a few minutes, turning often to look up the Arm, trying to see just where we'll camp when we do do this as a backpack...

I met Nicole back at the pass at 12:10. She'd been eating Combos, watching marmots, and layering up. There was a cold wind at the pass. I added a layer and we headed down at 12:20, stopping briefly to take someone's photo, and again to take off a layer once out of the wind.

We coasted down the semi-busy trail, coming to a halt finally in the parking lot at 13:45 to use the restroom and take off our boots. Shortly thereafter, we were off. A fine day, aside from the parking lot known as southbound I-5.

Indeed, this is a wonderful hike with beauty straightaway. I can see why it is one of the most popular trails in Washington, and I'm looking forward to spending the night up Sahale Arm, hopefully on a quiet, fall, non-weekend day.

Stats: ~9 miles round-trip from the trailhead (3600') to Sahale Arm (6200') and back—it's ~7.2 round-trip to Cascade Pass. There's 1800' of elevation gain en route to the pass, and another ~800' up to my turnaround point, for a total gain/loss of 2600'—a few hundred feet less for Nicole. It took us 1:35 to make the pass, it took me 1:10 to climb up the Arm and back, and it took us 1:25 to descend from Cascade Pass to the parking lot. Hike time: 3:00 round-trip to the pass, 4:25 total.

Prettiest Hike I have ever been on!

The trail is in GREAT shape with 35 switchbacks leading up to Cascade Pass. The switchbacks seem to go on forever with 3,000 ele gain to the top of the pass. The hike is mostly in the forest with a few open spots. Make sure to watch your feet as you might trip while looking at the mountains and being in awe at the glaciers and waterfalls.

Once you come out of the forest you'll be able to see the parking lot and the little cars. A few hundred feet later you make the pass. A few places to sit and take in the views. We saw our first of 4 marmate (big rat thing) eating berries at the pass.

Head left on the trail and start up again (more steep) for about 1 mile to the views of Doubtfall lake and Sahale Mountain. Once on Sahale arm (flat meadows) work your way to the base of Sahale mountain. This is the end of Sahale Arm.

I took a few minutes to look around 360 view and take it all in. Huge 7,000-8,000 peak mountains all around with glaciers on all of them. It's amazing and totally breath taking. A MUST hike for any day hiker!

-No Dogs or any pets
-Amazing Date hike
-No Bugs
-Make sure to get to trailhead early, before 10am on weekends
-A camera a MUST