Norse Peak, Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section I - White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

This was our annual fall loop hike. We park at the beginning of FR 7190-410 about 4 miles from HWY 410 on the Crystal Mt HWY. We begin on the Norse Peak Trail and hike 3.5 miles to a junction with the Goat Lake Trail #1161. There is a wood sign nailed to a tree saying, "Goat Lake". The trail climbs a short distance to a ridge above Goat Lake Basin and then drops down to contour above the basin which today was "fogged in" so that only once did we catch a glimpse of trees reflected in the lake. Usually we see elk and/or goats, but if there were elk by the lake, they were hidden in the fog. 1.9 miles from the junction you reach the Norse Peak Wilderness area and the PCT at Barnard Saddle. Turning right the trail goes above Big Crow Basin where there is a shelter. We had met 2 horsemen who said there was a hunting camp set up in the basin so we had lunch along the trail above the shelter rather than dropping down to the shelter as we usually do. The meadows in this area were beautiful with the fir trees and the fall colors of the grasses and false hellebore. In about a mile we reached a junction of the PCT and Norse Peak Trail 1191. We turned right on the Norse Peak Trail climbing steeply at first to then contour gradually the basin to the 6600 ft ridge top and high point of our loop. Here Trail 1119A to the left climbs to the top of Norse Peak. Because there were no views today we turned right to return in 5 miles to the TH. This loop is 12-13 miles with a total gain of about 3500 feet. Fog was with us most of the day and added to the beauty of the area.