Followed the excellent trail description above. Thanks WTA An outstanding hike. Some personal observations: -- black flies buzzing about, but not bad enough for bug spray -- sun screen recommended -- ripe blueberries at lower 1/2 of the trail loop -- on a sunny weekday, lots of fellow hikers, not an ideal trail for solitude seekers. -- on a 60-70 degree day, I consumed 40 oz. of water on the trail. -- bring a $5 bill, and a pen for parking fee and related form.

Hiked counterclockwise, as suggested. I started at the trailhead at 6:30am and never saw another person until the descent. I highly recommend starting early, so you can ascend while it's cool and see the dawn wildlife. After the hike, I headed back to camp for a little nap in the shade, and then hiked a few other local trails. Hwy 20 was closed at Rainey Pass until this morning at 10am due to mudslides. I camped at Lone Fir campground (which I highly recommend! The camp hosts keep the place pristine!). I saw the biggest, friendliest marmots ever; two of which let me photograph them quite extensively. One black bear at the intersection to Wing Lake. People are reporting bugs, but I did not find them bad at all. Just a few here and there, but I am fresh from a Goat Rocks Wilderness backpacking trip with mosquitoes so thick that it was hard to even eat. Wildflowers are blooming, but not much of the lupine has budded yet. I highly recommend this hike. If you are deciding between Cutthroat Lake or this hike, I would definitely pick this one. It has it all; do-able steady climbing (it's difficult, but the grade it not really much more than the highway grade). If you are going to hike any hike on Hwy 20, I would pick this one or Cascade Pass. The views are incredible.

We feel lucky to have completed this hike before all the slides and the closure of Highway 20. We left Seattle at about 7 p.m. Friday, luckily found a campsite near Baker Lake, then awoke to rain. But the sky looked lighter to the east, so we kept going and, on a ranger's advice, decided to do the Heather-Maple Pass Loop rather than Cascade Pass because it would be easier to retreat if thunderstorms materialized. By the time we reached Rainy Pass trailhead, the sun was out, and we enjoyed warm, clear weather as we climbed up past Lake Ann, past Heather Pass and then the higher Maple Pass and along the ridge beyond. Glorious, 180-degree views in both directions. The only annoyance were a few bugs. Could have stayed at the top for days. We hiked counterclockwise and the way down was steadily steep, but all in all a wonderful day, with clouds building in the distance as we finished about 4 p.m., but didn't look ominous. Drove home in bright sunshine, too, with no clue of what was to come, except the forecast.

Hiked the loop counter clockwise. Recommend that direction - the descent is hard but the progression of scenery is magnificent. Perfect time to go for wildflowers and panorama. People: Loads of day hikers on the trail but since most are going in the same direction you don't see folks often. There were only a few spots available when we got to trailhead around 2pm on a Saturday. Animals: Picas everywhere - we didn't see any but heard them. Some other hikers told us they saw marmots. Bugs: lots. Huge ones at the top. Stopping is not pleasant. Berries: Some starting to bloom. Saw some parties with kids picking them.

This is such a beautiful hike. Easy access from Highway 20, and the trail is in great condition. We hiked it counter-clockwise and loved that, but either direction would be spectacular. Just when you think the views can't get any more breaktaking, you come around a corner and your heart just about explodes from the beauty. The wildflowers are still in full force. Biting insects were the only drawback. DEET recommended, as is this hike!