Day 1 - Hatchery Creek to Augusta Lake.

This trail is an absolute mess, the amount of blowdown, burnt blow down, exposure, lack of water, route finding... A note at the TH said "766 down trees, yes we counted". It may actually be more than that. Another said "it was the worst hike ever," I agree, it really was the worst hike i've ever done. Another note, "Falls Creek is Dry".

Surprisingly there was water at 2mi in. I almost called it and turned around until this point. I filled everything I had, cooled off and recalibrated the trip. Seeing that note about Falls Creek was dry, I wasn't sure when the next water source would be if any until Augusta.

A fellow hiker I passed on the way up, I ended up running into 3 days later, now headed the opposite direction on Icicle Creek. He said he thought he was about to get heat stroke and turned around and called for a ride out. Which got me thinking, if you did have an issue on this trail, search and rescue getting in and out with all the blowdown would be a really bad situation. 

If you want to try this, start really early AM, and/or on a cloudy cool day but hopefully now you have a better expectation of the embrace the suck for the first 5 miles. 

Day 2 - Augusta Lake to Mary Lake

The ridges are great, but everything below the treeline is slow going. Big descents and ascents, trail is very overgrown at times, blowdowns causing re-routes. Lots of very helpful cairns, Gaia GPS was fantastic for me. Really once over the ridge from Augusta to Chatter Creek it's just slow to get through the valleys and brush. Edna is incredible. I'm terrible with heights so Cape Horn took me a minute to focus enough to scoot around the corner. Camped at Lake Mary.

Day 3 - Mary Lake to Susan Jane

Woke up to a flat mattress, couldn't find the leak in the lake. Otherwise, Mary Lake to Susan Jane was pretty straight forward, some fun steep sections traversing along the ridge. Lower Doelle might be my new favorite alpine lake. Once I got to Josephine I saw several closed for restoration and day use only signs so I kept boogying to Susan Jane. 

Day 4 - Susan Jane to Stevens

Yep, mattress still flat, butt pad under the hip, sleeping on clothes, still got some shuteye and could hear the winds picking up. A slight sprinkle woke me up around 6:30am and got me packed fast and on the go, but with a dead mattress I threw in the towel at Stevens and grabbed a ride home. 

This is a nice out-and-back switch-back hike if you don’t want to drive a long way to the trailhead from town; it’s just 10-15 minutes by car from Leavenworth city center. Temperature in the 70s and mostly sunny after light rain last night. Saw fewer than a dozen other hiking parties.

We hiked just over 1,000 feet of the 1,800 total elevation, leaving at about 10:30 am from the trailhead (still parking parking spots at that time), stopped for lunch at 12:00 on a long flat log, and were back down at 1:30pm. Views of mountains were good from 56% up, but we missed seeing the whole town of Leavenworth and the 360 degree views from the top. For us, the hiking poles really helped because lots of trail was loose sand that could be slippery.

Starting from the Icicle Gorge TH we looped Icicle Creek , Chain Lakes , Icicle Ridge and Chatter Creek Trails. No snow. Few bugs. Amazing views and lakes.

Day 1 – Icicle Gorge to French Creek Junction
From the Icicle Gorge TH we wound through towering western red cedars and shady forest, with gentle grades. The junction with the French Creek Trail offered inviting campsites, a privy, and a broken bridge that required a ford. Our camp at the Frosty - Wildhorse junction was flat, spacious, with good water access. Huckleberries lined much of the trail.

Day 2 – French Creek to Doelle Lakes
Crossed Icicle Creek by fording rather than risking the broken bridge, then climbed steeply through forest and brush thick with thimbleberry and devil’s club. The ascent gained about 2,000 feet in under two miles—tough but broken up by occasional gentler stretches. The Chain Lakes were rewarding stops: quiet, scenic, and set in rugged terrain. From there, the trail climbed over a pass with sweeping views of Glacier Peak and Mount Baker before dropping steeply toward Doelle Lakes. Campsites were limited, but a small spot at Lower Doelle Lake provided a good stop, with granite walls and plenty of huckleberries nearby.

Day 3 – Doelle Lakes to Upper Florence Lake
The route dropped through forest and meadows where wildflowers were mostly past peak, then climbed to a ridge with excellent views back toward Bulls Tooth. Frosty Pass itself lacked views, but the approach was scenic. A side trip to Lake Mary revealed alpine meadows and jagged ridges reminiscent of the Goat Rocks, with marmots calling from the rocks. From Mary’s Pass, the trail traversed toward Mary’s Peak, then descended to Upper Florence Lake. Smoke began drifting in during the evening, and strong winds made for a cold night.

Day 4 – Upper Florence Lake to Icicle Gorge via Ladies Pass and Chatter Creek
In calm morning air, the trail climbed above Upper Florence Lake with expansive views, then traversed around a cirque to Ladies Pass. A steep push led toward Cape Horn before dropping to Lake Edna, where even the backcountry toilet had a sweeping vista. From there, the trail traversed Icicle Ridge—characterized by white rock formations, big climbs and drops, and constant views. The descent toward Chatter Creek was steep but beautiful, transitioning into ponderosa pine forest near the road. The trip ended with a fast finish down the open forest to the trailhead.

A packed overnighter on the Ladies Loop -- 25 miles, +6500feet, counterclockwise. 

Somewhat overgrown on Chatter Creek as usual (with a steep climb). Wildflowers starting to emerge (but not yet peak) in the alpine meadows. Clear views from the passes, with no sign of the Pomas fire smoke. Uneventful shaded trails on Frosty / lower Icicle Creek. All trail junctions were well signed, and passed about a dozen hikers, all starting from various locations. 

[1] Chatter Creek TH > Lake Edna
[2] Edna > Cape Horn > Ladies Pass > Upper Florence > Mary > Margaret
[3] Margaret > Frosty Creek > Icicle Creek
[4] Icicle Creek TH > Jack Pine > Icicle Gorge Loop > Chatter Creek TH

[1] Chatter Creek TH > Lake Edna

I originally planned to hike in Glacier Peak, but was rerouted from an expanded fire closure at 10am that morning. I meant to do this loop during peak wildflower season (Aug) or larch season, but a late start meant I needed a challenging hike to lose the weekend crowds. 

Chatter Creek TH has its own small lot, and a steep climb with minimal switchbacks. You'll gain about 1000' per mile -- starting at 2600', crossing the creek at 3100', and a small camp area at 4300' near mile 2. The trail is narrow with some camouflaged holes in the ground. The perennial overgrowth will tug at your pack, particularly slide alder and other sturdy foliage. For how much traffic this trail gets, the growth is persistent and would benefit greatly from some pruning. (WTA work party, anyone?)

A couple treefalls on the trail, most with creative detours, but some requiring vaulting over. The climb is largely shaded, but the dark, humid peat is likely hosting plenty of mosquitos awaiting dusk. The trail clears somewhat as you break the forest cover around 5000', indicated by a rockfield to your right. A couple dayhikers passed me in this section, most having ventured up to Ladies Pass. 

At 6600', you'll crest over the pass into the alpine meadows, where a slope of wildflowers and cooler drafts greeted me. Just below the pass is a camp area, a pair of screaming marmots, and a tent set up in the basin. If you can, set camp here rather than along muggy Chatter Creek. 

Immediately next to the camp area is a brief rockfield, with the trail running through some patches of snow. You can also follow the sparse cairns to hop across, and regain the trail, largely hugging the ridge as it rounds the corner. 

Pass through another meadow with meandering trickles of water, a small creek you'll climb alongside, and the junction for the Icicle Ridge bootpath along Index Creek. On the final ridge up to Lake Edna, a marmot carcass is in the middle of the trail, no longer particularly fresh. Possibly a coyote or avian kill, but I didn't hear any howls at night. Watch your step trailrunners!

At around 8pm, I finally made it to Lake Edna, when the wind decided to pick up dramatically. There aren't many (any) visible camp sites from the trail, and after poking around the ridges, I found a sandy patch behind some trees to stake my tent. 

Edna is very pretty, and I had a great sunset with views of (I think?) Mt Stuart and the Enchantments, albeit cut short by the evening winds. It surprised me there weren't many obvious camp sites, but presumably most folks want to keep pushing further. By 10pm the winds became eerily silent, continuing into the morning. 

[2] Edna > Cape Horn > Ladies Pass > Upper Florence > Mary > Margaret

After a leisure morning coffee, I hiked up the pass and glanced over at Cape Horn, continuing onto Ladies Pass. These high meadow trails reminded me of the Seven Lakes basin in the Olympics, with the crowded peaks on the horizon, and dramatic views as you turn at each pass. 

Upper Florence has a large and established shoreline from foot traffic, and seems to be the most popular camp destination. At Mary's Pass, I stopped to chat with another hiker, as we glanced at Mt Rainier and Glacier Peak towering on the horizon. 

You drop elevation quickly, losing 1000' as you reach Lake Mary, with colorful trout meandering in the shallow water. The shore is somewhat muddy, with the camp area under trees next to the drainage creek. 

Continuing down, you'll pass the junction to the Wildhorse Creek trail, which joins the lower White Pine Creek trail, all apparently in decent condition. There's also a bootpath to Chain and Doelle Lakes, which is supposedly decent to follow given the lack of overgrowth at the high-altitude. I had meant to continue on here, but decided to cut the loop short with lightning on the forecast. 

[3] Margaret > Frosty Creek > Icicle Creek

Lake Margaret wasn't very appealing, with no shore access and buggy camps in the shade. At this point, you've left the meadows of higher elevations, continuing back into the muggy, forested overgrowth. 

The winding descent on the Frosty-Wildhorse Trail was mostly smooth, and not too overgrown thanks to the tree cover, but felt long. At the junction with Icicle Creek, you can cross on the remaining single beam of the bridge with ease. It's been here for quite a few years, and seems to survive fine. Icicle Creek north of here was quite overgrown when I last traversed, up until the Chain Lakes junction. 

Icicle Creek was uneventful, with the occasional pile of horse poop. At the intersection with French Creek, the bridge is again out, but the remnants of this one shouldn't be traversed. At the horse ford, you can delicately hop across if you've got long legs, or ford the water a few steps. The camp area is huge on both sides, formerly made for horse camps, and has struggled to recover.

[4] Icicle Creek TH > Jack Pine > Icicle Gorge Loop > Chatter Creek TH

A swift descent to the trailhead, and a short walk through the Blackpine Horse Camp puts you onto the Jackpine Trail, which quickly crosses the Blackjack Ridge Trail. You'll be adjacent to the road, but this trail puts some distance between you and the gravel dust from each passing car.

At Rock Island Campground, you can continue on the north or south side of the river along the Icicle Gorge Loop, a wide and well-maintained trail that attracted folks out for an afternoon stroll. I opted for the south side, and passed a beautiful beach near the end of FS 615, under a footbridge. 

The trail ends near Chatter Creek Campground, where a vista overlooks a small river gorge just beside the road. A short road walk past the ranger station puts you back at Chatter Creek TH. 

A popular but still very quiet loop, best done during peak wildflower or larch season. Everyone I passed seem to be experienced but casual hikers, having stitched their own routes in the area. 

Hot summer day in Leavenworth, we wanted a quick hike close to town. We arrived at 6 am and were the only car in the lot. Port a potty at trailhead. Even though we started early the hike was warm, bring plenty of water for yourself and pups. Trail highlights, only a few bugs, not crowded, in and out of the ponderosa pine shade. The best part was the breeze at the top of the ridge.
We encountered several hikers and one large group on our way down, 11 cars in lot at 9 am. We saw bald eagles from the ridge, squirrels, chipmunks and a lizard along the trail.