Left Seattle at 07:30 Saturday morning for YAB. Arrived a little before 10am with 7 other vehicles present. Access road is still snow/ice free and in good condition. 41 degrees at the trailhead with lots of bugs buzzing about.

Headed up the trail making good time. First snow visible at about 1/2 mile in. Patchy snow on trail starts at about 1mile with solid snow coverage on the trail starting just below Gold Run Pass. No bugs at all.

Met some hunters at the pass who said they sighted a bear at the Butte. Passed a few other hikers and even a couple of overnighters. Snow 6-12"" deep at this point. Snow is hard and consolidated and I was able to walk on top without sinking. Saw bear tracks in the snow (I think) after rounding the south facing face of the Butte's base. No bear to be seen however. Couple of hikers and a dog ahead of me to scare it away. Had a leisurely lunch at the tarns in solitude... where did everyone else go?

Headed back down at 12:30pm, snow had significantly softened making the going much more strenuous. No need for snowshoes yet but be prepared to sink a bit. Snow over trail is very soft and it tries to carry you downhill as you step on it. Two guys up on the butte above me were pushing stuff down (I don't think they knew there were people below them). Fun to watch how far the snow boulders went but had to move on for safety. Met many nice people and a really cute dog that was very well behaved.

This is still my favorite hike anywhere in the Cascades. It's really easy and the views are incredible. Plus, nice fall colors on the drive in.

Gorgeous day. The road to the trailhead was fine for a little VW Golf. The trail is great with the exception of a very short (<10 meter) scree-ish section traversing the steep slope as you approach the tarns which is eroding away. The combination of remaining wildflowers and emerging fall colors was fantastic. Although the parking lot was overflowing, we hiked in relative solitude and the butte wasn't overcrowded. This will be great for the next few weeks!

All road and trail conditions are go. Great views on a beautiful day. This hike has lots of options for those who like to roam.

Yellow Aster Butte was fantastic on Saturday. 7/28/2007 The hike in was fairly easy. Lots of biting flies on the way up. (none in the basin) Still a bunch of snow to walk over. Trekking poles will help out a ton if you have them. Sunday was fogged in, but still lots of fun hiking out. Check out my video and some photos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGdizOMjvE