Trip Reports
Showing all trip reports for the hike "Snowgrass - Cispus Basin - Nannie Ridge Loop"
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Bridge out
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I did this loop with my daughter and it was a fantastic hike. The description on this site is good ...
I did this loop with my daughter and it was a fantastic hike. The description on this site is good but would benefit from more information about the last section of the trail. First, trail 7A begins a full 1 1/2 miles from the Walupt Lake campground. Second, the guard station (if it still exists) is very hard to find and not a good landmark. The trail to ColrmamanWeedpatch and associated turnout across the road from 7A is a better landmark. Fourth, trail 7A is not very visibly signed so you really need to be looking out for it. And lastly, once you get on the trail, there are multiple trail junctions, marked only by small wooden signs attached to trees. Again, look closely for them.
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
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This was a great backpacking trip. We did the 20 miles in 2 nights and 3 days. Although the parkin...
This was a great backpacking trip. We did the 20 miles in 2 nights and 3 days. Although the parking lot was packed, most people seemed to be doing a clockwise loop that included goat lake. We camped the first night past the Alpine camp, right on the cispus basin. It was beautiful! We camped the second night at Walupt lake, taking care to camp away from the car campers. All signage up until the 3rd day was clear. We saw some people but not many. Flowers blooming, plenty of small streams to pump water, and the hike was not terribly difficult. The third day we left Walupt lake on the road and found the trail to Walupt Creek. Signs say the bridge is out but we crossed it easily. Then in about a 1/4 mile we passed Nannie Creek, which looked more like a river. I thought I could tiptoe across but ended up with wet boots for the rest of the hike. Calf length gaitors would've been all I needed, but I left those at home. My hiking partner took off her shoes and crossed safely...concentrating when crossing the slippery rocks. It was hard to see the trail after the creek crossing, but we spotted a small cairn (rock pile) and we were able to find the trail again. We were on trail 7A and things were going smoothly until we came to a dirt road that dead ended where it met the trail (I don't see this road on the green trails map). On the other side of the road, there was a trail marker for 7A, but it was just thick bushes and we saw no trail. We went 30 yards on both sides of the marker, trying to find the trail with no luck. We bushwhacked a 1/4 mile in there, and we did find remnants of a trail that we would follow for 50 yards and then it disappeared. We found another remnant and the same thing happened. Finally we decided to bag the hike and go back to the road and hope for a car to hitch a ride with. We hiked northwest on the road for about a 1/4 mile and found 7A Klickitas River trail. Why there would be two 7A trails is a mystery. This trail took us back to our car at Snowgrass Flats. I talked to the Supervisor at the Ranger station and gave him this feedback. If they just changed the sign near the nonexistent 7A trail, letting hikers know to follow the road, it would've saved us a lot of stress. Still, we had a great hike. We swam in Walupt Lake, saw lots of birds and had a great time. It didn't get that cold at night, even at 6,000 feet.
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
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Ventured out to Goat Rocks over the labor day weekend, thinking we could escape the crowds. However...
Ventured out to Goat Rocks over the labor day weekend, thinking we could escape the crowds. However, lots of people made the long drive south and the parking lots were packed. Fortunately the Snowgrass basin is large enough to disperse everyone accordingly and we were still able to find some solitude.
The Goats were out in in force and the scenery is everything we thought it would be, a photographers paradise. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Snow on trail
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Couldn't make it out of the city for the entire weekend, so we decided to do a long overnight in the...
Couldn't make it out of the city for the entire weekend, so we decided to do a long overnight in the Goat Rocks Wilderness (almost exactly halfway time-wise from Seattle and Portland, for my Portland-dweller friend).
Left Seattle late Saturday night and camped at the Chambers Lake campground a quarter mile from the trailhead. No problems finding a campsite. Started from the Snowgrass trailhead, traveling counterclockwise up the loop to Goat Lake. We split off at the Bypass Junction toward Cispus Basin. We dropped our packs at the junction with the PCT and hiked up to Cispus Pass 30 pounds lighter. The basin and pass were beautiful, with abundant flowers and tremendous views of Old Snowy on the way back. Lots of people were out on the trail, everyone heading different directions and coming from different places. Picked up our packs again and continued the slog up to Goat Lake. The first mile after the bypass is still in the trees, but after that the views get better and better. You pass through a number of idyllic meadows with wildflowers, tarns, streams, and wildlife. There were many, many lovely campsites along the way. Plenty for people to spread out and find some privacy. Camped the night at Goat Lake overlooking Mt. Adams. The wind coming off the lake at night was chilly. Next time I might opt to camp closer to the Flats. But the view of Adams was spectacular, and worth the chill air. We saw a number of mountain goat herds up on the aptly named Goat Ridge. The next morning we continued counter-clockwise toward Jordan Basin. We dropped our packs again at the Lily Basin Trail cutoff to hike the 1.2 miles up to Hawkeye Point. The Point is 1000 feet above Goat Lake. If you're hiking to the lake, I highly recommend taking a side trip to Hawkeye. It's not much extra effort, but you get spectacular 360 views of Rainier, Helens, Adams, and even Hood in the distance. There was one dicey snow patch on the way up to Hawkeye, but it was easily navigated around with a little extra effort. After Hawkeye, we made the slog back to the car. Jordan Basin was also quite beautiful, with one particularly choice camping spot. A wonderful overnight! The only thing that could've made it better was more time. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
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Lupine.
If there was one word that summed up our hike to Cispus Basin, it is lupine. Great fields...
Lupine.
If there was one word that summed up our hike to Cispus Basin, it is lupine. Great fields of white lipped blue flowers that could be seen from a mile away. I've never seen such a display and wonder if any other place could top it. The lupine overshadowed the glorious orange paintbrush, the size of a child's fist. And the Seussian towhead baby seedpods, waiting for a paintbrush to turn them into mini Trufula trees. The flowers were without a doubt at their peak. The hike wasn't bad either. We were fortunate to have two cars so that we could do it as a 15-mile one-way overnight from the Snowgrass Flat trailhead, over Cispus Pass to Sheep Lake, up along Nannie Ridge to Walupt Lake Campground. We put away the first 4 miles to the junction quickly, turning right on the Bypass trail - leaving most of the other hikers and Snowgrass Flat for another time. We passed a happy group of WTA volunteers, just off a week of improving the trail around Snowgrass and another group (whose name I couldn't quite make out on their hardhats) tackling mud on the Bypass trail. At about 5.5 miles, we lunched on a rocky point (site of an excellent, albeit dry, camp) that provided a view of the entire Cispus Basin that we were to traverse. The going really got great here, with flowers, views and even a waterfall. It's wise to pick a campsite in the Basin (please don't camp on the meadows!), as the water dries up until Sheep Lake, many miles further on. On day 2, we crossed over Cispus Pass. You can follow a way trail along the ridge line for more views. We scrambled down a 10 foot section of remaining snow, then stayed high above the headwaters of the Klickitat River to another pass a bit further on. We passed several groups of PCT thru hikers here, giddy because they were so close to finishing their months-long trek and because they were pleasantly surprised by the beauty and the weather. Finally, we got a view of Mount Adams, hidden while we were in Cispus Basin (where you can see St. Helens only). The lupine continued as we descended to Sheep Lake, the scene of many good established camps. We filled our water bottles near where someone spent the night before - feet away from the lake, crushing the meadow plants. Please don't, people! We headed up to Nannie Ridge, a nice hike but one that pales in comparison to Cispus Basin. At the ridge, we dropped our packs and took the trail to the top of Nannie Peak, where there's a peek-a-boo view of Rainier and an AMAZING view of Adams. Our last leg took us to Walupt Lake, a long, dusty slog downhill. We had our hearts set on harvesting huckleberries. True enough, there were lots of huckleberry plants, but alas not a single ripe berry. In fact, not many green ones either. Why do these bushes not produce? Walupt Lake provided a nice place to clean the volcanic ash and dust off our legs and cool off. Of note, the water spigots in the campground were wrapped in plastic. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
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The Goat Rocks was our destination for our annual four-day back-pack trip and this was a first for b...
The Goat Rocks was our destination for our annual four-day back-pack trip and this was a first for both of us! What brilliant meadows and spectacular views awaited us - we had no idea!
Day 1: Backpacked from Berry Patch TH through the forest with ever-increasing views of Mt. Adams to the south. When we arrived at the creek crossing at Snowgrass Flats, we were fortunate to run into fellow hikers who told us that the sign was wrong - and that our destination to Cispus Basin was to the right versus straight ahead as noted on the sign. It was a long hot six miles when we rounded the bend on the PCT to catch the first glimpse of the basin. Jared found us the ideal campsite for our three nights with unobstructed views of Mt. Adams, spring-fed water, and beds of lupine. And not one mosquito! Day 2: We enjoyed a day trip north on the PCT consistently gaining elevation through more flowery meadows until we reached the shoulder of Old Snowy and then it was a straight-forward scramble to the summit. There we enjoyed our 360 degree views of Mt. Adams, Rainier, Stuart, and St. Helens. The clouds started arriving and by the end of dinner we felt rain-drops. But how exciting to be awakened in the middle of the night with crashing thunder that shook the ground and lightening flashes that penetrated our eyelids. Day 3: We woke to clear blue skies and this time we headed south on the PCT to Cispus Pass and more views! From the pass, we followed the PCT until just before it headed down Nannie Ridge. At that point, we simply meandered south - mostly following a trail until we arrived at Point 6512 on the map. There we looked down upon little Corral Lake and again enjoyed 360 views - as well as the unique rock formations at this unusual picnic spot. Day 4: We could not bare to get an early start home so read, ate, explored, and finally packed up and hiked out. We left a big thank you note to a nearby WTA Crew that was worked at Goat Lake for the week. Local businesses: On the way in, we stopped in Morton at the Radio Shack for lithium batteries and the Country Market for rye crisp. On the way home, we again stopped in Morton - this time at Skippy's for a fresh banana milkshake (YUM!). You have to ask for directions because the sign is hidden, but it appears to be THE place in town for hamburgers and shakes. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Snow on trail, Bugs
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Perfect weather, a great map and some fortunate deviations from the plan made my trip extra special ...
Perfect weather, a great map and some fortunate deviations from the plan made my trip extra special this week! Fantastic mountain, basin, waterfall and meadow views make this one of my favorite backpacks ever. Everything is mostly well signed and the trail is in excellent condition with only a few areas of snow to traverse.
I started at the Snowgrass Flat trailhead on a Wednesday evening about 4pm - surprised as I was to see over 20 cars, I only ran into three groups coming out and passed one family on my way in. The trail never felt crowded but for mid-week there were certainly more people there than I expected. The four miles to the Bypass trail went quickly, but I decided (thankfully) to continue to the Lily Basin area to make camp for the night. I HIGHLY recommend hiking the entirety of the Snowgrass trail and hooking up with the PCT further North (only about 2 miles extra and my favorite scenery on the whole loop) instead of taking the Bypass Trail unless time is a big issue for you. At the junction of the Lily Basin and Snowgrass Trails there are about six trails that split off, so keep your eyes peeled for the correct trails (well signed). I continued about 0.25 miles on the Lily Basin Trail and found some wonderful campsites (only one in use by another group) right on a stream in a beautiful meadow with views of Mt Adams. There were bugs but, considering it is August, I couldn't complain. The next morning, I woke and day hiked up to Goat Lake - another favorite of the trip (even though the Lake is still frozen solid). I scrambled a ways up the cliff above the snow and had amazing views of Mt Adams, Goat Ridge, the basin below and towards Packwood Glacier. Easy day hike: well worth it, though you'll see a lot more people. After eating and packing up, I headed up the rest of the Snowgrass Flats trail, seeing more folks camped up on the hillside (gorgeous views!) and ran into two gentlemen who had done this hike 35 years ago as college roommates and were reliving the trip again this week! I quickly joined the PCT and was treated to the best views of the hike. At this point, I was above the trees enough to see both Mt Adams and Mt St Helens in the distance. Heading down, I passed the bypass trail and continued to the Cispus Basin which truly is as gorgeous as everyone says. No mountain goat sightings, but I heard from many friendly hikers that in the morning the goats are numerous in the basin - camp here if you can! After the second waterfall, you'll be pretty exposed on the climb up to the pass, but it wasn't too bad. A couple snow patches will be in your way, but nothing serious. At the pass, you will have to traverse a steep snowfield down to the PCT. Or, if you're a "snow pansy" like me (I didn't like the idea of going backwards down the snowfield with a heavy pack on and only one trekking pole), continue up the ridge and climb down the side - a short butt-glissade and some loose rocks and you'll be back on the trail! From there, it's easy going (a couple snow patches, but nothing bad) to Sheep Lake (aka BUG CITY!), where I camped for night #2. Friday morning, intending to scramble up Nannie Ridge and then head all the way back to my car (about 10.5 miles), I quickly made it to Nannie Ridge, but must have missed the trailhead to the scramble, sadly. A trail broke off up the hill and then landed me back on the main trail, so be more adventurous and explore if you want to climb the peak! I made my way down the rest of the Nannie Ridge trail to Walput Lake and took a nice long break (bathrooms and tame, hungry chipmunks await you). From there, the adventure really began. The 7A (Klickitat) horse trail says there is a bridge washed out, but it is easily crossed, or there is an alternate trail that goes right around to the left - never fear. This trail is obviously very seldom used so is a little overgrown. Eventually, you come out to the Cispus River and will see a cairn marking the trail on the other side of the river. Bring those chacos! I was not prepared for a ford, unfortunately, so I crossed about knee-deep in my boots (whoops!). From there it was about 4 miles of net uphill, overgrown and sometimes confusing trail back to the car. At a couple points, the trail crosses a forest road and connects back further up the road (FR 17 especially). It is mostly well signed, but I was happy to see other boot prints to know that I was still on the correct trail. If I did it again, I would probably hike to Sheep Lake and then return the way I came in (which would be about 20 miles RT and much better views on the return) to skip the Klickitat Trail and get to spend more time at Cispus and Snowgrass. Either way, this hike is spectacular! A couple notes: -Water is sparse from the last waterfall in Cispus Basin to Sheep Lake (about 3 miles). -Water is nonexistent from Sheep Lake all the way to Walput Lake. -Views from Sheep Lake down to Walput Lake aren't spectacular - mostly in the trees. -The only exposed parts of the trail are from Snowgrass Flats to the pass. Everything else is pretty well shaded. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Snow on trail
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I drove down to Chambers Lake Campground Friday night after work. The long forest road is fine cond...
I drove down to Chambers Lake Campground Friday night after work. The long forest road is fine condition, and easy to drive in the dark. There was a bit of washboarding, but very few potholes.
I hit the trail for Snowgrass Flats the next morning. There were about 25 cars in the parking lot, but I saw almost no one on the trail. The trail is in good shape. There were a few mosquitos, but nothing bad. I think there might have been a single blowdown to easily step over. At the junction with bypass trail 97, I headed north toward the PCT. Soon I was out in a field of wildflowers. I didn't really expect to see so many this late in the year, but they were amazing. Water was relatively frequent up until this point. I neglected to fill my bottle, figuring that there would be more, and that I'd be able to make it up and back down Old Snowy without running out. This was true, but I came close and wished that I had filled up. The fields of wildflowers seem endless, but at some point the trail enters a zone with very little vegetation and lots of rock. The wide-open views continue all the way to Old Snowy. As you gain elevation, you pick up views of Goat Lake and Mt. Rainier. It's pretty nice to be able to see Rainier in front of you and Adams behind you. There is some snow on the trail to Old Snowy, but it's nothing to worry about. The final stretch of trail to Old Snowy is a scramble, but it's a pretty easy one. There is some exposure, but the rock is relatively stable and you can stay reasonably far from the edge. Summitting Old Snowy yields a 360 degree view featuring new mountains. After Old Snowy, I headed south along the PCT. My goal was to camp at Cispus Basin, but I was moving slow and sunset comes early these days. I ended up at a nice spot near a stream in a grove of trees surrounded by wildflowers and a view of Adams. Not bad for playing it by ear. It rained the next day, but waterfalls are most beautiful in the rain so I continued on toward Cispus Basin. In addition to the rain, it was foggy and cold. I'm glad that I hadn't continued on the night before: the trail traverses a steep slope, so finding a spot to camp would have been difficult. Every once in a while the fog would lift and I'd have a view of the valley below. It looked pretty nice. I'm not sure how far I got, or what remained on the trail. The description in my backpacking book didn't seem to quite match what I experienced. I stopped after the first large waterfall I saw. A hiker coming the opposite way said that the next waterfall wasn't as nice as the one I had just seen, and I was getting a little tired of the weather. I definitely didn't make it to Cispus Pass. I hiked back via the bypass trail. It was in good shape, but not as interesting as the route through Snowgrass Flats. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
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This hike is fantastic. Amazing views all around, with the gnarly Goat Rocks up close and the majes...
This hike is fantastic. Amazing views all around, with the gnarly Goat Rocks up close and the majestic Mt. Adams nearby. Also, the wildflowers were unlike anything i've experienced. I could literally smell the lupine they were so plentiful.
Long dirt road to get to trailhead was slow-going but very well maintained. The hiking trail itself was very well maintained, with great signage and no debris on the trail. Saw beautiful wildflowers and mountain goats. the last part of the trail, we walked along the road between Snowgrass flats trailhead and the nannie ridge trailhead. This part was worth skipping. But not if it means you can't do the rest. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I've been. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Bugs
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We hiked the Snowgrass Flats trail, but instead of going to the flats, we took the Bypass Trail to t...
We hiked the Snowgrass Flats trail, but instead of going to the flats, we took the Bypass Trail to the right at the 3.5 mile mark. We followed it to the PCT, then headed south to Cispus Basin and Cispus Pass. It's a gorgeous destination, every bit the equal of going to Goat Lake, up Old Snowy, or around the loop and down Goat Ridge.
The steep alpine bowl of Cispus Basin is laced with lovely streams, dotted with gnarled conifers and covered with lovely wildflowers throughout. There are huge patches of very fragrant blue pod lupine and others. Looming directly above to the east is Mount Curtis Gilbert; to the north is Ives Peak. This area has been and remains one of my favorite hiking destinations. It was a very long, 14-mile day hike, but manageable. It definitely helped to pace ourselves and carry lots of water. The net gain from Hikers TH to Cispus Pass is around 2,000 feet. With ups and downs maybe you gain a little more. All trails along our route were well laid out. Trail conditions were perfect. No logs across the trail -- all had been cut. There was only patchy snow on the PCT. There were still mosquitos, but not swarms of them like you see at the Hikers Trailhead (which practically needs a multistory parking structure) or just past the Goat Creek crossing earlier in the season. Coming and going along the PCT, we saw a crew of Americorps volunteers from the Pacific Crest Trail Association doing work on the stretch between the Bypass Trail junction and Cispus Basin. They were mostly moving rocks and solving muddy areas. We told them we really appreciated all their work. We felt sorry for some of the latecoming overnighters we saw coming in as we were on our way out. Campsites were running short, as I'm sure happens every weekend up there during the season. The Cispus headwaters get fewer visitors but the spots are still in demand. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Snow on trail, Bugs
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My second backpacking trip with my dad, some 27 years ago, was through the Goat Rocks. We decided t...
My second backpacking trip with my dad, some 27 years ago, was through the Goat Rocks. We decided to revisit a portion of that trip.
We began on Friday morning at the Snowgrass trailhead, donning bug spray for the first few rather buggy miles. They dissipated once we passed goat creek and began climbing. Snow patches began to appear regularly near the intersection of the Bypass trail. Nothing to worry about though. We passed the very pleasant Bypass Camp and continued toward the Crest Trail. As you near the intersection of the PCT, keep an eye to the right. There are nice camps across meadows near the edge of the flat, away from the trail. This would be our base camp for day trips. It was perfect for us and the goats. That afternoon we took a peek at Cispus Basin. Some beautiful camps are just now opening up from the snow. We went to the broad, flat hanging valley above the first waterfall. This area is still 100% snow-covered. Saturday we ascended the PCT north toward Old Snowy. There is snow covering 50% of the trail for the first mile or so, then more and more as you near the old Shelter (now gone. bummer.) In good weather it's very clear where the trail is, but it would be a little more difficult in fog. These snowfields aren't steep, so there isn't a danger of long slides on icy tracks. We ate lunch overlooking snowed-in Goat Lake. (It won't melt out this year). There is still no stock trail across Packwood Glacier heading north. Tons of snow. The only way through is to take the hiker-only trail over the shoulder of Old Snowy. Lots of people coming down from the summit, but we had the place to ourselves when we got there. Fantastic scene in all directions. Sunday we packed up the goats and headed south on the PCT. We were told by a couple of parties that the going was still real snowy, but passable. Cispus Basin is awesome. We hit snow on the south rim of the basin, but the tracks were good enough to follow. One little spot required us to scramble straight up the dirt/rocks rather than traverse a rather steep snowfield, but it wasn't bad. Several mormots whistled at us on the way to Cispus pass. That's where it gets a little dicey. At the pass heading south there is a steep portion atop the snowfield that creates a challenge. We were happy our timing was good. We went through this area around 11:30 on a warm day, so the snow had softened considerably. There is a switchback cut into the snow, just enough to get past the steep stretch. (We used our one shared ice axe, tossing it back up to the top for the next person once we passed the steepest portion.) Below that, in soft snow and good weather, you're fine heading south. The snow is here and there, all the way past the Nannie Ridge junction. There are a couple of ravines with snow that are challenging, be we made it through. We camped at Sheep Lake. Necessary wander #1: Head south through beautiful fields to the crossing of Walupt Creek. From the creek, take the unmarked trail east upstream. In a quarter mile, a nice meadowy pass, and then a few hundred yards below is Lake Corral. No great camps to speak of, but still very nice. Necessary wander #2: From Sheep lake continue up the ridge northeast, a continuation of Nannie Ridge. Once you start up, it's impossible to not keep going as the views get better and better in each direction. At about 6200', at a flat spot on the ridge, is perhaps my perfect ridge-top campsite - within a ring of large mountain hemlock, not too far from water from melting snowfields. It appears to only be used once every few years, if that. DON'T TELL ANYONE! From the 6512' summit, you get a great view across to the walls of Gilbert Peak, the trail over Cispus Pass, southeast to Lake Corral, and of course Mt. Adams. Take a look at the weird rocks at the summit. What causes that? We swam in Sheep Lake, had a nice evening and woke up to fog the next morning. It provided a different kind of beauty than the day before, but still nice. A buck and a doe tromped all around, and seemed very curious about our goats. The trail down Nannie Ridge is nice - some ups and downs and some snow and a few giant blowdowns to navigate around. The trail drops steadily but not too steeply once it rounds the ridge. All in all, the snow IS passable - let the sun soften it up first though. And the bugs weren't nearly as bad as I thought they'd be. We arrived home unscathed aside from a minor flaming-marshmallow-to-the-face burn I received, but I'll be fine.... |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming
Blowdowns, Snow on trail, Bugs
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It was a gorgeous day as we set out along the Snowgrass Trail for a day hike. Our goal was to take t...
It was a gorgeous day as we set out along the Snowgrass Trail for a day hike. Our goal was to take the Bypass Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail and ultimately Cispus Pass. We started at the Hikers trailhead (Trail #96A), where there is lots of standing water nearby. (Bonus: You don't need a Northwest Forest Pass to park there, unlike the Berry Patch trailhead.)
I seriously recommend that you put on your boots, hiking clothes and insect repellent in advance of arriving at this trailhead and getting out of your car. We got swarmed by mosquitoes as soon as we opened our car doors. They were absolutely vicious, and didn't let up until we got at least 1/2 mile down the trail. Oddly, the 1/2 mile of trail beyond the Goat Creek bridge is also legendary for bugs, but they weren't bad on the day we hiked. Maybe they haven't hatched yet. When planning this hike, we saw that on July 9 the Gifford Pinchot National Forest website said there was snow along the Snowgrass Trail 1/4 mile before you get to the Bypass Trail, and heavy snow once you get to the Pacific Crest Trail. Since we were hiking July 17 we figured the snow would have receded a lot, especially considering the recent heat. This was sadly not the case. There were crossable snowbanks 1/4 mile below the Bypass Trail. We took the Bypass Trail toward the PCT and encountered increasing snow. Snowgrass Creek, which has no bridge over it, was flowing heavily, but we crossed it by searching for, and eventually finding, a place to cross. It was tricky but we managed. They really ought to put a footlog over the creek with a rail though. We weren't backpacking but I thought I would mention for backpackers there's a nice spot or two by this creek crossing with bare, dry dirt. Where the trail starts to climb toward the PCT, we lost the trail in too much snow and decided Cispus Pass (several hundred feet higher) would not be in the cards that day. We decided to go back to the Bypass/Snowgrass junction and head up to Snowgrass Flats instead. We figured there'd be snow there as well, but at least the path would be more well traveled and easier to follow. Back to the Snowgrass Trail. There was one pretty big log across the trail above the Bypass junction. Well before Snowgrass Flats, the trail was entirely snow-covered, but you could follow the abundant boot prints. The area at the junction between the Snowgrass Trail and the Lily Basin trail was all covered by snow as well, but at least one campsite nearby in the trees was bare dirt. We had lunch there. We talked to people who attempted to take the Lily Basin trail to Goat Lake. They said it was all snow as far as they went. They turned around when they got to an "iffy" snow bank they didn't care to try to cross. They said they didn't see any campsites in that direction on bare dirt. It appears it will be another few weeks before the snow melts away and allows the flowers to bloom. One CAN go to Snowgrass Flats right now but it's slow going as soon as you hit snow, and it looks like all the bonus destinations in the area (PCT, Old Snowy, Goat Lake, Cispus Pass) are only marginally reachable at this time for those not used to winter travel. Backpackers also should be advised that bare campsites are at an extreme premium right now. We may try again in early August. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries
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Set out Thurs PM from Maple Vly to drive to Chambers Lake 'primitive' CG for overnight to allow earl...
Set out Thurs PM from Maple Vly to drive to Chambers Lake 'primitive' CG for overnight to allow early start on Snowgrass Flats trail on Friday AM.
NOTE: Those taking the detour from Randle to avoid the Johnson Crk Road closure do NOT follow the 'shortcut' listed on Google Maps - turn left on 131 just west of Randle, follow signs to 23 and then to 21 and this road is clear sailing all the way to 2150 and the last few miles to the trailhead, with good signage all the way. The "shortcut" is very narrow with lots of blowdown and boulders on the road. 'Primitive' camp at Chambers Lk proved to be nice, with pit outhouse and well defined camps - CG was full Thurs night. Just no water other than what you can pump from the lake. Plenty of parking next morning at the Snowgrass Trailhead (NOT the same as the BerryPatch trailhead which you would take for the Goat Lake loop), and NW Forest Pass is NOT required here. We hiked the short 4-5 miles up to the southern-most 'bypass trail' and took advice of some other backpackers to camp along this trail toward Cispus Basin to avoid the crowds at Snowgrass Flats. Easy, very well maintained trail, lots of company. Though very tempting to camp at the earliest water after the turn on this trail (which we did), by all means keep going until you begin the big turn into and around the basin - absolutely INCREDIBLE view campsites as you first come to the basin, more above the big waterfall partway around the basin (a scramble to get up), then the best camp of all hidden in some trees on a little knoll above the trail past another stream crossing most of the way around the basin. Cispus Basin is one of the highlights of the Cascades! Goat Rocks looming craggy above, wildflowers in profusion, and Mount Adams big enough to touch just to the south. We dayhiked the easy stretch up to Cispus Pass and I wandered a bit further to better and better views of Adams as the trail started down toward Sheep Lake/Nannie Ridge. Blueberries just starting to ripen - the little low-bush kind that you don't see until you crouch down among them. Yum!! Saturday we dayhiked north on the PCT from our camp near the bypass trail up to Old Snowy and beyond. From the junction near Cispus it climbs gradually, coming first to some pygmy forest of mostly Mountain Hemlock, then opens up into broad meadows above Snowgrass with the Goat Rocks again looming above to the east. The trail climbs pretty steadily, achieving successive benches with increasing views. Plenty of water all along. Again, anyone tempted to drop the pack in exhaustion further down will be missing AMAZING camps - just hunt for side trails to little clumps of trees all along the trail to old Snowy and there are lovely secluded camps in each one. Trail to Old Snowy was a mob scene with some risk of someone kicking a rock down on your head from above, but we did the prerequisite summit and did love the views. The old trail register from my last trip was no longer there, sad, it had some notations from the 30s and 40s! Came back down, and a couple of our party took on the very narrow path along the precipice and up and down the knife-edge ridge going north toward Elk Pass. The trail looks a lot more iffy than it really is, and should not be missed if only for the stark terrain that it moves along and the fact that you achieve the high point of the PCT in Washington. We met 'Lint', a PCT through-hiker on his second thru-hike, shared a power-bar and asked a million questions about logistics. Gotta do that someday! Sunday morning hiked out, drove back to town, about 3.5 hours from trailhead parking lot to Maple Valley. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Snow on trail
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We started out on Snowgrass trail # 96 on Sunday morn around 11am. The trailhead had lot of cars. Th...
We started out on Snowgrass trail # 96 on Sunday morn around 11am. The trailhead had lot of cars. The weather was warm and the trail fairly level with minor ups and downs. The trail is mostly in the trees. It starts to climb around 2-1/2-3 miles. Most of the elevation is in the last mile and a half. At 4 miles we reached Snowgrass Flats. We found our favorite camp unoccupied. The trail and camp were very dusty. We spent two nights here, visiting Goat lake and taking lots of pics. Tuesday we headed over to Cispus Basin via the Bypass trail. This trail is fairly pleasant and forested. It begins to climb before reaching the PCT. Shortly after reaching the PCT you enter the Spectacular Cispus Basin. This is a beautiful moderate assent to the pass on a long side hill around the basin. Many wonderful views! The pass is very small, just enough room to rest in the shade before heading down the other side. The trail is a barren side hill down the ridge somtimes narrow but safe, Very beautiful rock cliffs and valley. We hiked a long 2 miles fairly level with minor ups and downs to Sheep Lake. Sheep Lake is a pretty little lake, definitely alpine. We arrived to nice weather. Warm, dusty, and windy. The best hiker camp was accessed from the PCT on the east side of the lake. There was a group of bow hunters on the other side of the lake with several horses.The next day we enjoyed wandering around the lake and taking our lunch on the grassy west shore. The clouds came in by late afternoon, and the wind picked up. By evening, it was cold because of the wind. The next morning we awoke to snow and decided to brake camp and head out down the Nannie Ridge trail, seeing that a trip over Cispus Basin in the continuing storm could be risky. The Nannie ridge trail was in great shape all the way down to Walupt Lake. Very soft tread, (easy on the feet)We hiked over Nannie ridge in the snow and after a couple of miles it warmed some and we left the snow behind. When we reached the trailhead we recruited a mountaineer and his son to give us a ride back to the Snowgrass traihead (about 10 miles)by road. Whow! Great adventure. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
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Sheep Lake was the final camp of our five-day annual hike, so we approached the lake from Snowgrass ...
Sheep Lake was the final camp of our five-day annual hike, so we approached the lake from Snowgrass Flats, hiking south on the PCT. The hike winds down through sunny forest and passes the southeast junction between the Snowgrass trail and PCT. Soon the trail winds east and opens to Cispus Basin above and below you. The continuing trail is visible as it winds around the basin hugging the side of the ridge. Cispus Basin is an amazing view, just gorgeous, with the headwaters of Cispus River rushing down from high mountains above to the valley far below the trail. There are two camps here near the stream, a lower one that looks like it would fit two or three tents, and a higher smaller camp. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
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Joining me on this Goat Rocks trip were old friends K. Gazelle, Skippy and Greg. We started out on t...
Joining me on this Goat Rocks trip were old friends K. Gazelle, Skippy and Greg. We started out on the Lily Basin Trail leaving one car at the Packwood Lake trailhead. Our first camp was Heart Lake and the trail was scenic after the first couple of miles with views of Johnson Peak and Old Snowy. After setting up camp at Heart Lake, K. Gazelle and myself felt inspired to scramble up Johnson Peak before dinner. It was great with views of the next few day's adventures, but I was plenty tired by the time I collapsed into my tent that night. Next day, we hiked to the area above Snowgrass Flat where I've camped twice before only to find that my ""private"" camp spot was taken along with just about every other flat spot around. We finally found a place to set up camp after a long frustrating search. This area is awfully popular. Deservedly so. The next day K. Gazelle, Greg and I went to explore the area above Cispus Basin with a possible scramble of Ives Peak. Unfortunately, a too leisurely morning and my decision to take the ""scenic route"", along with some route finding errors combined to make this a summitless day. Oh well, we had a great time exploring the unnamed basin northwest of Cispus and the fabulous streams and meadows with zillions of Monkeyflower and other fantastic stuff. We also got to see a young buck hop it's way through a meadow in seconds that we had just slogged up in about a half hour! Next day we packed up and headed up to Old Snowy and out on the PCT toward Elk Pass. K. Gazelle and Greg tagged Old Snowy on the way out while Skippy and I gossiped and guarded packs below. This section of the PCT is unlike any trail that I've been on before. High and spectacular. Exposed, but safe and well constructed. Lots and lots of fun! We then plunged down to Packwood Lake for our last night. I awoke to the sound of what I believe was an elk bugle. Very exciting sound! We had a short day out to the trailhead. The trails were in excellent shape except for quite a bit of blow down on the Lake Trail from the PCT to Packwood Lake. The bugs weren't too bad. Just a few flies and mosquitos here and there. The flowers are still spectacular in places. Pretty much gone at Snowgrass Flats, but amazing in Cispus Basin. Another wonderful trip! |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
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Monday morning August 26th we began our journey at the Berry Patch trailhead #96a.The trail was in ...
Monday morning August 26th we began our journey at the Berry Patch trailhead #96a.The trail was in good shape, but dusty. The weather was sunny with a few clouds. It was a bug free trek to Snowgrass Flats. Even The low area that is 2 miles before the Flats just after the bridge that is considered damp and often swarming with bugs was dry and bug free. The Flats was in full bloom with many varieties of wild flowers. Gorgeous! In the distance there was a large cloud bank in the distance that covered Goat Ridge and trail #86 to Goat Lake. We made base camp around the Flats in one of several sites. Tuesday morning, the cloud bank had moved from the Ridge and we could see views of Mt. St Helens and Mt. Adams from our campsite. We headed out for a day hike up #96 which merges with the PCT. Lots of nice flowers and views.Wednesday was another sunny day which was totaly clear and warm. We headed up trail #86 to Goat Lake. The views of Mt. Adams were awesome. Goat Lake was very windy and there was a few patches of ice still remaining on the lake. Very nice trip! Thursday we headed to the Cispus basin, a nice day hike via the Bypass trail. Over all this is a great trip! There were a few bugs during our stay, but nothing unbearable. We headed out Friday morning back to the Berry Patch trailhead. Another great day! |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Blowdowns, Snow on trail
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Goat Rocks Crest, White Pass to Walupt Lake Trip report 6/30-7/4 Recommend gaitors, stiff boots, an...
Goat Rocks Crest, White Pass to Walupt Lake Trip report 6/30-7/4 Recommend gaitors, stiff boots, and ice axe. Snow melting at several inches a day with this weather, so patches should be clear in a week or two. Snowfields will take awhile to melt yet. |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
Blowdowns, Snow on trail
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Spectacular weekend in Goat Rocks. A lot of snow seems to have just melted and a bit of work to be ...
Spectacular weekend in Goat Rocks. A lot of snow seems to have just melted and a bit of work to be done at times along the trail, but for the most part no problems. Flowers were out in earnest and the weather was perfect. Goat Lake still covered with snow and ice, but a couple of camps were seen in the area. Snow was encountered on the PCT above Snowgrass and one had to freelance it to the top, but no problem in clear weather. Clouds could make it more difficult. The way to the top of Old Snowy was clear. Saw the large heard of elk down the valley below Packwood Glacier and a large group of goats north of Gifford Peak. They were both hanging out in the snow fields to keep cool. This is one of my favorite places on earth and right now it is peaking with flowers, snow fields and lush green meadows. Go spend this weekend walking along the steps below Snowy and Ives and find that elusive, perfect melt pond at the end of your day. You won't be disappointed... |
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South Cascades -- Goat Rocks
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Started from Walput Lake. Be careful here cause the campground hosts might try to extract $3 from ...
Started from Walput Lake. Be careful here cause the campground hosts might try to extract $3 from you even if you have a Trail Pass. Trail Passes are honored and their $3 fee does not apply if you have one. The wildflowers are bloomed out at this end of the Goatrocks and berries are pretty much dried up. The terrain gets interesting about 1 mile North of the junction with PCT. Great campsite in Cispus Basin above first stream with excellent stargazing . Gilbert and Ives are both very nice scrambles with spectacular views ranging to Mt Jefferson in Oregon to Mt Stuart to the North. |
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