Beautiful day for a first time hike up to goat mountain. Road to the trailhead had your typical potholes but nothing our Honda Accord couldn't pass. We were the second car in the parking lot when we got there at 9:00 am. The trail is completely snow-free as it switchbacks through the forest. There were many streams that crossed the trail but nothing too deep (water proof shoes may be helpful). Once the trail starts to open up (2.5-3 miles) snow becomes pretty consistent. There was a boot path for a good chunk of the way but it became more faint as you went up. We were able to make it to what we were pretty sure was the top of the hike, with just hiking boots and trekking poles (one member of our party had trail running shoes and no poles - doable either way). The snow was compact and we only sunk through a handful of times. As you get closer to the top just make sure you leave some good footprints to find your way back. Bugs were a bit of an annoyance at the top but once you get moving again it was fine. Enjoy the sliding descent down the snowy mountainside! Met a few more parties on the way down, parking lot was still only 1/2 full when we finished around 1:30.

Goat Mountain always seems underappreciated for what is really a beautiful hike and pretty accessible, so it seemed like a good hike to escape crowded trails. I wasn't sure where the snow level would be, but I decided to give it a go. I started in mid-afternoon, hoping to take advantage of the long days we get here in the PNW. The road is fairly potholed right after you turn off Mount Baker Highway, but nothing I couldn't navigate in my Honda Fit.

The trail begins with a series of switchbacks through the forest. The switchbacks provide a fairly gentle grade given the amount of elevation that you climb in total. Right now the trail through the forest is incredibly green, full of moss, ferns, and other foliage. The snowmelt produced several nice cascading waterfalls. You cross these streams a number of times, but with waterproof boots, you can easily avoid getting your feet wet even without worrying about careful rock hopping. At about 2.5 miles in, I hit a few short snow patches that were easily crossed. After that, by the time you break out of the forest, the trail became steadily snow-covered. It was misty and foggy, so the typical stunning views were significantly muted, but this created a nice peaceful atmosphere.

I continued to hike up the snowfields for a few hundred more feet. There was a steady boot trail, and the snow was soft enough that I managed fairly easily with poles and didn't bother putting on my microspikes, which I had brought with me. The bootpath continued where I turned around, but given the fog and clouds, I decided that I had gone far enough. I took a few minutes to appreciate the peaceful stillness and the sound of only the running the streams. Overall it was a very pleasant hike despite the lack of views, and I only two other people. 

The road up is passible in any kind of car. A few pot holes to avoid that won't pose any trouble. The first 2.5 miles of the trail are in fine shape. There are a few shallow creeks/sections of run off that are easily crossed. I wear low top hiking shoes and didn't get wet. Approximately 2.75 in miles I hit snow. It wasn't a problem for the first few hundred yards, but I started sinking to knee depth after that. Spikes wouldn't have made a difference and I don't think snow shoes would be a benefit as there are lots of mud sections to contend with. I suspect that towards the last week of June that the trail will be great. You may consider gaiters for the top. Have fun!

The road up to the trailhead is fairly uneventful. Your typical forest road with scattered potholes. Little streams begin to cover the trail after about two miles leading to some crossing that are maybe a few inches deep. At about three miles you hit snow and the trail becomes difficult to navigate through the trees. From prior experience I knew the direction to head and ended my hike at about four miles. It was nice to be back in the mountains.

It was great to get back in the mountains!

I started up the trail at 6:15AM.  There was one other vehicle in the parking lot.  The road to the TH has some potholes, but it is not bad.   There was a good-sized tree across the road, but a section has been cut out long enough for a car to pass.

The trail is flat, wide, and soft for the first two miles.  There are clusters of Calypso Orchids along the trail.  That's the way I like to find them, although the two in left-hand photo are over six inches tall!  And there are some spring mushrooms coming up.

You cross three creeks at 1.7 miles and recross them numerous times as you switchback up the mountain.  At least four times, cascades that cross the trail run down the path for up to 75' until they find a route down the mountain; so you definitely need waterproof boots.

There was snow on the trail starting at 4,000'.  I took microspikes, poles, gaiters, and snowshoes.  I did not use the gaiters or snowshoes, but the spikes and poles were essential.  The snow was frozen at 8AM.

The trail soon disappears, so you need to know the area to continue.  At 4,700', the terrain became so steep that I could not proceed.  Crampons and an ice axe would be needed unless you wait 2-3 weeks for the snow to melt.  I took pictures from a good vantage point and hiked out.  The snow was softening by 9AM.  My trip was 6.3 miles with 2,200' of elevation gain.  That's more than the map on the TH kiosk specifies, but GPS measures in its own way.  My last trip to Goat Mountain was 7.9 miles with 2,900' of elevation.

I saw several Coral Root plants emerging.  They should be prime by the time the snow melts.

There were five skiers/snowboarders lugging their equipment up the mountain.  I don't know where they planned to ski or if they were equipped to get there, but I wished them a great day.  I did not meet anyone else.

It was a beautiful day on the mountain.