Tatoosh Ridge

Beautiful day at Packwood and the Tatoosh mts, skies were clear but a few stubborn clouds.

Reached the trailhead at 11:45, roads were a little rough coming up, but passable for a non 4x4, FR 5270 clearly marked off of skate creek rd, just make sure and stay to the right when the road forks about 1.5 miles before the trailhead.

First 2 miles were pretty steep and didnt let up much until the tatoosh lakes and ridge trail intersects, then level out a bit while following the ridgeline. The trail is a little overgrown in places, and the bugs were present but managed to come through without any bites, the misquito spray must have done the trick. The trail opens up and can see mt. rainer behind you while following the ridge with st helens and mt adams in the distance.

As you come up to the ridge, their is a trail to the left that leads up to a small mountain top that I presume is the lookout. Then there is another slightly heavier used trail that leads further down the hillside across a narrow valley to the next mountain top over. So we followed this later trail only to come across a small but impassable snowfield. (at least for our comfort) In which we then just backtracked to the former trail that led to the mountaintop. As the trail neared to the peak, it started to fade and we just had to scramble to the top up a very steep but doable grade. Once there magnificent views of mt rainier and the tatoosh lakes that made all the sweat worth it.