Beautiful fall backpack east of Mt Rainier. We started at Chinook Pass and hiked the PCT past Dewey Lakes to the Cougar Lakes trail junction. Amazing fall colors through this entire stretch of the PCT. Saw a bear just before reaching Dewey Lakes.

The Cougar Lakes trail junction is not signed and is only marked by a small cairn. The trail is rough, overgrown with trees and bushes, deeply rutted and very steep up over a ridge and then down to Cougar Lakes. But, it is also extremely scenic and the lake setting is gorgeous. 

We camped by Little Cougar Lake. Most of the camp spots between Little Cougar and Cougar Lakes are marked as closed for restoration, but there are sites before and after this narrow divide between the lakes. We heard animal noises all night, including elk very near our camp and bugling around us.

The trail north from Cougar Lakes to the American Ridge trail is fairly steep but in much better condition. More huckleberry bushes in full fall foliage and views of Mt Rainier and our previous day's route along the PCT before rounding peak 6161. 

We turned left onto the Mesatchee Creek trail. We passed through an area with Larch trees, some already turning yellow. The area had a great variety of trees, including Western Hemlock, Western White Pine, Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine in addition to the Larch trees.

Turned left again on the Dewey Lake trail to complete our loop. The forest was much darker and less scenic. We were looking for our next campsite but did not find one until just before the trail crossed the American River. We startled a large bull elk and he startled us on the trail. He ran off, but then bugled for another 10 minutes as we keep walking.

On the third day, we ascended back to Dewey Lakes, where we had a fantastic view of Mt Rainier across the lake. We missed this view on our way in. We came out on the Naches Loop trail and back to our car. Being Sunday, the trail was packed and parking overflowing. During our backpack, upon leaving Dewey Lake and returning to Dewey Lake, we saw only 4 other hikers including two others camped at Cougar Lake. the Naches Loop trail had a line of bodies moving up and down the trail.

Fantastic loop. Great fall hike.

Started at Goose Prairie TH. Encountered  continuous snow 5 miles in at 5500 ft. and turned back. Lots of blowdowns. There were several places where the creek was flowing down the trail. I unplugged a ditch and got the creek flowing back into the culvert. Good views near the Ridge in open subalpine forest.

I never did this trail before it burned, so I had more issues than some would have routefinding. But it is a really depressing slog, and the trail is impossible to follow as soon as you reach the ridge. I did a lot of “if I were a trail where would I be” blind navigation and was able to stick with it, but the trail was gone, and even the reliable markers like sawed log ends were burned. I turned back after an hour because the wind picked up and I didn’t want my dogs to get done in by a murder tree.

I wonder if this trail will even be rebuilt.

I know this trail is currently closed. We checked with USFS prior to starting and they said we were good to go since the fire was south of our itinerary at that time.Just to add to previous report. Water is available at 2nd pond along with an excellent camp. It is not "pond" like water as I have stayed here several times and had excellent results. Maybe it is spring fed as there are several natural springs in this region. Also bugs were not an issue -frogs, dragonflies and birds seem to be doing a good job and there is usually a breeze on the ridge. Water at 1st pond is low and much poorer water quality.

Cougar lakes has multiple campsites but the spit is closed to camping for reforestation. Please respect this. Trail to upper meadows is very brushy and rough at times but well worth the climb.

Only saw people during our hike from American Lake to Dewey Lake so 5 days of solitude. Nice camp 1/4 ml past upper American River ford.  As stated lots of blowdowns from dewey to mesatchee. Just as you start down the final set of switch backs past the 2nd waterfall One giant that looks like you need to belly crawl under and has another smaller tree headed downhill next to it - best to head down off trail and you will pick up the trail.

This loop trail is called the “Chinook Pass Loop” and described in the book Backpacking Washington.  I started at the Union Creek Trailhead off of Hwy 410.  Within a couple of miles I encountered the remnants of the Norse Mountain fire of 2017.  In places the trail is buried by fallen trees and  difficult to navigate.  I had finally hiked out of what I hoped was the last of the fire and actually was able to hike on a clear trail for about a mile when I encountered a stand of trees which had been leveled by an avalanche this past winter.  Rather than trying to follow the trail, I chose to try to find the least difficult way across the damage, then hook up with the trail on the other side.  Unfortunately, I missed a couple of switchbacks in the process and ended up well below the trail on a rather steep slope.  After some serious uphill scrambling/rock climbing, I was reunited with the trail.

The PCT is clearly where the trail maintenance work is done and was clear sailing.  It is unfortunate the amount of use that the campsites get along this trail.  I have found through and section hikers to not always be mindful about camping away from lakes and honoring others’ wilderness experiences.  I am always glad when I am able to get off the PCT again. 

 I dropped off the PCT onto the American Ridge trail, which was in good shape up until the junction with Trail #969 – Mesatchee Creek.  After that, it became very difficult to find and follow at times, as has been detailed by hikers before me.  I had visited the USFS site and read this trail report dated July 2019:  Trail is in good condition.  The natural slide slope and grade are very sustainable.  36 trees cleared from American lake to 2 miles from mesatchee.  36 trees cleared entire trail.  So I was hopeful that the trail was in better shape, but clearly they had only worked the trail before the Mesatchee junction and not the trail between that junction and Kettle Lake.  That part of the trail was simply impossible to find and follow in spots.  Fortunately I had some boot prints to follow when the soil was conducive for leaving prints.  Most of the time, I was on my own.  If you choose to hike this route, be prepared to find your way without a trail for much of it. 

 The Kettle Creek Trail was in fairly good shape although it also traveled through some burned areas.  I exited that trail across the American River and through the Pleasant Valley Campground, then crossed 410 and hiked the Pleasant Valley trail back to my car at the trailhead. 

 The mosquitoes were prolific and annoying along almost the entire trail.  Some black flies as well.  I was very glad that I had brought my bug spray and netting with me!  That said, I still came home with dozens (hundreds??) of bites.