A group of four of us hiked the Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake, where we stopped for a quick lunch and dip before heading back down the hill. We arrived to the trailhead at 11:30 am, where there were just a couple of spots available, and were back down to the bottom by 4:00 pm. The trail is very well maintained, wide, and wasn’t too busy. There were a few other groups of people enjoying the lake, including just a few bugs, but nothing that was too unmanageable. We had a perfectly clear day with impeccable views of Mount Rainier and were even able to catch the tail end of some wild flowers.

What a gem on I-90! I haven’t been up here since 2021 since the wildfires made it impossible to see very much! It’s nice to see it on such a gorgeous day and be able to see the lake in its full beauty.

The road up is much improved since 2021. It used to be a washboard-pothole mess. Now it’s just occasional potholes that can be avoided or driven over with a bumpy ride. I was in my Impreza and it was just fine.

I arrived at the lot at 9 and it was already full. I got one of the first spots on the road. Vault toilet clean and fully stocked with TP. Please remember your NW Forest Pass/America the Beautiful Pass (not Discover Pass). I saw people with tickets.

While the lot was full, the trail was peaceful and not crowded. I think I interacted with 5 groups. The trail starts off really pleasant for the first mile+ and then gets steep… like 45% grade steep. Be prepared to engage those glutes and core! I had plans to trail run. It became a hike real fast.

I’d say two-thirds is shaded and in the woods. Towards the top, it’s open and talus fields that require some concentration to navigate but the rocks are pretty stable. From those fields, I had a stunning view of Mount Rainier. The wildflowers are also looking gorgeous. I saw some paintbrushes, lupin, and some others I’m blanking on… pops of red, yellow, purple, magenta dot the trail side.

I reached the “summit” with a welcome chorus of pika and then descended down the other side back into the woods. It felt so nice to shake out my legs and run for a bit. I reached the lake pretty quickly and took a quick break on a rock by the lake. It was gorgeous and much clearer than the last time I visited.

After my break, I headed back down. Normally I look forward to the downhill but this trail is so steep, I had to hike some of it because my knees and quads were speaking to me or the trail was too rocky. Nothing too eventful on the way down but way more people on their way up. When I got back to the car, the lot was still full and cars were parked about a quarter of a mile down the road.

Stats:
- 7 miles
- 2200 ft elevation gain
- Moving time: 2 hrs 30 (hike/trail run)
- Total time: 2 hrs 50
- Poop bags: 💩💩

Today I hiked the PPP-Defiance Loop. I parked on the north side of I-90 at Exit 42 and followed the good trail to the Mason Lake Road and Ira Spring Trailhead. I followed the well-travelled path towards Mason Lake, but went straight instead of turning at the first switchback. From there, a fainter trail travels steeply up to Putrid Pete's Peak. The trail is very steep, but there are no blowdowns and is straightforward to follow. From there, I traversed to Mount Defiance. The traverse route can be tricky at times, but as long as you stay near the ridge you'll be fine. Eventually I linked up with the Mount Defiance Trail and took that to the summit. From there, it was an easy hike down the Mason Lake Trail back to my car. Total stats for the day were 10.8 miles and 4800 vertical feet in 5.5 hours. With two summits, a fun ridge walk, a beautiful lake, and fantastic views ranging from Baker to Adams, I highly recommend this trip.

We started at Exit 42 which adds 0.8 miles each way and 600 feet elevation gain. Parking here is easy. This also avoids the construction traffic on I-90 and the dirt road to the trailhead. This lower portion of the trail is a very pleasant walk along side Mason Creek. It intersects the dirt access road to the main trailhead. It's a 0.1 mile road walk to the proper trailhead.

The trail is in very good shape as usual. Nice colorful wildflowers along the trail once you reach the talus meadows. Most of the Beargrass is past prime.

Small flies were annoying from the talus meadows to the lake. They really only are a bother if you stop moving. They fly up into your face but didn't do much biting.

On the way down I had the pleasure meeting WTA trail reporter, Birb. She recognized my dog Sky.

On the return drive there was a 10 mile backup on eastbound I-90 due to construction at exit 45 at 2pm.  On Google maps it shows this amounts to a 1 hour delay. The backup was much smaller at 9am.

RT 9mi and 3000ft

Trying to get out on weekdays to avoid crowds. The day before the 4th holiday was weekend-ish at the TH but plenty of parking available at 9am. Trail in great shape and not a knee buster on the way down. My friend dipped in the lake for a brief swim and said it wasn't too cold. SUPER LOUD middle school kids nearby kind of changed the outdoor ambiance. Bugs did visit lakeside, but not too bad.