FS road open! And despite some blowdown obstructing the lower trail, the meadows and ridge walks are clear and sure to set you to humming The Sound of Music.

One mile of rooty forest climb, the next mile with occasional meadow breaks, then the sky opens up to miles of mountains all around, Baker looming in the foreground. The trail dips, rises, circles around hills, offers diversionary sidetrips to a few hillcrests, and eventually pulls you up to a dry table that is a popular stop. For a few more calories, take the right angle turn and head straight ahead to Baker for quieter contemplation of glaciers and goats.

One shiny black bear was visible in a lower meadow, but too busy mowing to bother with stinky hikers.

The road is potholed early on, but okay for cautious generic cars. Few bugs, but not much left to buzz about other than lupine, bistort, asters, and buckwheat. BYOBerries, little left for popular consumption. No water. Go anyway.

Cheers!

Good news. The road to the Skyline Divide is finally open after roads repairs from the winter 06 storms. There are still over a dozen tree falls across the trail which you go over, under or around. But a clearing crew is supposed to start soon. The weather was great but I started late, around 12:15pm. After an hour in the woods where some humongous mushrooms were growing, I finally emerged unto the Skyline ridge. The views of Mt Baker, the meadows and Canadian peaks were tremendous! Had a late lunch on the 'knoll' were you can get great photographs and almost a 360deg view. Most people consider this the end of the trail but I continued on as the views get better. Unless you intend to camp or go down to Chowder Basin, bring you own water as there is no water on this trail. Got the top of ridge around 4:30pm and the trail end was about 1/2hr or more away but too tired to continue and need to get back before sunset; but took some great pics of the panorama views. Back at the parking lot by 7:30pm. See http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.d.podleski/2007SkylineDivideHike for some pics of the hike

This was my THIRD attempt at hiking Skyline Divide. On 2 previous attempts Mount Baker became swallowed in clouds literally just as I broke above tree line. This time the sky was clear as a bell and I was not to be denied.

Things got off to a bad start however. An accident on I-5 somewhere near Bellingham had traffic backed up past the Alger exit. I lost 30 minutes sitting in stop & go before reaching the next exit 2 miles past Alger. I had a map but it was the entire state so the needed level of detail for negotiating a maze of little country roads was lacking. I ended up going in a complete circle and ended up right back at the spot where I exited I-5. I then took I-5 south all the way back to exit 232 tried to find HWY 9 again and got lost again. Then tried one more time and finally punched through. So, I ended up beating the traffic jam by taking HWY 9 up to HWY 542 to get to the trailhead, but lost about an hour in the process.

Finally after 4 hours of driving I made it to the trailhead at exactly 7pm. This gave me about an hour to dash up to the ridge to catch the sunset on Mount Baker. Woo hoo after 2 failed attempts I'm finally going to experience Skyline Divide! I got about 10 minutes up the trail only to have a sudden thought - oh no did I put the battery back in the camera? I got a new camera this year and the battery must be charged externally. I nervously opened my pack, opened the camera bag, opened the battery compartment and ... ARRRGGGHHHHH NO BATTERY !!!!

Beaten down by Skyline Divide AGAIN!!! You see, I care a lot more about photography than about going for a hike. Without a camera I'd much rather do it some other time. So I had no choice but to go home. I turned around and stormed back to my car. I nearly spun off the forest road twice speeding back down a very long 13 miles to the highway in total disgust. I watched a perfect sunset while driving down the road past a trailer park here and a casino there and just had to suck it up.

My first effort on the trail. The Skyline trail does not care about the little touches of civilization, like switchbacks, until you are almost to the top. The trail starts in forest and only opens up near the top. Peak flowers are only in the meadows as you near the top. Once you are at the ridgeline there is a lovely view of Shucksan (if you have a cloudless day.) Follow the up and down trail S to views of Baker (on more cloudless days that I had.) Still a few Glacier lilies struggling to bloom (Yes we know its August,) some wild strawberry, white paintbrush, and phlox on the ridgeline. Valaria various yellow composits, corn lilies, lupine, and bistort on the west facing meadows.

Trail was a little damp and the ever-present roots were a little slidy on the way down.

Lovely partly cloudy day, crowded trail, now open to the occasional llama etc.