Eight Mile Squire Creek Pass

There are 2 approaches to Squire Creek Pass. Shep Griswold and I hiked the Squire Creek Trail a couple of weeks ago (see trip report titled "Squire Creek" if interested). This is a shorter approach on the Eight Mile Trail. Shep, HikerJim and I were the visitors today.

The Eight Mile trail is located 8 miles up the Clear Creek road opposite the Clear Creek Campground a few miles from Darrington on the Mountain Loop (when you come to the fork in the road, go up). Road good for all cars - a few rocky patches where washout repair has been done, but just take it easy - my buddy Bob was up there last week with a Honda Element (zero clearance). The trailhead is at a wide spot when it’s obvious the road ahead deteriorates. See trailhead sign and bulletin board on right.

Past trip reports begged the Forest Service to not allow this trail to slip away – well, they’re working on it now!!! The Forest Service brushed the trail and logged it this summer, so it was in great condition (relatively speaking) for us this day.

The Eight Mile trail to 3 O’Clock Rock is a perfect example of different user groups pulling together for a better trail. In the late 1990s, WTA worked extensively on this trail with Matt Perkins and the Access Fund (not a 1950’s rock & roll band – Matt, avid rock climber, arranged the work party, sponsored by The Access Fund). Among its other program agendas, The Access Fund advocates continued access to climbing areas. Without climbers, this trailhead and the trail leading to the climbing area would likely have fallen into decay due to low usage years ago. Thanks to climbers and The Access Fund.

There’s more to this trail than 3 O’Clock Rock and the stupendous views at the end. There are many rock slabs with slippy-slidey waterfalls spilling down them, similar to Otter Falls (Mid Fk Snoqualmie trail). Also there are hundreds - if not thousands - of old growth Alaskan Yellow Cedar trees here. Among the oldest possible trees that grow in our region (up to 2,000 years old), these grand old trees are worth a visit. The wood is valuable, so it’s not common to see any of the age of these trees at Squire Creek Pass trail. They are beautiful trees.

The trail begins on an old, old logging road. Mildly irritating, the rocks are perpetually wet, so they’re slick. But it doesn’t last long; you’re soon on a mildly irritating steep trail. The forest here isn’t the prettiest I’ve ever seen – but no worries – the upper portion more than makes up for it. However, a humongous western redcedar thrives a bit before you reach the open slope to 3 O’Clock Rock. You’ll know it when you see it.

After 3 O’Clock Rock, the trail shoots upward and becomes more primitive. It’s “built trail” characteristics mysteriously come and go. Now a boot-path, now an excellent tread through a rock slope.

While the trail maps indicate no creek crossings, there are intermittent streams that slip down exposed rock waterslides. We had no trouble crossing these intermittent streams, and though the rock looks slick, it was not (at least not at this date).

Views of White Chuck Mountain to the north are very nice; when you near the Pass, Pugh Mountain and Glacier Peak also poke up. They’re more difficult to see, but are surely there.

Once you get to the Pass, Three Fingers steals the show, and understandably so. It’s so close that you can see the lookout building. Spectacular views all down the Squire Creek valley from Big Bear Mtn down to White Horse.

On the way up and while at the Pass, I thought how I wish people would get off the I-90 hikes and get over to these other tremendous areas and hike them and love them and advocate for them before we loose them forever. I-90 is nice, but once you hike it, love it, and advocate for it folks, try other places, too, ok?

Past trip reports on WTA’s site are pretty harsh for this trail, apparently notorious for brush. But since the largest portion of this trail is in old growth forest, I can’t figure out where all the brush is save for a few obvious places – surely not enough to render the full 2.5 miles as horrible…? Other comments bemoan the roots and rocks that have to be dealt with, yet I don’t read vicious complaints about the Rachel Lake trail, the Sunrise Mine trail (Headlee Pass), the beat-to-hell Forgotten Meadows, Pinnacle Lake trail - and the eyesore that is Mailbox Peak with views of a freeway is praised as a great trip. This trail is only 2.5 miles long – though I don’t recommend it for children, anyone who can huff those other eyesore ankle-twister trails ought to be able to handle this one. Just watch your step. I’m a world-class klutz and only fell on this trail once - and it had nothing to do with the trail conditions – I slipped on hemlock cones.