Trip Reports

Snowshoe trip on a rain/snow/windy day. First 2-miles snow-free or barely covered. Passed a section of chest high "trench" before putting on snowshoes. Not much out of ordinary all the way to summit. Windy from upper meadow to summit. Everyone was soaked back to TH, after 5 hours in the rain/snow.

Thanks to a Seattle Mountaineers group for making most of the tracks today! In addition to them and us (both are large groups of 9), two other parties of 2 were close to summit when we descended.

Album: http://tinyurl.com/d2qezyj

We were going to go to Big Four Ice Caves and wander up toward Monte Cristo, but since the sun was peaking out on an unexpectedly mild day, we decided to get some elevation gain in on Mt. Dickerman. We did stop at the Big Four parking lot because the mountain was out, towering over the picnic area. Then we headed to Dickerman. The trail met our needs for elevation gain, as expected. You have to love forest to appreciate Dickerman- not the nicest and most varied forest, but it's dense and deep, with occasional enormous boulders covered with moss and ferns. Water was running over the trail in various places. It was frosty at lower elevations, then snow appeared. The trail soon became completely snow-covered, with true Cascade concrete. The trail is easy to follow in snow but requires attention going through the lower meadow areas. A downward-trending gentleman said there were three snowshoers going upward, but warned there was a lot of post-holing. This was true, and also meant the only real estate at times was a trail through the creek. We made it to about 4500 feet, then lunch and hot cocoa called. Clouds had started drifting in, with fine snow showers, but we still got a pretty winter view of Big Four. Oddly, there were actual bugs out. The high humidity and elevation-induced perspiration made us appreciate the extra clothes we brought with. We turned around after lunch, waving good-bye to a hiker who said it was a slog, but that he was too stubborn to turn around. We ran into two more hikers on the way down, at about 2:30 (late for a November afternoon); they were in tennies and jeans, one carrying a bong (really! not legal until December 6) and the other a couple cans of beer. We're hoping it kept them warm.

Beautiful day for this hike. Snow started to appear on the trail at about the 3700' level gradually increasing up to about 4700' where it was all deep snow.

Snow on trail was compact so just hiking boots would suffice. Only post holed a few times when wandering away from the traveled track. A set of micro-spikes would be ideal. I used crampons on the way down to avoid slipping at the steep areas. On this day I would say snowshoes would have been a pain in the butt because of the changing trail conditions. Some areas of trail have 1" or less running water which has carved the snow down to the earth so you are hiking in a 2-3 foot deep channel. If I had to choose I would go with boots and micro-spikes until the next big snow.

Getting older and this was my first big hike in about 6 months so really felt it going up. Arrival at the top was well worth it. Glorious :)

For many years Mt. Dickerman was a favorite late fall hike. After the first snowfall the route can often still be followed to the summit. The views of all the peaks with a fresh coat of snow is spectacular. If too much snow falls too fast the upper mountain can be a nightmare of waist deep slogging. A report from the day before showed the conditions to be almost perfect. Off to Dickerman we went. Janet and Gwen joined me for this trip. We headed up the Mountain Loop Highway and reached the trailhead at 8:35 am. There were already about a dozen cars in the lot. Parked next to us were Mark and Nancy (The Zachster). They joined us for the rest of the day. It was just below freezing at the trailhead. Once we started moving I warmed up quickly enough.

The trail gains about 3800' net feet in 4 1/2 miles to the summit. It is never overly steep but climbs consistently. There are a few flatter spots after the midway point. The trail was snow free for nearly 1 1/2 miles. There was a little compacted snow/ice that was slippery. Footing was better when snow covered the trail. I took the short spur that drops to a view of Big Four. Mostly sunny over the peak. The forecast was for mostly sunny all day. We were anxious to soak up those terrific summit views. The switchbacks seem to go on forever. There are always more than I expect. We finally reached the long leftward traverse. When we came out of the forest the snow was finally deep enough to cover all of the trail.

A window gave us a view south to Big Four, Vesper, Sperry, Morning Star, and Del Campo Peaks. There were some clouds now but still very nice views. The creek crossing was no problem. A little slick stepping down into the gully but easy enough. Looking up the creek/waterfall much of it was ice. Several hundred feet of frozen waterfall. I've never seen so much ice there. There was only 3 or 4 inches at the winter route junction. Not nearly enough. We headed on as the route climbed to the meadows. Just enough snow to cover much of the low bush huckleberry bushes. The sky was now mostly white though sun shined through to light up the bright white snow.

We were taking our time. Lots of photos. A number of faster groups passed on by. Some folks were already heading down. The route climbs up to the ridge. I looked out to see Mt. Forgotten. the top of Stillaguamish Peak was in the clouds. Mark and I went all the way up with just boots. Everyone else had microspikes on. Poles were helpful too. We traversed to our right until we were under the summit. From here the trail climbs the mostly open south slope in a series of gentle switchbacks. Those peaks to the south were now encased in dark clouds. At one spot I could see the Big Four Ice Caves. We were still in sunshine. I was plenty warm though the temperature was now in the upper 20s.

As we neared the summit the clouds converged on us. Up from the south and over from the west. Just a few minutes short of the top the sun went away for good. We arrived on top to have views north of about 50 feet. All those wonderful snowcapped peaks were lost in a sea of white and gray. Well, the forecast was not exactly correct. On the positive side, the wind was still very light. Much warm clothing went on as it was now about 24 degrees. Instead of a long stay to enjoy the views we made it a much shorter visit. We headed down just before 1:00 pm after about 25 minutes on top. My hands were frozen and I had to stop and dig out my warmest gloves.

We made a lot fewer photo stops on the way down. The view was uniformly gray. When I mentioned that we were plenty early as it was only 12:20 pm I received some strange looks. It seems my watch lost 50 minutes on the hike up. What makes this more bizarre is that in two years of owning this watch it has lost 50 on two occasions now. The other time was on a hike to Monte Cristo/Glacier Basin. Both trips are right near Barlow Pass. I'm now calling it the Barlow Pass Triangle. Strange things seem to happen to my watch there.

On the way up there was one spot in the lower meadows where standing water on the trail froze into a sheet of ice. I carefully crossed in on the way up. On the way down I did not notice it until I was horizontal on my way down. Definitely by best fall of the year. Other than that the slick trail provided no problems. As always those long switchbacks seemed to go on forever. Just beyond the huge rock next to the trail I found the old 2 mile marker. It is the last one on the trail and the green color makes it hard to spot. It had begun to snow on the summit and light and occasionally harder flurries continued much of the way down. I was afraid it would turn to rain but it never warmed up enough. So much the better.

As always I was surprised to see folks still heading up late in the afternoon. If they went to the summit they would not get down before dark. I was happy to get down in the waning light. We were down in plenty of time to make most of the drive home before dark. The bright sunny day forecast was not to be. On the other hand, the conditions were excellent. No snow on the lower mountain and not enough to make the upper mountain very difficult. There was enough snow to cover the upper meadows and flock the trees. The huge icy waterfall was great too. Last and not least was good company. Nice to hike with Gwen again for the first time since the bizarre watch day at Glacier Basin (hey, is there a pattern here?) Another fun day with Janet. An unexpected treat running into Nancy, Mark, and Cedar the canine member of the group. No we did not have all the views hoped for but it was a great day to be hiking in the mountains.

I have posted 37 annotated photos on my website located at: http://www.hikingnorthwest.com. Go to "Trips - 2012" on the left margin.

Mt Dickerman
Nov 10, 2012

Wow...nearly 10 years since my last visit. Nearly 10 years exactly.

Not too much to report on this trail. First 1/2 mile or so is new trail that joins up with old trail. This first stretch is pretty flat. After joining up with the old trail it starts an endless series of switchbacks as the trail heads up, up, up. First 2.5 miles was nearly snow free. Just before the gully crossing we put on microspikes. It was less of an issue of ice and more just compacted snow. The gully crossing is easy. I've been here previous years where the gully crossing was NASTY. Not so today. After the gully, the trail does a few more switchbacks and then enters the meadow areas. Snow was a tad deeper through here but still...just not an issue. A few more longer switchbacks above the meadows and we were at the top (~ 4.5 mi from the TH). No cornices yet up at the summit. We had a couple of short views before clouds and snow moved it so after a short lunch and a couple of photos, time to head down. Snow up at the top was maybe 8-10 inches. The trail is still easy to follow and when the snow is deeper, if you are lucky, there is a trench to the top. Today, it was compacted snow.

Snow on trail.

Full Flickr photo set here: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/
Stats: 9 miles, 3800' gain (round trip)

After 2 previous failed attempts to summit but unable to due to snow, I finally hit pay dirt on a beautiful sunny fall day! Trail is clear and free of snow and bugs but the elevation will definitely give you a work out! As the previous hiker reported it's a really good idea to wear good hiking shoes - runners will not cut it. Plenty of roots and rocks along trail that might cause a twisted ankle. Also there is absolutely no water along trail so bring plenty to stay hydrated. At the summit it was truly breathtaking and also nice to have the area to myself and two other fellow hikers. On the way down I counted 8 people on their way up. Last but not least, don't forget your camera!

My husband and I are in our twenties, in reasonably good shape, and this hike was a "doozy" in our book. You get about 3 minutes of level hiking before you hit the switchbacks, and then it's up, up, up! We counted over 50 switchbacks. The view was amazing though, and well worth it.

We hit the trail at 1220, summited at 1600, and headed back down at 1715, arriving at our car at 1930. The last 30 minutes or so was in the dark.

Saw quite a few people heading down while we were heading up. There were 6-8 people on the summit when we got there.

No bugs, trail in pretty good shape. There were some stretches with lots of loose rocks, and had it not been for good shoes we might have ended up with a twisted ankle or two. Recommend good shoes and lots of water :0)

We started our hike around 2:30pm there
Was 5 of us and a friends dog. We had 3
Camel packs full of water and fished all
the water by the top, there is no water
source so make sure to bring enough
Water for you and your party. The hike
Was wonderful! All the wild flowers
Where in bloom they were so beautiful
There was also a small amout of wild
Blue Berries, make sure if you eat any
Of them you know they are blue berries
Because, there are some berries that look
Similar but can be harmful. We took our
time being that we had the dog with us
There was plenty of hikers making their
Way down the mountain when we were on our
Way up, they encouraged us!!!! When we
Made it to the top we had a picknik lunch
It was a gorgous clear day!! We saw
Glacier and many other mountains. The
view from the tip was worth everything!
It was very chilly on top so make sure
you have a jacket. We got down around
around 7 it was starting to get dark
Thankfully we met a gentleman at the top
We talked at he too had a head lamp.
All an all, the hike was a pleasure!! :)

Mount Dickerman always makes you feel like you've earned those phenomenal views. As you have. Even with the Wenatchee fire hazing the lot, the blue skies and still-blooming meadows and their butterflies conspired to prolong our summit stay. Pretty fantastic to share with only half-a-dozen others.

 I understand why Mount DIckerman gets a 4 stars rating in Craig Romano’s North Cascades day hiking book. This trail does deliver the views! With summer sunshine forcasted this would be a choice hike to do now. It was warm enough that most of the handful of hikers we saw today were hiking in shorts and sleveless shirts. The wildfires in Eastern Washington are affecting the views looking to the north. On our hike today only the top of Mt. Baker was visible, while the bottom 3/4 was hidden in the smoke. But great views abound in all other directions. Bugs were not a bother. Butterflies are still out and about as the wildflowers wind down their show. The Huckelberries are starting to turn and they will be taking over center stage soon.

No snow, no berries and almost no bugs. The trail is in great shape all the way up. We took our time along the way taking photos and enjoying the views and even some goats making their way down a steep slope on Dickerman's west side. No water anywhere along the route so take plenty during these dry, sunny days. There were about 20 hikers we encountered going up/down the trail. One lone traveler said she was hiking Dickerman because it was her birthday (57th). She beat us to the summit but when Arthur and i got there, we just had to sing "Happy birthday to you...", whereupon she told us her name was Laurie. So we got her photo along with some other scenic views, ate lunch and headed down.
Wildflowers are few, Fall foliage is yet to arrive and the blueberry crop will hopefully be better next year.
http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

Mount Dickerman is a steep trail but the reward is well worth it. We hiked this one on a Thursday and there were only 5 or 6 cars in the parking lot. The trail is steep right out of the parking lot and never quits climbing. First through some big trees and then replanted forest. Once you break out into the meadow areas every step produces new wonders. The flowers look more like an early alpine spring than September. Once at the top those famous views take your breath away. (Definitely do this hike on a clear day!) At risk of causing a stampede the blueberries are perfect but there aren’t many berries. The trail now has no water but is otherwise in perfect condition. A big thanks to those who did the maintenance.

Whewwwww, what a hike! Steep and unforgiving, this hike doesn't give you a break. There aren't really any flat sections of this trail, its all up up and up! But boy was the climb worth it. Wildflower meadows cover the top ridges and provide the foreground for some incredible peak views. It was cloudy on friday, so I couldn't see Rainier, Baker, Shuksan, Three Fingers, White Horse, or the Olympics, but the closer peaks were stunning! Big Four, Sperry, Vesper, DelCampo, White Chuck, Stillaguamish, Forgotten, Bedal, Glacier, and all were very visible. Pugh, Sloan, and Silver Tip's peaks hid in the clouds a bit, but otherwise I could see much of them as well. This trail was gorgeous, but as mentioned it was tough. Took me about 2 hrs and 15 mins to reach the 4.3 mile true summit, but you could stop at about the 3.5 mile mark if you wanted and be happy with the views of Big Four and her southern friends. I didn't really notice the bugs too too much, as I did have bug spray on....but I would suggest bug spray just in case. Start early, bring your lunch, and enjoy it at the top with the endless views! You will have earned it! Oh and bring plenty of water!

Went up Dickerman for the first time today. I don't have too much else to say that Maddy didn't already say yesterday (and I can't beat Maddy's pictures):

http://www.wta.org/[…]/trip_report.2012-08-25.9879711215

I got up at 4. We left my buddy's house pretty early. We were on the trail at 6:22 AM. Was surprised that another gentlemen had beaten us to the trail. We saw 4 campers up the the meadows and were extremely jealous. Their views of the stars the night before must have been fantastic. It took us 2:59 to the top and 1:50 back down. We had the summit to ourselves for 1/2 hour.

I honestly didn't think the trail was too tough. It got my heart going for sure but it wasn't the toughest thing I'd done this summer. It was, however, the prettiest mountain I've done this summer. Wildflowers everywhere. I loved the meadows. I love the Mtn Loop. It just seems likes the mountains are much more jagged, more wild than along I-90. Just different. The weather was near perfect on top. Sunny with a slight breeze. Warm but not hot. No bothersome bugs. What more could you ask for?

I carried 3 liters of water with more waiting for me in the car. I did see some people with no water. Not sure how they made it...

My pictures and a shaky video here:

http://www.lemarts.com/2/post/2012/08/mt-dickerman.html

Great views from this peak on Mountain Loop Drive. 3800 ft of elevation gain over 4 miles will make you feel like you've gotten some exercise when you reach the top. I left Bellevue at 5:20 am and arrived at the trailhead at 6:50am. I was the first car in the lot. The 1st 1/4 mile goes through an interesting old growth Douglas Fir forest with some impressive trees. The next 2 miles take you up endless switchback through an uninteresting crowded forest of small trees and no understory. The one and only place to fill your water bottle is about 1/2 way up where a small trickle of clean water comes off of a steep cliff into an eroded gully. The last mile makes up for the first 2 with great views of Vesper and Big Four with flowery meadows in the foreground. 360 view from the peak takes in everything from Baker to Glacier to Rainier and everything in between. Almost no insects on this sunny and breezy summer day. I had the peak all to myself for 30 minutes. Many people and dogs coming up as I headed down. 90 cars in the lot when I got back at 1pm. An early start is highly recommended.

  Set my alarm for 3:30am and was out the door by 4:00 and at the Mount Dickeman Trailhead at 6:30 on my Hike #32 this year. Mount Dickerman Trailhead is off the Mountain Loop Highway 27 miles east of Granite Falls, Washington on the left side of the road. It shares a parking lot with The new Perry Creek Trailhead. Located about a mile east of the Big Four Ice Cave Trail. This trail is 9.2 miles roundtrip which starts at 1800 feet and goes to 5,723 feet which is a gain of about 3,723 feet.
  The lower 80 percent of the trail is all in the trees with a few sneek peaks looking south toward photo #4. This trail has very little access to water so make sure you bring enough of your own. I recommend 3 liters as I used up two liters really quick. There is one small creek to cross that may yield some water but its turning into a trickle quickly.
  The trail starts out with a little gain the first quarter mile then it gets to kicking your butt. It is relentless in its desire to suck the life out of you. Switchback after switchback and step after step until you get to the meadows where you get a false sense that you are getting close to the top until you turn a corner and look up and see the top and realize it is still along way to the top.
  The meadows are full of flowers in bloom so that was nice but there is little shade the last 20 percent of the trail so go prepared on a warm day with water, hat and sunsreen. The mosquitoes were not too bad but the worst of them was at the top. This maybe because I started up so early before they came out. The trail work has been nice but I admit making all those steps that you have to step up over are worse than just walking through mud. Its very hard to step up over top of some of them when you are already worn out from the lower 80 percent of the hike and now you are in the sun.
  Even with all that, this hike is well worth ever breath you take and every step you have to make. The views at the top are spectacular and well worth the effort so don't let anything I write in this report stop you. You will not be disapointed. Checkout the video of this hike or over 200 other hikes I have done in Washington on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or click on this direct link to this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watc[…]TFBm7o&feature=youtu.be

As always get out and see this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking!
Take Care
Mike

This is a very good hike, lots of shade. I had a problem with deer flys but it was still great! Breathtaking views

First and foremost, WOW!!! This hike was amazing. A few words that come to mind when looking back on this hike are: wildflowers, 360 views, switchbacks, amazing. A few words that do not come to mind about this hike are: easy, level, populated.

This hike is a more difficult hike. You begin climbing and you end climbing. If their are a couple flat spots they do not last long. This means when the incline is small, consider this your break. This hike (like many Mountain Loop hikes) is a tail of two halves. The first have is switch back city in the forest. Back and forth, back and forth, gaining alot of elevation. Off to the west, you can see how far up to are by looking though the trees at Big Four (their is a beautiful resting are just off the trail during these switch backs that will give you your first awesome view of Big Four). As a matter of fact, Big Four is with you during you entire hike; but hard to see until you get out of the forest.

You will eventually cross the trickle of an almost dried out waterfall. This is a good place to get some water on you head/wrists and cool off. Also, a good place to apply your sun block. Once you get out of the forest, their is not much shade.

Coming out of the forest you are once again greeted with a break taking view of Big Four and the surrounding ranges. This is where the wildflowers begin. There are places from here to the summit that smell as powerful as a floral shop with the fragrances of flowers. At this time, it feels as though you are done with switchbacks; dont let that fool you. You are just on a really long switchback. The switchbacks end once you reach the summit. These is about a 1/2 mile that does lighten up on the elevation gain, so take it in and do some relaxing.

Once the incline start getting steep again you are rising to the summit. You have about another 1000Ft incline to go. Just keep pressing on and when you need a break, look behind you at the amazing views of the Big Four and the ranges. To be honest, your best Big Four views are during the journey to the summit.

At the summit, the 360 views from 4 different picnic rocks will make everything worth it. Views of Baker(North) can be see but hard to photo; but the big daddy that will capture your attention is the hidden Glacier Mountain(East). Absolutely amazing. Off to the West you can see an almost snow-less Mount Pilchuck and still some great viewing of Big Four. The south will give you marvelous views of all of the Highway 2 mountains (Index, Baring, etc..) and the Mountain Loop highway is visible. I stayed for an hours and took in views from all 4 main picnic spots. If you are not height sensitive, peek over a couple of the picnic areas to see the amazing drop off from the north side of Dickerman. There seemed to be other trails to the Eastside of the summit however, since I am a solo hiker I tend to be hesitant on over exploring areas not planned to do.

The way down will give you hamstrings and calves a rest; but, you feet will remind you of how much energy was spent on the way up. Make sure to stay hydrated (bring lots of water), do not race up/down the mountain, and take in the views. Dickerman really reminds you how amazing our state is. While there were no berries to pick yet (cause for another trip up? I think so..), it was amazing just the same.

My advise: Prepare for a difficult hike; but, dont let the difficulty of the hike scare you away from this mountain. The trails are well maintained and easy to follow. Just take breaks when needed and stay hydrated. This is not the mountain to schedule 4 hours to get up and down. It took me 3 hours(photo breaks) to get up and 2 hours(not many photo breaks) to get down and enjoyed and hour at the summit (6 hours total). Also, there are people but not near as many as I thought (thank Pilchuck for being well before Dickerman is my guess). This makes the hike pleasantly quiet; but, there are people around in case trouble occurs. Bring you trek poles if you have em and wear good shoes. Most importantly, enjoy this hike!!!!!

Great day for a hike!! Dickerman was on my bucket list of hikes and I'm glad I was able to fill it. Arduous and strenuous but worth the grind. The views from the top are worth the effort. Highly recommend plenty of water for this trip....your body will thank you.

Cheers,

Tim

Dickerman is a tough trail gaining 4000 ft in 4 miles. Yet the trail is in good shape, rocky and rooty in some places but mostly smooth sailing. Starting from the trailhead the path climbs up 53 switchbacks just to get to the waterfall. The latter is just a trickle now but it marks approximately a bit less than the half way point up to the summit.

There are only 3 tiny patches of snow on the way which should disappear in a week and only one blowdown - an old dry weathered trunk about 7" in diameter up near the top. Just past the waterfall is a switchback through some rocks and one big rock has fallen on the trail. Other than these minor isolated inconveniences, the trail is fine.

Dickerman is very popular. I met 3 people coming down already at 10:00 am and 4 more at the summit. I encountered several more groups on my way down. It was cloudy today but that made for a cool climb and a misty magical summit. Wildflowers abound after the waterfall but they are really abundant in their prime in the last bit up to the summit.

This was a phenomenal day to hike up to Mount Dickerman. The shade for the first half of the trip made the second half in the warm sun bearable. It was in the mid-80s - even at the top, and no extra layers were needed at the summit. It was blue skies and visibility passed Mt Rainier to the south and Mt Baker to British Columbia to the north.

There were some noisy little bugs and flies but few biting ones today. I used Skin-So-Soft instead of deet (wanting to work my way up the toxicity chain if needed). No additional bug protection was needed (thank God - I'm still recovering from last weekend's trip to Pete Lake.)

Trail conditions: There were no blowdowns that required climbing over. The snow was melting fast and the water sometime shared the trail. There were still some patches of snow within the last mile or so of the summit. On a warm day like today, the snow was soft and easy to cross. Doable without trekking poles, but the snowfields are still sizable enough that poles made life easier.

The berries don't look like they'll be making an appearance for some weeks yet. Still in hibernation.

But the wildflowers are out! The top of the summit is bursting with color. Bring your "good" camera. It'd be worth it.

This was my first time up Mt.Dickerman, though I'd heard much about it, especially about it's reputed difficulty. I honestly did not find the mountain to be particularly strenuous myself, but the mountain is different to everyone. However, on a clear day like today the shared experience for all is the stellar vista at the summit. If you are new, or old to the Mountain Loop vicinity this is a highly suggested hike to gain some bearing on the terrain, as most every high point is visible from atop. Bring a map to become even more familiar! The trail is in fine condition, and the snow sections should give one little trouble. There are even a few opportunities for short, but fun glissades. The bugs were hardly noticeable, and for being such a nice day, and a weekend no less, the trail was only sparsely traveled. Buen Viaje!

I made it up the trail as far as 4200', where I lost the trail in the snow. Snow was melting so fast that boot tracks made just hours before (I know 'cause I talked to the maker) had already disappeared. The instantly deep snow now starts a few hundred yards after the "infamous creek crossing", with no trail of any kind to point the way until the melt is complete or some trail-savvy hiker pounds out a new boot path.

I had hoped to get at least to the first meadow, but that's OK, since I really go to Mt. Dickerman for the wildflowers (though I love the topside scenics too). This is the only place I've ever seen the rare Gnome Plant, but it seems I was a bit early this year, or perhaps the plant has been buried under shifting trail debris. Disappointment was short-lived, however, since I ran into one of my favorite plants, the rarish Candystick (Allotropa virgata), one of the many fascinating parasitic / saprophytic / myco-heterotropic oddities that thrive in the deep, rich duff along the lower half of the trail.

The better-known wildflower beauties like Tiger Lily, Western Columbine, Silverleaf Phacelia, etc., are all budding but still a week or two from blooming. So, unless you're a snow junkie, give it a couple of weeks before hiking this trail for maximum return for effort.

Major repairs are done on the Mountain Loop Highway, but there are still several very short gravel patches in the road to look out for.

Snow from the bottom of the steep winter route chute(with the rapid melt this route is no longer safe) to the top with a few spots along the way where the trail was exposed under some trees. Most of the tracks seemed to follow the actual trail surprisingly well considering how seldom it was visible. The summit cornice has melted back 5-10 feet back from the edge of the steep north face.

The weather was a combination of heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and sunshine, all of them simultaneously at one point. The rest of the trip was dry and often sunny. Thunder could be heard and lightning seen far to the west in Everett. I saw 1 other solo hiker and a group of two, though there were many more cars in the lot wen I arrived.

3 hours up
2 hours down
5 hours car-to-car

Snow conditions: There is still a very significant amount of snow up there. Snow is continuous from the waterfall crossing at about 4200' or so. People are using the "winter route" to the summit. The snow is very consolidated - traction devices are not needed.

Hazards: The snow bridge on the creek below the 4200' (or so) waterfall looks dangerous. No one appeared to be using it. Without much difficulty one can cross the creek below the trail and then regain the trail. From that point to the place where the summer trail diverges from the winter route (~4400') there are also several traverses on semi-steep snow. Though the steps are good a slip in these areas would be unpleasant. Most of the remainder of the trip is without any significant hazards.

Equipment: For the reasons discussed above, I'd recommend an ice axe (though we didn't have ours). At the very least, take trekking poles. Gaiters are desirable, but not mandatory, I'd say. If you get an early start, you might want to consider (real) crampons.

Weather: Broken clouds with limited visibility to distance peaks. The tops of many peaks were in the clouds.

Companion: Amy.

Time: 2:45 hrs car to summit; 5:10 hrs car to car.

Another great day on Mt. Dickerman with perfect weather today! We hit snow at 4000'. The snow was just starting to melt out at the first of the two creek crossings. It seemed fine today just requiring appropriate caution, especially on the way down. The second crossing seemed stable today. The views at the summit were awesome. There was some very minor blowdown, and some minor water on the trail in a few places.

The Mt Dickerman trail was in good shape all the way up to the snow level at 3950 feet. After that point it was a continuous snowpack to the summit. The snow was hard early in the morning. An ice axe was very useful crossing the gully at 4000’ as well as traversing the steep slopes above the stream for the next quarter mile. The hikers before us all had crampons or microspikes and I’m sure they appreciated them. The summit had major cornices which we occasionally glimpsed when the clouds thinned but the clouds never broke during the hour we were on the summit. Coming down the clouds started to break up and we got some views of the surrounding peaks. It turned out to be a beautiful day and was an excellent trip even without the views from the summit.

The Mount Dickerman trailhead (about 2,000 feet elevation) is easy to access and now in great condition. It had clean pit toilets and no one but us parked there. The trail starts up steep right from the parking lot and never flattens out. We climbed up to about 3,500 feet or more before we got into snow. The trail up to that point was in great shape wit only one minor blowdown I can remember. Once in the snow it got a bit dicey. Eventually we lost the trail due to snow and the going was pretty slow. We turned back I’m guessing at around 4,200 feet and on the way down I took a nasty spill (trying to re-position my ice axe and the snow gave way under me.) I was unable to arrest and ended up on some rocks in a small creek. Just bruised up and wet, I’m lucky it wasn’t more serious. In the lower parts of the trail the trillium is in bloom and mosquitoes are out.

This hike is a beautiful treasure of the Cascades and I recommend it highly for those skilled in back country travel and know their limits. In summer it’s much less treacherous. At the top the views are truly spectacular.

Sorry, but I failed to take photos.

The Mountain Loop Highway is still closed 11 past Verlot, so our destination (Mount Dickerman) was out. We opted for Lake 22 instead. The views of the surrounding peaks on the way up were great with the recent snow and blue skies. The trail is in great shape. Snow last 1/4 mile with occasional snow bridge over stream. There is about 4 feet of snow at the lake, maybe 4 inches new. The lake is frozen and snow covered with some areas melting out on the perimeter. Views at the lake were beautiful (I rarely go to lakes on clear days). We watched and listened to rock and snow fall from the high ridges and peaks which were tremendous since the recent heavy snow. The avy forecast was high above 5,000 ft for soft snow and slab avalanches. In the warm sun there were slides approaching the lake shores which helped with our decision not to snow shoe around the lake. With all the evidence of slides, Dickerman was probably not the best choice today after all.

Heavy snowfall over the last several days has left those areas beyond the Deer Creek Winter Gates at mile post 23.3 on the Mountain Loop Highway,covered in deep snow.This finally allowed the US Forest Service and the Snohomish County Road Department to close the Deer Creek Gates for the winter.

The highway was plowed on Sunday night the 15th and the gates pulled closed and after the last vehicle that had been parked at the Monte Cristo Trailhead for winter camping activity,had driven out.The gates were locked on Monday morning the 16th.

Since Monday morning several feet of snow (3 feet or more) has fallen,making for good
snowshoe and cross-country skiing. Beware that the area is also open to snomobiles which are required to keep their speeds down in areas used for multiple recreation.

DO NOT park between the "NO PARKING BEYOIND THIS POINT"-"SNOW PLOW TURNAROUND" signs
and the yellow gates unless you are prepared to receive a $124.00 traffic citation for failing to obey the signs.Park so the snow plow can get past your vehicle as well.

BEWARE OF FALLING,OVERHEAD HAZARDS created by the heavy snow-load on the trees. There
is a threat of being stranded for an extended period of time if trees fall and block the highway,so come prepared for that possibility,have food,water,and extra clothing just in case. Have a full gas tank.

EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGERS...DO NOT CROSS THE ALUMINUM BRIDGE AT THE ICE CAVES.

Enjoy your stay and be safe,

Deputy Rasar

Flickr: http://bit.ly/mt-dickerman-iii

Mount Dickerman was rather quiet today for having semi-decent morning weather. Arrived at the trailhead at 8:30 AM with only one other car in the parking lot. The boys went to Round Mountain with me yesterday so today they got to stay home and sleep all day. Cooper and I were here May of 2010 so it was only a matter of time to pay another visit.

A report I read on WTA and NWhikers by the same hiker talked about his encounter with falling snow chunks. So to be on the safe side I brought my helmet along. It never hurts over-prepare than not have enough and having to turnaround in despair.

Savored the first 1,000' of snow-free trail, then it was followed by snow/ice at 2,000' all the way to the summit. There had been plenty of foot traffic on trail and various scramble route(s) so no need to worry about getting lost or offtrack. Saw owner of the other vehicle at around 5,000' as he was coming down.

Got to the summit 2.5 hours later and stayed for 45 minutes to treasure the solitude. It was mostly sunny when I started, then the clouds slowly rolled in from all directions when I got to the meadow at 4,600'. It cleared up a bit couple hundred feet below the summit, but that didn't last very long. Got lucky to snatch photos of Glacier Peak and Sloan Peak before the last bit of views disappeared. On the way down I past a total of 22 hikers who were heading up.

I brought snowshoes and helmet along but didn't use them. Only used microspikes for traction.

It was nice sunny day to go up the Dickerman today. Parking lot is covered with packed snow. Trail is show free to about 3,000'. Then you get ice/compact snow for some time. At about 4,000' watch out for falling ice when you get to the frozen waterfall and rock above you with ice hanging above you. When I was walking trough there some ice broke off and roled on to the trail, some chunks where 1 to 1.5 feet in size.!!! After that it is mostly nice snow "trail", exept when you are closer to the summit, some foot trails go diferent directions... Be carefull out there. Enjoy the mountain and stay safe!

for more info, check
 http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7995645

Road approach to trailhead: a little compact snow and ice on the road east of Granite Falls. The county truck had just completed its sanding run. No problem.

Parking lot: plowed, but a little hard to get into the parking stalls without 4 wheel drive. For that reason several cars parked on the shoulder of the county road just outside the parking lot.

Snow conditions: The snow in the parking lot soon disappeared as one ascended the trail and didn't reappear until about the 3000' level. The snow was continuous from there to the summit. There were icy spots on the trail until about 4400' or so. Everyone was following the "summer trail" to the summit. Above about 5000' or so, there was about 6 to 8 inches of powdery snow over a rather hard crust.

Floatation and traction devices: No floatation device was needed or used. Trekking poles are used and helpful in the icy areas below about 4500 ft. We neither carried or needed other traction devices.

Weather: Fantastic. The sky was completely blue. No clouds. No wind. One could see from Canada to the Olympics, to Rainier, to well east of Glacier Peak. A glorious day.

Companion: Amy.

Time: 3:30 hrs car to summit; 6:15 hrs car to car.

Bumped into on trail: Lynn, Richard, Boglarka, and others in a Mtneer group.

Road clear to trailhead, snowy and slick the last few miles past Silverton. Trailhead parking lot is tricky to navigate, very hard snow. Trail clear for about 3/4 of a mile, then solid snow to the top. Only tracks thus far are up the summer route.

Area around the waterfall is slick and dangerous, though the two actual chute crossings are easy. You will want both crampons or other traction devices for your shoes lower down and snowshoes for the upper mountain.

Cloudy, emerging from the fog just below the summit

If anyone reading this lost a leatherman up there in the snow let me know

A few weeks ago continued our exploration of the Mountain Loop Highway by tackling Mt. Dickerman, one of the area’s more challenging trails. The trail promised an easily accessible trailhead and breath-taking views. And it delivered.

We highly recommend adding a trip to Mt. Dickerman to your hiking list. On a good day the views from the summit are stunning. Mountains stretch out endlessly in every direction, and it’s easy to see why hikers trudge their way to the top of Mt. Dickerman year-round. While trail is a little rocky, hundreds of booted feet keep the route free of blow downs and overgrowth. Only the steep elevation gain might keep this hike a little out of reach for some. Still, the trail is in good condition that most hikers should be able to make it given enough time.

Check out the full report at:

http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/[…]/mount-dickerman-trail-710.html

Jer

Got to the trailhead at around 10 a.m.--Mountain Loop Hwy was a bit slippery but still completely passable in our front-wheel sedan. Put showshoes on right away, as there was a couple inches of snow from the trailhead, which quickly increased to several feet as we went on.

No problems getting to the summit, with plenty of tracks to follow the whole way, although the deep snow near the top made the last mile a bit slower than usual. A couple of avalanche chutes along the trail also seemed like they might become problematic in coming weeks. Great views of Big Four, Glacier Peak and Baker, as well as glimpses of Rainier and the Olympic range off in the distance.

Got to the top at around 1:15 p.m. and were back in the car at about 3:30 p.m. There were 6-8 cars at the trailhead, and we saw 3 or 4 groups on our hike.

Did this hike just one month ago and was able to make it to the summit with just boots and poles. On this day that was not possible for our group(3) with snow shoes and poles. We got to the trail head and saw about 6 cars total. Put on our snow shoes and off we went at 10:00 AM. The first mile or so needs a couple more inches of snow in a few places to ensure you're not walking on rocks, but once you're past that, you are in about 3-4 feet of fresh powder! Cross and open avalanche chute carefully and then come to a place where you can keep going straigh or turn to the right...we went right. After 4 hours of snow shoeing up, we had to turn around due to time. The snow is soft in places causing you to slip a little as you move forward. But what a beautiful day.

4 hours up, 1hr 45 mins down.

Reached the large parking lot just after 10am, empty except for one other car.

Encountered the first snow on the trail just above 4,000ft, and there were a few inches of soft snow in the open areas past the (still unproblematic) waterfall crossing. There were some tracks, and I didn't bother with gaiters or microspikes (but hiking poles were useful coming down).

Spent most time on the false summit to the east of the true summit, no trees blocking the view there.

Met one person on the way up, and a few parties on the way down.

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/[…]/MountDickermanNovember2011
Panorama: http://photosynth.net/view.[…]6103-4a4c-8c63-abc9c05aea8e
Tracklog: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/127842323

This was a great hike for a late fall day even if the supposedly amazing views were slight obstructed due to low clouds. This trailhead is easily accessable by low clearnece vehicles because it is directly off the paved section of Mountain Loop Highway. The first part of the trail is great being that was well maintained. It's easy on the knees because it's a dirt and pine needle trail.

Snow started as soon as we left the forested part of the trail about 2 mi in and 4000' ft high. It was pretty constant up to the top of the mountain where there was about 8-10 in of snow. The trail then gets very wet and slushy until the last mile or so where it becomes packed powder. The trail was easy to follow even with the snow and it followed the summer trail. I didn't need any extra equipment but I was wearing a pretty sturdy and waterproof boots.

Overall it took 2hr 20min to get up and 2hr 10 min to get down because we were going pretty slow coming down the top half because the trail was slippery.

The weather forecast for Saturday said cloudy, and I'd been saving Dickerman for a sunny day, but I decided to just go for it because I needed the conditioning. Glad I did, because the views were spectacular and I made it back to my car before the clouds and rains set in. I generally keep a slow but deliberate pace and was able to go car to summit in 2.5 hours. Summit to car in 2 hours.

Arrived at the trail head just past 6am, only one other car in the lot. Needed my headlamp for the first half hour or so. For those who haven't hiked this before, as I hadn't, don't be deceived by the Mount Si-like beginning of this hike. Eventually the switch backs end and you break out of the tree line into spectacular meadows and views (and you get those views a lot sooner than on Si).

As I reached the meadows frost began to appear on the trees, vegetation, and rocks, and as I got higher the trail was frost covered as well, even icy in places. No snow yet, so nothing to worry about, just another sign that the seasons are changing. Despite the even pace I kept, I never really got overheated in my half-zip fleece. The temperature must have been near freezing in the shade. Once atop the summit the sun was beaming and I was able to sit comfortably and take in the views. After an hour the wind began to pick up and I got moving back down the mountain, where I ran into the first people besides the lone guy at the top I had followed from the parking lot.

Be careful on the way down, as I mentioned some of the trail has a thin layer of ice. On rock slabs it's very easy to take a spill.

Not too many fall colors yet, just a few areas on the ridges east of of Dickerman, and a few treas near the trail head.

This is a great trail for a 3875 foot gain, especially the fact that the lower couple miles on the descent are through the woods on a soft tread and with none of the knee punishing one or two foot drops on the trail as there is in the upper portion of the trail. This made last two mile of descent much more comfortable. Mt Dickerman still has to be one of the best and most prolific views of surrounding mountains: Glacier, Soan, Fig Four, Three Fingers, Stillaguamish, Baker, Shuksan, Del Campo, Pilchuck, Whitechuck, Forgotten, well, you get the idea!

The colors of autunm are still to come up there, but some of the vine maple is turning and there are still lots of wildflowers: paintbrush, columubine and meadows of lupins.

First time up dickerman,and it lived up to the hype. What a day for this hike started at 0940 no clouds insight 67,and sunny. Very surprised to see only two other cars at the trailhead, I hear it can be pretty busy. I wouldn't say im in the greatest shape,but I've done a few other hikes in the area this season. Let me say this no "lolly gagin" this hike gets down to buisness quick I counted right around 50 yeah 50 switchbacks from the start up to the 4400 ft mark right around 3 miles. There is still a small water source at 4200 ft, but its small and won't last for much longer. So bring plenty of water. After the switchbacks the trail opens up to heather meadows. The trail gets a bit easier here until the final push to the top. I peaked the summit in exactly 2 hours. Yes I did stop to take some pics, and had some small snacks on the way. That being said I would say most ppl can do the hike anywhere from 2.5 hrs to 4. Sorry to say for all the berry lovers theres not many to be picked still. The views at the top are amazing bring a map to truely understand what you are looking at. Needless to say I will definitely do this hike again. I would also recommend the gothic basin hike which is only 3 miles further on the hwy. Happy hiking I hope this helps.

It was a cloudy day with intermittent drizzly rain, which had its silver lining. Along the way, we took a side trip to take pictures on the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River--it's one of the treats of the journey, and because of the clouds, photographic conditions were good. I recommend budgeting for spending some time with the river when visiting the area.

The directions are accurate (only one addition: to get to the Mountain Loop Highway, turn left onto Alder while in Granite Falls), and the trailhead is well-marked. There were plenty of spots in the lot for our hike, when we arrived at about 1:30 pm. However, it was a cloudy/slightly rainy day. The trails is in good condition. No blowdowns or scrambling involved. We took 3 hours and 20 minutes to get to the top, including time for photography. Blueberries are not out yet, though the wildflowers were varied and delightful, especially with the fresh rain.

At the top, we were treated to partial cloudbreaks which permitted some photography of Big Four, though we could not see Glacier, Baker, or Rainier. The trip down took about 2.5 hours, and it turned dark before we were off the trail--thank heaven for flashlights! Note to self: don't start that late next time! It gets dark very quickly in the thick woods of Mount Dickerman.

My first time doing Mt. Dickerman, and boy was it breath taking, despite the clouds and rain. Because of the late summer, there are scads of wild flowers still in bloom...purple, pink, yellow, white, blue, and then there were huckleberries, blueberries and wild strawberries along the way.

The trail starts out in the forest, quickly climbing as switchbacks help you up the mountain. We spent about an hour to hour and a half in the woods before the trail broke open to the meadows. The meadows were in full bloom of various flowers and the views were looking good. We pressed on and made the summitt in 3.5 hours. We were completely socked in at the summitt and it was chilly(roughly 40 degrees) so after a quick bite to eat we headed down.

Highly recommended trail, no blow downs, suitable for kids. Lots of dogs on the trail as well, so make sure if you bring your dog, you keep them on leash or they respond to voice command.

Truly worthy of it's classic status. The wildflowers were out in force and the views are spectacular. Bring plenty of water or a filter pump. Hard hike but worth it.

There seems to be a clear consensus on this site that this hike takes between 3 and 9 hours roundtrip. Let me try to calibrate more precisely: It takes me 1 hr 45 mins to ascend Mt. Si, and I made it up Dickerman in 2 hr 30 mins. (Both take me about 25% less going down.) And this was at a more moderate pace than I do Si due to stops for photos and scenic snacks (neither of which one does on Si).

It was 59 degrees when I left the trailhead at 10:15am, but I was plenty warm since the trail gets steep immediately. There's still enough flow from the stream at 4100' elevation (just over halfway up) to fill a water bottle, at least today. The summit had great views despite a little haze, and there was a slight but much-appreciated breeze especially on the knob just past the summit.

Lots of friendly, happy folk on the trail, including some characters: On the way up I met 2 guys who were doing Dickerman as a consolation hike after failing to summit Whitehorse (which they said is 7000' vertical with no real trail) yesterday. They said that today they "just wanted to summit something". I hope Dickerman wasn't too puny for their tastes. Then, just below the steepest switchbacks to the top, I passed a guy having a cigarette before continuing up, I suppose to make those last switchbacks extra-vivid. I don't claim to understand smokers, but you'd think that even if he really wanted a cigarette, he'd prefer to wait till he reached the summit and no longer needed lung function. Whatever.

The parking lot was about half full both when I started and finished.

Not much to add to the many trip reports this mountain generates. The berries are way behind schedule and may not ripen this year at all. On the other hand, the late snow has made for a great flower show in September. A little hazy on top so the mountain views were less than optimal.

As usual, I have posted lots of photos. 25 Photos can be found on my site at: http://www.hikingnorthwest.com. Go to "Trips - 2011" on the left margin.

With almost no snow, access to the summit is great! However, if you choose to bring the dog(s), bring lots of water. The one stream has very little water for refills and there are only a few small snow fields left to roll in to cool off (the dogs, I mean). The summit view was stunning and the wildflowers were still spectacular--only a few pesky flies. This is the time to do this hike (trail is in great shape so go early to avoid the crowds--got there at 8am with only six cars, got down at 1pm with the lot packed).

It was such a glorius day, we had to pick a view hike! Not wanting to face the hordes at Pilchuck, we choose the harder Mt. Dickerman. The trail is in good shape, the snow is off except for one teeny patch. The bugs were there,but no big problem. The streams are dried up, so no water. This is a tough hike, but doable for anyone in halfway good shape. Young trailjocks who report this as up and back in a few hours should be taken with a grain of salt. It took us 8 hours to do this hike. It's a steady uphill climb. It's worth it on a nice day. Stop, take pictures and smell the flowers. Take the forest service map along with the green trails, so you can ID all the peaks you see from the top. Yes there were a lot of people but it was Labor Day weekend. There is room to spread out.

Labor Day...hit the trailhead at 7:30AM with 3 cars in the lot. Second time hiking this trail and goal was to beat my time of 1:45 back in 2009. Trail is in excellent condition and hit the summit at 9:10AM! Glorious views under crystal clear skies. A few bugs at the top, but nothing major. One other person on the top and we ran into no traffic on the way up. The way down was another story but not too bad...lots of dogs. Made the parking lot at 11:30 and it was full. Definitely happy we hit the trail earlier versus later.

My first trail report (go easy on me) :)
Beautiful day, beautiful hike.
You can see 3 out of 4 top peaks in Washington state from Dickerman summit.
Hike is not the easiest, but well worth it on a nice day.Practically snow free at this time. You will take no more than ten steps in the snow I promise. Bugs were not much of an issue. It took me 2 hours 5 min to get to the top and 1 hour 20 min to get down. (I was going at a pace that I will pay for tomorrow, I’m sure).
I made a video of the 360 view you get from the top.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2115080239872

 Vehicle break-ins are occurring on an irregular basis,coinciding with the presence of valuables (car stereos with their removable face-plates in them,GPS units and Satelite Radios on the dash on console,binoculars,high-end sunglasses,garage door openers (along with your registration makes for easy home access at a later time)wallets,purses,and other bags with enclosed,unknown contents (put the contents out where they can be seen if they cannot be completely locked in the trunk (not a vehicle with a retractable or roll-top type trunk lid. With a flashlight it is very easy to see items stored inside through the cracks/openings around the edges of them.

BRING ONLY THOSE ITEMS WITH YOU THAT YOU INTEND TO PACK WITH YOU ON YOUR HIKE! LEAVE THE REST AT HOME FOR THE DAY.

4-Day weekends (LABOR DAY THIS COMING WEEKEND) and sunny days attract more of the criminal types.

Follow the above suggestions and you WILL have a safe, and care-free day in the
forest.

Enjoy you outing and visit us again soon.

On Thursday I was part of a WTA work party brushing out the Chokwich Creek trail. When will we link up to Bedal Creek? So, on Friday morning Rocky (my boxer hiking buddy) got an early start to hike up Mt Dickerman. The day's forecast was for a high in the eighties. We left the trailhead just before 8 AM and enjoyed cool temps in the shade of the trees. There were only a half a dozen cars in the lot. We steadily trudged up the switchbacks. There was ample water at the falls for Rocky to get a drink and to use my water filter to fill my bottle. There are still some patches of snow that cover the trail for a couple hundred feet. No need for gaiters, but trekking poles are handy. Made it to the summit shortly after eleven and had lunch. Beautiful views all around. Shared the views with five other hikers. We met dozens of hikers on the way down. Glad we got an early start. Oh yes, lots of flowers to enjoy. No Huckleberries this year.

A perfect Dickerman day. Clouds came in gently as we hiked out reluctantly.
Video here:
Http://Vimeo.com/levyfilms/dickerman

Looked like we were going to get another bluebird day, so headed for the views; Dickerman was our goal.

Had camped out at Bedal campground the night before which was quite lovely; small campground along the Sauk River. Allowed us treat ourselves to a little more sleep and arrived at the trailhead about 8:30A, there were already about 6 cars present but the parking lot also serves the Perry Creek trailhead.

We started the up the 2 mi of switchbacks gaining more than half of the 3900’ in the trees, crossed a dry creek bed, a short while later crossed a nice waterfall and the trail seemed to level out. Up to now the tread had been quite reasonable but after the waterfall, trail was rocky, muddy with still some remaining snowy patches although the elevation gain slowed subtantially after all the switchbacks. Broke out of the trees and came across the legendary fields full of berry bushes, the berries were still very green, wonder if they will be able to ripen this year. As we kept going started getting sneak previews of the views to come and definitely getting warmer as we were getting more and more exposed to the sun. Big Four and Del Campo were stunning! We continued on and the elevation gain started becoming more aggressive. We crossed a couple of fairly large snow fields where the trail disappeared; however, was not difficult to relocate. Trekking poles recommended for this area; one of us (the one without trekking poles) did have an involuntary glissade of several feet which was stopped by a stump. Thank goodness no serious injuries! We finally hit the western shoulder and then we could put eyes on our destination; looked a lot higher and farther than 1000’and 1 more mile…

Finally crested the summit, absolutely worthwhile!!! Baker, Glacier, Forgotten, Pugh, Sloan just went on and on. Beautiful views every which way you turn! Had our lunch, took our photos and took it all in!

We probably saw about 10 people as we went up and about 3-4x that many as we headed down about noon. Parking lot was practically full when we arrived, about 30-40 cars. Very busy place but clearly understood why.

Beautiful day, great hike, fabulous views!!!

Usually I do this hike earlier in the season to enjoy the long glissade runs but trips to other areas, Colorado and the Sierra, threw the schedule off.

I will say that those high elevation places still did not train me well enough. It was a real workout yesterday. But as usual it was worth it. Even working my butt off, I could not help but smile as I hit the fields of glacier lilies not far from the top. The season is definitely skewed. August should see fields of fragrant lupine off the summit. Instead the lilies were still popping up through the snow and there were still snow fields to traverse and one or two areas where knowing the route made the route finding easier. (if following tracks and they peter out, do not venture forward, retrace your steps to find the trail.)

While there are tracks, occasionally they stray trying to find the trail. Poles are sufficient and gaiters can help with the softening afternoon slush.

The route goes up to the sky and the rewards are there. A bit of snow at the summit and a modest cornice remains.

Bugs were not a problem.

About 8 to 10 other folks.

Switchbacks are the name of the game on Dickerman. I stopped counting around #55 or so, once I got to the open field about 2/3 of the way up. Snow cover is somewhat patchy at this point, but it was enough to obscure the trail from my rather novice hiker's eyes. I had a less-than-ideal snowy, off-trail hike up Pilchuck two months ago, and opted to not replicate that experience on Dickerman. Perhaps I'll return later or another year, when there's not so much snow this late in the season.

Sprained my ankle on my way back down to the trail head, which prevented me from taking a side trip up Perry Creek, but not from making a quick & easy jaunt over to see how Big Four's ice caves were coming along. Even in spite of not reaching the peak & my ankle, it was a good hike -- the elevation gain gives one heck of a workout -- and I'm looking forward to trying it again some time, to see the views from the top.

We got to the trailhead at about 10 am with only two other cars on the right side of the parking lot. Up time was 3.5 hrs, time at the top 1.75 hrs, time down 2hrs; rounding to 7 hours total.

Some wildflowers blooming

Still Plenty of snow near the top, not as much as I was expecting, saw people doing it in tennis shoes. The path was easy enough to follow.

Some water on parts of the trail

Lots of fog and plenty of overcast with sunny spots occasionally

Other than that, good day for a hike, and one excellent hike

weather: fantastic.

views: fantastic.

route: Nearly all people are using the so-called "winter trail" from the stream crossing at about 4400 ft.

equipment: gaiters & trekking poles. However, many of the people summitting had none of the above.

snow: continuous snow begins at about 4400 ft, i.e., the stream crossing where the summer and winter "trails" diverge.

time: car to summit (including two brief stops): 3-1/3 hours; car to car: 7 hours.

companions: Renée, Bob, Debbie, Mike, & Amy.

Still lots of snow!

Left at 7am. The waterfall gullies are snow-free. The snow begins in earnest just before the junction with the winter gully route going right and the main trail going left. I didn't see any tracks on the main trail, and there were some hints of tracks going up the winter gully, so off I went.

The snow in the winter gully is melting pretty fast, and was somewhat soft even at 8:30am. I used snow boots, gaiters, and ice axe up the gully. There are 3-4 open holes so be careful, especially at the very top of the gully. I had to maneuver around to the right hand side of the stream at one point, "belaying" myself with some vine maple branches, before reaching the top of the gully.

From there it was very steady and very deep snow to the summit except for one spot. I had to skirt around to the left of some bare, steep rocks and actually walked on the main trail for a few dozen feet. I then veered right and then picked up the straight-shot snow route from before and proceeded to the top.

There is probably 3-4 feet of snow at its deepest. The top doesn't have any dangerous cornices. In fact there's plenty of rock available to sun yourself or have a summit snack.

One very minor blow down just past the big waterfall. Glorious weather for a glorious hike.

Enjoy!

With all the snow still around we decided to do a familiar Mountain Loop Highway staple. While we did not avoid snow it was a beautiful day and so the hike was a lot of fun.

The first half is well maintained with plenty of water on the trail from the melting snow. The snow itself started around 2.5 miles in. Taking the advice of some hikers we met on the way up we took the "winter" route. Soon after the snow begins (note that if the nice wheather keeps up, there might not be any snow in that spot anymore in a few weeks) you can turn left to follow the regular trail or you can turn right (there were lots of well visible tracks) up a stream gulley (which is already running under the snow, so watch out for melting snow bridges). It probably shaves .5 miles off the route but you are heading straight up. Traction devices as well as poles and/or ice axe are recomended, though we saw some people in just sneakers. The views from the top were amazing as usual and made the uphill effort worth it.

Coming down was easy sliding on the snow. You might want to bring some rain pants or maybe a trash bag to avoid getting too wet, though regular pants worked fine for me. Just be carefule towards the lower end where the snow is getting thin. Sliding down I ended up jumping over a pretty deep whole that i didn't notice until it was too late. So be sure to take it slow.

I do this hike several times every year and I've never seen remotely so much snow so late in the season. Streams I didn't even know existed are running hard near the start of the trail. Everything is peachy up to the waterfall at about 2 and a quarter miles, but serious snow starts just a few hundred feet beyond. Impossible to tell where the trail goes. We followed a lone climbers footsteps onto the ridge on the far western edge of the mountain. Tree wells at least ten feet deep abound. Things got super sketchy maybe 400 vertical feet below the summit, and we were in fog, so we called it a success and headed back down. Don't go here unless you know the terrain and feel sure you can find your way.

BTW, flowers made it look like mid-May. Trilliums have just opened. Salmonberry and bleeding heart. Felt like we had entered a time warp.

weather: fantastic

views: fantastic

route: All (or clearly most) people are using the so-called "winter trail" from the stream crossing at about 4400 ft.

equipment: gaiters, and either trekking poles or an ice axe would be handy. However, it seemed that half the people summitting had none of the above.

snow: continuous snow begins at about 4300 ft.

hazards: (1) A HUGE rock/boulder came crashing down from high on the rock wall of the penultimate waterfall. Don't linger there. The rock probably continued a thousand feet (a guess) before it stopped. Pretty impressive. (2) There is a snow bridge across a snowfield at what I think is the last waterfall. If the bridge becomes thin, just make a new trail a bit higher OR avoid the snow bridge entirely by crossing below the snow.

time: car to summit (including lunch): 3 hours; car to car: 5:30 hours;

companion: Amy

As yall know perfect day for a hike. 1 hour till we hit snow then 90 min more to the top. Took the "winter route" on July 2!!! No way to follow the summer route. No Ice axe, no crampons, no wimpy poles. Just good boots. Tough up hill as we were the first of the day and had to kick in lots of steps for my son who, just in from Hawaii, had sneakers and yak trax! No problem though. Beware if the snow bridge, it won't last much longer. I'm no expert but I don't see this snow melting out till Oct!!! if at all. Fun fun sliding down. Hike with dogs now as there is plenty of water. Usually there is not enough for doggies on this trail. Also beware of "sink holes" if that's what you call them. Couple time all of a sudden, one leg is deeply sunk in snow.

We had a great hike on Dickerman today. There is a blow down at about 4000' elevation. Shortly after this we began to encounter patches of snow which soon became continuous snow to the summit. There is a snow bridge over the creek crossing. This may be unstable in the near future. We were not super excited about crossing it today. There are impressive cornices on the summit. We saw some yellow violets, calypso orchids, and trillium in bloom along the trail.

The trail is clear of snow through the main switchbacks. The gully is currently full of snow and passable. We took the winter route. We took our crampons, but didn't need them. We did have our ice axes. The clouds never did lift. A foggy hike to the top straight up through snow. Beware of the large cornices at the top. It's going to be awhile until things melt out.

Took Clyde the dog and a full pack for our next training hike. The road to the parking lot (Mtn Loop Highway) is now open. The snow starts around 1.5 hours up (maybe 4200 feet elevation), and is solid all the way to the top. The route is easy to follow in the snow, just a few tricky spots along the steep hillside traverse below the waterfall...just follow the footprints. I went on a cold/wet/foggy morning, so no snowshoes, ice axe, or crampons required...just gaiters and poles. The gully with the waterfall is currently snow filled and easy to cross. The top was completely fogged in, so no views for me. 2.5 hours up, 1.5 hours down.

If you like a snow hike, this is the place for you. The first half was clear trail, except for a couple large trees to negociate. Beautiful old growth forest. Lots of trilliums. Then scattered bits of snow and, quite quickly, total coverage.

The snow was firm and easy to traverse with no equipment - just good boots. You do need to know self arrest, though, as there are several places quite steep that you wouldn't want to slide very far.

Beware at near the top - large cornices hug the top of the cliffs and from above you could be fooled to go too close to the edge.

Coming down is sure fun on snow. It took 3 hr up and only 1.5 hr down!

There is a parking lot at the trailhead, but a gate was down not letting cars pass. This led to a 3 mile trek to the trailhead. There were fallen trees along the road and the trail. We started going up the trail, and about halfway up the canopied area (about 1/4-1/3 up the trail), we started seeing snow on the trail. We stopped for a little bit, and while we were stopped some regular hikers passed us, we talked about the unusual amount of snow, and they went on. A few minutes later they came back down, deciding there was two much snow on the trail to continue. As we were not prepared for snowshoeing, we turned back and did the Big Four Ice Caves instead. We will try again in July.

With another partly sunny day and decreasd avalanche hazard, Arthur and I decided to go up Dickerman. We departed the 2000' trailhead at 0830. The trail was snow-free to about 3300', Then it was compact snow with icy areas. Traction devices and poles recommended for those less sure-footed. We continued up following tracks but the previous traveler turned back at a steep avalanche prone area (4100'). We strapped on the snowshoes, and used our GPS to guide us above 4200'. It was slow going with no previous tracks to follow but we persevered, through recent snowfall, to the summit. We arrived about 1415 and departed at 1500.
We followed our tracks back down, removing our snowshoes, and getting out our headlamps just 20 minutes before sunset.
We finally reached the trailhead at 1830, travelling in the dark forest for about 1.5 hours. Our total time was about ten hours.
So if you don't want to be traveling down in the dark along an icy trail I recommend you depart the trailhead around 7 AM, this time of the year.
WARNING: The Mountain Loop Highway may be closed beyond the Red Bridge for road repair. Check the Forest Service web site or call before going up Dickerman.

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Always current - (NOAA) Weather at the top:

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With the Forest Service web site information stating that the gate was open, Craig and I decided on a trip up Dickerman. After carefully traveling the icy/frosty Loop highway to the trailhead parking, we departed the trailhead at 08:30. It was 18°F. The trail was easy to follow with recent boot and snowshoe tracks all the way to the summit.
Several trees are over the trail but not too difficult to go over. We put our snowshoes on at about 4500' to prevent post-holing as the snow got deeper.
It was a beautifully clear and cool, sunny day with the summit temperature around 32°. Just after starting down some Gray Jays stopped to visit us but quickly departed after seeing we had no lunch to share.
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The trail is completely snow covered. At about 2800 feet the snow starts to get deeper. At 3400 ft we were pushing thru 2 feet of hard crusted fresh snow so we put on the snowshoes. The creek crossing is frozen over. We missed at finding the trail after crossing the creek. There is a fragment of orange surveyor tape on the other side but it turns out that it is about 30 feet low from the actual trail, we found out the hard way and spent about 20 min. trying to find the trail. We continued up to the next gully crossing and finally gave up because we could not find the trail at that point. That was at 4200 ft and there was 3 feet of fresh snow.
We turned around and snowshoed down to 3400 ft and then put on crampons for traction on the way down.
There are 2 significant spots where trees are down. the first is about 500 yards down the trail and the next is on the last switch back before the creek, the later is bad because you have to get into some very deep uncompacted snow to get around it.

On this day last year, I was wading through thigh-high snow and sipping well-fortified Glühwein on Mt. Si. This year, I spent an early morning on another well-traveled trail with Glühwein in tow as the reward for a hike of similar length and gain.
Despite a 7:15am arrival in the parking lot, we were not the first to ascend Mount Dickerman. When we began the trudge through snow in the subalpine clearing after the dense forest, the layer of slush was already pounded thin over the muddy trail. In fresh, untrampled powder, the standard summit route might have been more difficult to follow because of the poor visibility and my general unfamiliarity with the meandering path.
900 vertical feet from the peak, the two folks who had arrived before us said they were at the trail's end shortly before. What took them minutes to descend in snowshoes took me a good twenty minutes to ascend as I punched postholes through thigh-high snow on the final slope to the top, all the while cursing that my snowshoes were at home while the foot traction that I did bring was useless in those conditions.
After a few solitary, wind-whipped minutes with little visibility as the dense fog receded and advanced and the blown powder coated and re-coated my glasses, I departed the summit to rejoin friends who had grown cold waiting in the clearing below.
By the time we arrived at the car, four more groups had appeared, hardly the crowd that the parking lot can accomodate.
Despite the lack of visibility today, it is easy to see why this trail is so popular. On a clear day, the views would have been spectacular. A simple romp through the snow was enough to leave me wanting more and to guarantee my return in cloudless weather.

The day started out sunny and the hike had lots of snow at the top. We both had gaitors and traction devices which were a nice help going up as well as going down. There is water on the trail for the k9 hikers (not to mention snow to romp in.) The creek was a bit "fun" to cross as it was icy but really not too bad. We made it back before the rain hit which means more snow on top so be prepared. The highlight of the trip was the mountain goat sitting on a cliff. We couldn't see him as we actually passed him but after going around the switchback, there he was. Magnificent!

Always a favorite hike. Lots of switchbacks, steep and good set of stairsteps towards the upper end of the trail. But the hard work is more than well worth it on a clear day like I had. Only a handfull of people since it was a weekday and so surprised to find so much fall color still. This is my kind of heaven.

There’s no need for a lengthy blow-by-blow here, as the Mt. Dickerman trail is already well characterized. The trail is wet in places, but no big deal. There is plenty of drinking water along the way for those who don’t like to carry too much (be sure to purify it – Giardia is a real bummer).

Stunning as always, the views from the summit never fail to amaze, though I must admit that all the jagged peaks look better with snow on them. But there aren’t many spots in Washington, or even in the United States, where you can see at least five wilderness areas and two national parks by just turning around! This is one of the best viewpoints in the world.

The infamous “creek crossing” is easy right now, though it can be problematic with snow on the ground; there is usually a very tricky and potentially dangerous snow bridge crossing over the creek. So if you want to go this year, go soon or be prepared to snowshoe it.

For those unfamiliar with this justifiably popular hike, be prepared for lots of uphilling – 3900 feet worth of it. The trail rates an 8 out of 10 on my “upness” scale.

Yesterday's midweek Mountaineers hike up Mt Dickerman was in perfect weather, though the streams were running more vigorously than in previous autumn visits. The fall air made for superbly clear views, perfect for picture taking:

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It's one of my regular fall hikes and you might want to make it one of yours, before the snow flies.

On one of the best days of the past week our group of five made it up to Mt Dickerman in near perfect hiking weather. The trail is in fine shape. There were a few areas where water was running down the trail, probably due to the previous days of rain. Ther are still some blue berries and huckleberries along the trail. There also a few wild flowers hanging on as well as lots of bushes turning to the fall colors.

Relatively few cars at the trailhead (shared with the Perry Creek trailhead) perhaps because we started late in the day. Wonderful steep trail to the summit. Abundant sweet plump blueberries. Water for the dogs at the lower portion of the hike. Some clouds and chilly at the top, but excellent views of the North Cascades. Few bugs at the summit too. Excellent hike overall considering the rainstorms the night before.

Trail was in amazing condition. Weather was wonderful, mid 80's, blue skies, no wind. Some bugs along the way but if you keep moving they won't be a problem. Summit was gorgeous. Very little foot traffic on a Monday. Aside from one tiny stream, there's no water on this trail at this time

Excellent day to do this hike. Cooler temps and only 20+ people vs weekends with 40+. The trail is in great shape and dry however you can tell there have been some cloudbursts in recent days. Quickly got above the cloud cover. Although flowers are blooming it wasn't as intense as I've seen it in the past especially in the upper meadow - maybe another week. The views at the top were very hazy - due to wildfires?? The bugs were not bad at all and had a relaxing 30 minutes before heading down.

The forest service placed a nice information board at the trailhead since last winter. Good info about the Mountain Loop Hwy campgrounds and trails.

Dickerman: I always forget that this is a tough hike...really. There is a lot of up. 370 pounds before hike probably 300 pounds after hike!

I ran into two guys on their way down that didn't make it. Try again it will be worth it.

The seasonal waterfall half way up is just a trickle and just about gone. There is absolutely no snow on or near the trail, though some visible from top looking down on North side. The last half mile still has the over-sized "stairs" in case you were wondering. Lots of flies in open areas and a few in the trees. I saw a grouse and the flowers are out. There must have been some of the flash floods up there yesterday because parts of the trail looked like it. But no standing water and dry on the way out. Sorry I didn't bring my camera today.

Blowdown at about 2 1/2 to 3 miles, but for all I know it might have been there for awhile. Pretty easy to negotiate.

The trail up Mt. Dickerman is in great condition. The forested switchbacks were welcome, because it was hot in the exposed areas above. The trail was clear of obstacles. And even at higher altitudes, there was not much snow (slush on this warm day) remaining.

Unfortunately, a dog owner chose to let his two large dogs wander uncontrolled on the summit. The dozen other people sitting on the summit had to shoe away wet noses, and even snatch their food away from the animals. The owner acknowledged they were his pets, but refused to control them.

But in spite of that one rude person, the hike was fantastic. Views were unmarred by the cloudless sky, leading to summit discussions of which peaks were which. Delightful!

It was a good day for the hike. The skies were clear although a bit of cloud might have set off the surrounding mountains nicely.

The trail still goes up and I followed it slowly.

There were already more than a couple of people on the summit but I had the secondary peak to myself, the one with the better views to the south, to Vesper, Sperry, Morningstar, Del Campo, Monte Cristo and then east to Glacier.

No real bugs to speak of and only a very slight breeze on occasion.

More folks arrived and more were heading up as I was heading down. The parking lot is now hard to judge as it also is the Perry Creek trailhead (and boulders now block the road to the old trailhead).

The little snow left is of no consequence.

This hike was stunningly beautiful. The beginning was really tough but breathtaking views begin at about 4700' and only get better until you reach the peak 1000' later. Get there early to beat the crowds - the parking lot does fill up.

Issues you will encounter: snow melt means there's a little bit of water on the trail and one creek crossing so do be sure to wear water-proof shoes. Snow on the trail starts at 5200' - trekking poles would be useful but aren't necessary. The snow is very soft so slipping isn't much of an issue.

We started a little after 9:00 reached the peak a quarter-hour before noon. During the hour we spent at the peak, clouds prevented us from seeing Glacier Peak but Mount Forgotten and Sloan Peak are both visible (and glorious!). As for wildlife, along the way we saw several birds, a few chipmunks, and a marmot.

Great hike. I got there at 740 am and there were two people in front of me. The hike is ready for everyone it is not that dificult. It will test your lungs for the first two miles or so but take your time if you want and the reward is great. There is water at the creek crossing now so if your a light packer you could refill there, its about two miles up just past the switchback lung testing part. I seen people up there will huge packs and ice axes, these are not needed. Poles are handy though there is still a little snow toward the top. Alot of people heading up when I was coming down.

It took us 2 hrs. from Seattle, we got to the trailhead at 11:30 AM, there were only a few parking spots left. This trailhead parking shares the same lot as Perry Creek/Mt. Forgotten. Ranger was checking cars for permit.

There are two bathrooms at the trailhead, none on top besides the trees. I counted about 50 people that were heading up and down the mountain so handle your business before you begin the hike.

It was a beautiful day for the hike. The first ~3 miles is in the shade, with endless short switchbacks. The elevation of switchbacks was supprising gentle and steady. Once passed the huge waterfall at about 4206 ft. , the trail opens and flatten a bit. The spotty, thin layer of snow coverage started around 4337 ft. trail wasn't visibily at some spots but easily navigate by following boot track or along the stream.

The first glimpse of the summit was visible at around 4700 ft. The last mile was in the sun and up 2 snow fields. We had waterproof boots, trekking poles and gaitors which made the hike up the soft snow fields a lot easier. They are not needed to hike up as the snow fields were not too steep but you will get your feet wet without the proper gear and don't forget to bring sunglasses and re-apply the sunscreen. The summit view is spectacular, totally worth it. 360 view of mountains, Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak and many others that I do not know names of. There's enough space on the top to accomdate many people. It took us about 4.5 hrs round trip, not counting the hour break on the top. I brought a foam mat and was slidding down the snow fields. FUN times...

8.5 miles round trip
at 5723 ft. with 3875 ft. gained

Chippie and I were looking for a nice hike without having to do much planning and since we've both done Dickerman about a zillion times, it seemed like a good choice. This is the perfect time to do this hike. The snow bridge/gully is long melted out, but there's still a bit of snow on the upper sections. The scenery is absolutely fabulous as usual and there weren't quite the hoards on the summit as there will be later this year. Still, it's a social occasion and you'd best be OK with that. No mosquitos yet and a cool breeze on top. We couldn't ask for more. We spent a leisurely 1 1/2 hours on the summit chomping on cherries and a quick walk down. An added attraction to the day was encountering friend, Lon.....former Everett student and current scrambler extraordinaire. We skipped the usual restaurant dinner afterward and instead went to my place and ate about a hundred Swedish meatballs. Yes, indeed!

The hike to Mt. Dickerman is ready to do for the summer. The lower portion of the trail is snow free. You start to run into a bit of snow past the waterfall, and then snow for the last 1 1/2 miles (give or take). The trail is very passable and easy to follow and navigate. I would recommend gators if you are not wearing boots, and trekking poles for the last part of the trail. Neither are necessary but they make the going easier and keep the slipping down to a minimum.

The trail is in good shape. There is water running off from snow melt in many places. If you don't mind your feet getting wet then waterproof shoes or boots are not necessary.

At the top be careful to not get too close to the edge of the snow as it is still overhanging the cliffs. Although it was 88 degrees at the trailhead, the top was nice, maybe 75 and surprisingly there weren't that many bugs.

Trail is in great shape! Do it now before snow melts off of surrounding peaks (snow really enhances the views!)

Pretty waterfall on the way up. Snow starts around 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up but there is no postholing at all, and the tracks are soooo easy to follow. Just go early before snow gets too soft and slushy.

As for the views, well, I can go on all day describing them. Look north to Baker, Shuksan, White Chuck. Look east to Glacier, Pugh, Dome, Sloan, and the Monte Cristo Peaks. Look south to Del Campo, Silvertip, Morning Star, Speery, Vesper, Big 4, and Rainier. Look west to 3 Fingers, Whitehorse, and Pilchuck. Blah Blah Blah Blah. You get the point.

Still plenty of snow on the summit. There are signifigant cornice overhangs to be aware of. Some carless hiker tossed a scrap of food out on one of the conices. For some reason the Grey Jays did not see it. To everyones horror a beautiful blue eyed husky did what dogs do...it went bounding on to the cornice as soon as it spotted the scrap of food. Some how, the cornice did not give way under the weight of the dog jumping on it. It may be July but the higher peaks are still full of snowy hazards. PLEASE PLEASE have a leash available at all times for dogs!


Pack-it-in Pack-it-out

Today was my first trip up to Dickerman. It was a gray day so there was no view unfortunately. I got to see many lovely wild flowers and a heck of a lot of snow. The trail is wonderful lots of switchbacks. Once you get to the snow you pretty much follow the foot prints onward. We ran into several other hikers on their way back down. They warned us to be careful at the top. The visibility was so poor if you kept following the snow you can find yourself on a ledge of snow that overhangs the peak so be careful up there. There are a few areas where the snow had melted to enjoy lunch which is what we did. On the way back down I enjoyed sliding on my rear for quite a long way, sure did make that much faster than my hike up. This was a great way to spend my fourth of July. I only wish the view would have been clear. Guess that means I will need to hike it again later in the summer.

The trail is in good condition, however the snow starts about a mile and a half from the top. I had never hiked Mt Dickerman before so I do not know where the actual trail runs, but the path in the snow is obvious from high traffic. There are a few spots of scrambling, including a small waterfall. From there on it is straight up the side of the mountain, like climbing snow stairs. However, the views from the top are incredible, and coming back down the snow is fast and easy if you are willing to get a little wet. We left the trailhead at 8am and were the third group to reach the top. However, about 40 people reached the summit while we ate lunch and we passed another 40 people on the way down.

A misty hike, the clouds never really lifted to give us the famed views, though we did see some incredible waterfalls along the trail and across the valley. The trail is mainly in good condition, and the trees shielded us from noticing any rain. There are few streams that are easily crossed.

About the last 1.5 miles is on snow, but the snow is well compacted and we had no post-holing. The trail on the snow does not follow the summer trail, but rather shortcuts over some steeper terrain. There are 1 or 2 slightly tricky pieces, which continue to change as the snow melts out, but we all had no problem, even the dog. Trekking poles are highly recommended, and be prepared to have wet feet at the end (leave extra socks/shoes in the car!). A few sections of easy glissading near the top were great fun. Careful of the remaining cornice at the top -- stay to rock or otherwise well back from the edge.

Trilliums and other flowers blooming along the trail, including 3 varieties of native orchid. Saw a great horned owl when we arrived back at the parking lot.

Had a fabulous hike up to the summit. Overall conditions were perfect! Hit snow at about 4,000 feet. The dreaded "snow bridge" is no more; it was easy to get past it without any difficulty. The snow conditions were good with good footing, no ice, and fortunately no post holing on the way down. Did some glissading coming back down without any trouble.

I wanted to provide some follow-up to the Mt Dickerman reports of early May.

First, the condition of the gully/waterfall crossing above the switchbacks. The snowbridge is still intact but not by much. There is a LOT of air underneath it and falling through it (or sliding off it) would likely be serious. The warm weather brought a lot of people out to pound on it. I doubt it'll last much longer.

Not far past the snowbridge the snow is continuous and stays that way to the summit. It seemed stable enough in the early morning but the afternoon sun brought much postholing as it softened considerably. I had microspikes, full crampons, AND snowshoes (a little excessive, yes) but never used any of them. I do recommend an ice axe in one hand and a pole in the other for the steep parts (up and down).

The summit remains heavily corniced so proceed with the usual caution.

For the TL;DR folks: Awesome day, but I'd think twice about attempting Dickerman any more this spring until things have melted out more -- the crux waterfall gully crossing at the top of the switchbacks was starting to look pretty sketchy on the way down, and we had several punch-throughs descending the winter route gully. Details below...

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With the amazing forecast for Thursday, I knew it was time for a midweek break to visit one of my favorite hikes. My friend CF agreed to come along -- unfortunately forgetting her gaiters, she was still game. Brave girl!

I did the hike twice in Nov/Dec, each time carrying snowshoes that proved completely unnecessary. Lulled into submission by John's 5/8 report, I decided to go without today. They might have been nice to have for the descent.

The trail is completely snow free until a few hundred yards before the creek/waterfall crossing. Amazing how much more quickly the 53 switchbacks seem to go by when you've got someone to chat with than they do when you're sweating your way up by yourself! I felt more or less OK with the gully crossing on the way up, and there's a ton of coverage on the winter route still. The sun was rapidly softening things up as we climbed -- at first it was pretty easy to follow previous steps up the gully; shortly after that, every 4th or 5th step would sink a little deeper; then every 3rd; then every other. But on a day as gorgeous as yesterday, it was hard to really complain. Drink some more water, add some more sunblock, tackle the next snow slope.

As always, the views across the valley were awesome, and the sounds of ice and snow cracking and falling from Big Four accompanied us all day. We reached the summit and spent over an hour basking in the sun, enjoying lunch and the views. You really couldn't have designed a more perfect day weather-wise. The summit area is still pretty heavily corniced, so keep your distance accordingly.

On the way down, almost every step plunged knee-deep or deeper. Sometimes your foot would plunge down, the soft, wet snow would cave in and compact around your leg, and you'd suddenly find your foot stuck. Some wiggling, digging with the pole, and a good deal of laughing was then involved to free yourself. CF seemed particularly adept at getting stuck (and wishing she had her gaiters). But for a few joyous stretches, the descent was pursued with some fun backside sliding, and that was hard to beat.

Back down in the gully, CF twice punched through to "crotch-deep-and-there's-nothing-but-air-beneath-my-foot" levels, and cautious extrication was involved. More noteworthy, the creek crossing looked dramatically more sketchy on the descent -- the creek was rushing, the snow bridge had visibly settled and significant fissures had opened on either side below the trail. We didn't have much choice but to cross, so we did so gingerly and one at a time, without event. I'd be pretty reticent to go back across that creek until it's snow-free, and the winter route gully will similarly be getting more interesting. If you do go, proceed with caution.

We got back to the car exhausted, with drenched feet and some sunburn, but pretty darn happy. And the cold beers in Granite Falls were the best I've ever tasted.

I arrived at the parking lot at 9 AM and I was the first one there. Two cars showed up right after me; the dog and I left the trailhead at 9:15 AM. The initial 2 miles were pretty smooth, with occasional blowdowns. The snow appeared around 3,000 feet and continued all the way to the summit. I put on microspikes at around 3,500 feet and used them for the remainder of the hike. Snowshoes were not needed since it was early in the morning and the snow was compact for the most part.

Conditions of the avalanche chute were somewhat sketchy, as there were a few spots where I stepped into deep snow. Snowshoes could have helped but they were really not necessary. Past the avalanche chute the rest of the hike was on a continuous snow field with no end in sight.

Got to the summit at 11:30 and soaked in the view for half hour. Hiked back down the mountain at noon.

We started on the trail around 10:30am. There were over a dozen of cars on the parking lot already. Due to the snow on Saturday, the trail is fully covered with snow. Some sections were muddy. The snow melts were falling from fir trees like craze. It can hurt when it hits your head hard. We got quite wet rather quickly. We wore YaxTrax. The snow was soft, so you can just use hiking boots. Some parties on the trail used snow shoes above 4,000 feet. It was pleasant to have lunch on the snow in the sun. Very few reached the summit that day. On our way down, the last section of the zigzag feels like never ending. But the snow on tree branches were melt completely. It was a wonderful work out. Just share some photos on the trail : http://picasaweb.google.com/suexia/10MtDickerman . Enjoy your hike !