Hike features:
The huckleberries are just about done, but fall colors are starting to really shine.

Wildflowers -- The wildflowers are fading, but they're not through just yet.

Wildlife -- Lots of birds among the huckleberry bushes, picking off the dried berries. We heard either some elk bugling or hunters with elk calls down in the valley from our traverse, but never spotted either of them.

Trailhead/parking:
Between low-hanging clouds/fog, a brisk wind and the smoke from nearby fires, this popular trail had fewer hikers on it than normal. We still saw quite a few people though.

Trail conditions:
 * Overall, the tread is still good, and very easy to follow. See my earlier trip report from Aug. 25 for details.
 * There is still a little dust, but it's better than earlier in the season.

Other trip notes:
It was pretty windy and cold the first mile out, but once we broke out of the cloud on the pass and into the sunshine on the long traverse, things warmed right up. There was a lot of wind and moisture coming down the valley from the gap, though, so once you break out of the trees into the higher alpine valley, things were pretty chilly.

The smoke wasn't too bad on Sept. 22, but on the morning of Sept. 23, it had filled the entire American River valley. You could smell it. With air quality changing so much with wind and weather, anyone with sensitive lungs who heads here to hike should be prepared for the worst.

Overnight/camping notes:
We had planned to overnight at the lake, but between the low clouds and the cold wind, we decided to head lower in the valley where we could see the sun shining.

Camping in the area - There are several campgrounds and lots of places to pull off and camp along SR410 running east away from Mount Rainier NP, but the campgrounds are closed for the season. There are some hunters out and about, so wear bright colors, make yourself known and be aware.

Today we hiked 3 miles beyond Sourdough Gap to Bear Gap. This 3 mile section of the PCT is a beautiful open ridge walk. We met many through hikers along the way. There are few "dues" to pay in this 12 mile RT hike! Although the flowers are past their prime, the sheer masses of asters and false hellebore mixed with a few orange paintbrush in the meadows above Sheep Lake make for a colorful display! Many were camped at Sheep Lake. The trail was dry and dusty, but in excellent condition.

Geezerpal Larry and I needed a change of scenery so off we go southbound to Chinook Pass - 1hr 50 min from Renton. WTA instructions to the trailhead are dead on. No water enroute so bring yer own needs. The first mile heading east parallel to Hwy 410 on a steep slope gains no altitude but would be real interesting if you had some rambunctious kids. Keep'em reeled in cuz there's a few spots to go splat over the ledge onto the highway.
As soon as you turn into the forest, all road noise ceases and you are surrounded by fields of spruce, wildflowers and NO bugs. In lieu of the proper Latin names, I'll define the flora as purple, white, yaller and red daisy like stuff. The trail is very moderate in grade but a bit dusty. I had to keep some space to my partner, lest we look like Schroeder walking behind Pigpen as his sockless Dr Scholl's footwear kicked up some large, wind supported clouds of the fine stuff for me to inhale.
In another mile you reach the basin holding Sheep Lake and a fine view of Sourdough Gap. Must be a good swimming lake as there were lots of footprint on the lake bottom. Admiring our intended assault up to the ridge, Geezerpal questioned my ability to move my aging volume up that baby in a timely manner. To my surprise, it was a very easy 600 feet with great alpine views. I did momentarily suffer "sympathetic vertigo" as Geezerpal steeped out onto the 45 degree slope with his 2.5X reading glasses on, in an attempt to find the macro setting on his camera for a flower shot.
In short order we made the gap, tucked out of the wind and admired the views northeast along the PCT. Too early for lunch so we traversed across some talus to another "gap" to our north. This provided a path down a bit to a fine lunch spot overlooking Upper Crystal Lake and a fine view of Emmons Glacier on Rainier.
The way back was just as rewarding as the big alpine views could be admired endlessly. An outstanding hike for any/all capabilities.

Hike features:
Despite being a pretty popular trail, there were TONS of ripe huckleberries for the taking and more on their way to ripe in the next week/two. We grazed the entire first (and last) mile.

Wildflowers -- lupine, red columbine, paintbrush, etc. -- were still blooming in profusion, and the views were gorgeous. We spotted a few birds, a marmot and some small fish jumping at the lake. A few mosquitoes and biting flies near the lake, but otherwise pretty bug-free.

Trailhead/parking:
We were able to find parking, despite it being (predictably for a sunny summer weekend) packed. The directions are spot on.

Trail conditions:
 * Overall, the tread is good, and very easy to follow. It's a gradual grade all the way up to the top.
 * Right now, it's quite dusty, so you may want to have a bandana handy, either for covering your mouth or to wipe off the grit post-hike. Plan to give any hiking dogs a bath when you get home.
 * As you traverse the hillside to the bench in the first mile, the trail bed has partially collapsed down the steep slope in one or two spots. It's nothing that kids, older folks or dogs can't manage, but you may want to hold tight to leashes or little ones' hands when you cross them. Higher up, you'll want to keep an eye out for roots, rocks and a few small blowdowns, but again, nothing too tricky.

Water:
With the exception of the lake 2.5 miles in, this is a pretty dry hike right now.

Other trip notes:
We chose this hike, in part, because it starts high and offers lovely alpine features. Because it sits just outside Mount Rainier National Park on National Forest land, it's a nice choice great for people hiking with dogs. We met a lot of well-behaved dogs on this trail, almost all of them on leash with owners who communicated pretty clearly about greetings. Also met a lots of families, older folks, a few fishermen, and a handful of PCT thru-hikers, too. Because the lake is so accessible and picturesque, it makes a perfect (if busy) resting spot. If you have the steam, it's worth pressing on and up for the views from Sourdough Gap.

Once you reach the saddle where the PCT begins to descend, you can take an easy, level trail on the talus field that shoots off from the first switchback. It takes you to another saddle with views, including a lovely view of Mount Rainier and off towards Crystal Mtn.

Overnight/camping notes:
Backpacking - We considered backpacking in to the lake, and it would have been a lovely spot mid-week, but there were so many folks searching around for established spots that I'm glad we chose to car camp.

Camping in the area - There are several campgrounds along SR410 running east away from Mount Rainier NP, and despite a Sat. arrival, we had no problem finding a spot in the aptly-named Pleasant Valley Campground. If you go right now, be aware of the ban on all campfires, even in established campfire rings.