Hiked in via Bumping Lake Trail to avoid the terrible road into the Swamp Lake Trlhd. This a great gentle trail that has several water sources from creeks and options to access the lake. I headed out after the big storm and found one mudflow that my boots sunk into significantly, but days later when exiting it had harden nicely. Nice to see the force of mother nature! Saw a toad larger than my fist. There are also lots of tiny dirt colored frogs in certain sections especially in the clover fields. Watch out for them! They dod try to hop out of the way. The camp with the chair and table at the end of the lake makes a good option if a late start is in the itinerary.

Swamp Lake trail is in good shape and all downed trees are easy enough to get around. At least 2 water sources exist on this gentle climb to the lake. Several great campsites and a couple that are closed for restoration. The hike up to the junction with the American Ridge Trl takes you some beautiful meadows full of blueberries!

Hiked the American Ridge headed east to the junction with Cedar Lake trail which is not shown on green trail map. I counted 28 downed trees but all were easy enough to get over and around even on horses as confirmed by Gary a horseman I met. The trail down to Cedar Lakes is sometimes obvious and other times takes some searching for. It is incredibly steep in the first section and then is more gentle as you hit the tree line.

I moved on to Cougar Lakes and camped at the bigger lake. The trail to the lakes had 2 downed trees but are easy enough to get over. I day hiked up the unmaintained trail to the upper meadows and ridge. It is trench-like with trees encroaching but well worth the effort. You cross the creek at about the half way point. This is your last water source on the climb up. The trail continues along the backside of the ridge to a great view point before dropping off the ridge to the PCT.

Weather was cloudy and cold the whole trip with some rain. This made all the berries even sweeter and the mushrooms emerge. Flowers were still blooming in the upper meadows. Animals spotted mt goats, herd of elk, pikas, marmots, osprey, mergansers and lots of songbirds, toads and frogs, and many squirrels and chipmunks. Incredible area! Please respect it and leave no trace!

I did a trail run loop from goat peak trail head, goat peak, American ridge, kettle Creek trail and pleasant valley back.
Fantastic views all along.
Goat peak ascent is great, a few minor down trees early on the ascent. Great views at the top. Following the American ridge with some minor down trees.
Things change after the pleasant valley lake trail / goat Creek trail fork. The American ridge trail is very faint. Then from the burn scar, it requires navigation to follow the trail with many blow downs. Plenty of game trails that mainly follow the trail but sometimes deviate from it, and need to check back the GPX.
Out of the burn scar, the trail is back and even some down trees cut after the goose prairie trail fork.
I continued on the American ridge trail past kettle lake. The trail doesn't seem to follow the GPX/trail map. After a climb, arrived at a beautiful alpine meadow, for a snack and turned back do go down on kettle Creek trail.
Once again the GPX/trail map doesn't follow the trail. It's mostly fine, besides some major blow down and slightly overgrown. Then comes another burn zone, where the trail disappears and requires some navigation at sight. Very slow going and bushwhacky through sand/burn down trees, till I finally find what looks like a trail again and managed to follow it till it gets clear and the pleasant valley loop trail. From then on, it's cruising till the end.

Amazing loop hike. Up to the goat peak via 958C, then along American ridge 958 (crazy good trail), down 958B (trail in bad shape, several hundred trees blow down) , along 999 back to my car. Going up to the peak was hard. Just less than ten miles. Insects were out.

Such an amazing trail loop. The views from the peak were so very good. The pleasant valley lake was very nice (mosquitoes loved it too).

We stayed at the American Ridge Lodge, so we naturally had to do some exploring on this nearby trail.  I had tried to talk the group into Goat Peak, but didn't have any takers! :)

The first mile or so is in good condition. It gets more use due to the nearby campgrounds and Chinook Pass Outfitters uses it for horse rides. The dust is a bit deep on the first section due to that, but otherwise in perfect condition. There are several viewpoints early on, looking down at the American Ridge Ski Bowl and Lodge. Trees have covered most of the ski slopes now, but it amazing to think about the hardy folks that skied these steep slopes on 1930-1950s ski technology! Soon after the viewpoint down towards the lodge, an open sunny viewpoint looks south, and provides a good rest stop with boulders to perch on. Several groups from my family trekked up to this point from the lodge, to take in the views. Around 1.5 miles from the trailhead, you will come across another open view point, complete with a fire pit and flat spots for tents if you were looking for a short overnight trip, or just a good picnic spot. Past this point, the trail starts to deteriorate due to the regrowth from the 2021 Schneider Springs fire and lack of use. There are trees down, but they are not difficult to navigate, however vegetation is rapidly taking over the trail tread. It may be challenging to hike within the next few years. We cleared branches and debris as we went, only losing the trail briefly when it steeply switchedbacked up the nose of the ridge. We turned around at a fantastic viewpoint around 2.3 miles in. On an open slope along the ridgeline, you will see a burnt American Ridge sign on a tree, and a short spur trail to a small open knoll, which looks NW to Fifes Ridge, SW to Old Scab Mountain and Nelson Ridge, and south down to the Bumping River.  While sections are burned, it is still a lovely trail with a mix of firs, pines, and larches in areas. As with any burned zone, stay alert or avoid on windy days, as dead trees are still coming down. Some of the towering Ponderosas survived the blaze, bearing new fire scars along their trunks. Balsamroot, lupine, bitterroot, penstemon, scarlet gilia, phacelia, buckwheat, silvercrown, paintbrush, and desert parsley were in bloom at various points along the trail. It was an interesting blend of forest and shrub steppe species mixed together on this hike, with the shrub steppe species dominating the hot south facing slope at our turn around point. 

Overall, a great hike with ski history, fire regrowth, flowers, and views! Get out there and hike it, and pack a small hand saw or pruners if you can, because this trail needs a little love to keep it hikeable in the future. 

I hiked the Kettle Creek Trail #957 to American Ridge, to Mesatchee Creek.  the views from the top of American Ridge Peak were awesome.  The Kettle Creek trail could use a log out along with sections of the American Ridge.  I brought a hand saw and cut out small stuff, but wow would this be a great area for a cross cut work party!