I drove down to Chambers Lake Campground Friday night after work. The long forest road is fine condition, and easy to drive in the dark. There was a bit of washboarding, but very few potholes.

I hit the trail for Snowgrass Flats the next morning. There were about 25 cars in the parking lot, but I saw almost no one on the trail. The trail is in good shape. There were a few mosquitos, but nothing bad. I think there might have been a single blowdown to easily step over.

At the junction with bypass trail 97, I headed north toward the PCT. Soon I was out in a field of wildflowers. I didn't really expect to see so many this late in the year, but they were amazing. Water was relatively frequent up until this point. I neglected to fill my bottle, figuring that there would be more, and that I'd be able to make it up and back down Old Snowy without running out. This was true, but I came close and wished that I had filled up.

The fields of wildflowers seem endless, but at some point the trail enters a zone with very little vegetation and lots of rock. The wide-open views continue all the way to Old Snowy. As you gain elevation, you pick up views of Goat Lake and Mt. Rainier. It's pretty nice to be able to see Rainier in front of you and Adams behind you. There is some snow on the trail to Old Snowy, but it's nothing to worry about.

The final stretch of trail to Old Snowy is a scramble, but it's a pretty easy one. There is some exposure, but the rock is relatively stable and you can stay reasonably far from the edge. Summitting Old Snowy yields a 360 degree view featuring new mountains.

After Old Snowy, I headed south along the PCT. My goal was to camp at Cispus Basin, but I was moving slow and sunset comes early these days. I ended up at a nice spot near a stream in a grove of trees surrounded by wildflowers and a view of Adams. Not bad for playing it by ear.

It rained the next day, but waterfalls are most beautiful in the rain so I continued on toward Cispus Basin. In addition to the rain, it was foggy and cold. I'm glad that I hadn't continued on the night before: the trail traverses a steep slope, so finding a spot to camp would have been difficult. Every once in a while the fog would lift and I'd have a view of the valley below. It looked pretty nice. I'm not sure how far I got, or what remained on the trail. The description in my backpacking book didn't seem to quite match what I experienced. I stopped after the first large waterfall I saw. A hiker coming the opposite way said that the next waterfall wasn't as nice as the one I had just seen, and I was getting a little tired of the weather. I definitely didn't make it to Cispus Pass.

I hiked back via the bypass trail. It was in good shape, but not as interesting as the route through Snowgrass Flats.

The most beautiful flowers ever seen. Very few bugs. Hunters were out with bows (elk) and guns (goats). First and last days warm and sunny. The 15th was wet, windy and cold. Trail crew was working. Trails were great. Water crossing at by-pass 96A trail could be improved. Also a muddy patch on the PCT. Very, very nice area.

We spent 3 days in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, camping near a stream in Snowgrass Flats. The flowers were the best I've ever seen. Just a few bugs. Weather was hot the first day and rainy and cold the second day. I highly recommend this trip. Best flowers of the year.

If your schedule allows for only one backpacking trip before the end of the summer, make sure it’s this one. The beauty of this area is incredible. Our 1-night backpacking-loop originated at Berry Patch (trail #96). Hiking to the flats is quick and easy. Consider continuing on to the PCT to camp, as to leave less mileage for the following day. The mosquitoes were fierce throughout most of the trip-- definitely come armed with Deet (Eucalyptus does not work amidst swarms). The next day, we followed the PCT to the base of Old Snowy where the views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Saint Helens were spectacular. Following our summit scramble to the top of Old Snowy, we glissaded down to Lily Basin and hiked along trail #95 to Goat Lake, which was still frozen over. Once at the lake, we hiked up to Goat Ridge and followed it back to Berry Patch. The wildflowers were incredible. The tiny streams cascading down the slopes and winding their way through phlox-covered rocks was magical. We saw wildlife from a distance, but the area boasts of close encounters with Elk, and the area’s namesake, Goats. Happy trails!