This hike was definitely a bit of a slog, but the views from the top really were amazing! Our Green Trails map and GPS put the trip at closer to 14 miles round trip. We were able to pick up the trail at the back of Cayuse Horse Camp, but there are a bunch of crisscrossing horse trails and such that can be a bit confusing near the start of the trail. Further up, the trail junctions are really well signed (though the mileages seem to be rounded down). The trail is rocky and dusty and loose, and the final descent is a bit of a chossy stumble, but trail conditions were generally good and we didn’t run into any barriers or other issues. There were still patches of snow on the north slope of the final section of Jolly, but none of them were in places that felt dangerous or exposed and it wasn’t hard to see where the trail picked up again. After a couple stream crossings early on, we ran into one fairly small rivulet of water between the first and second trail junctions, but otherwise water was scarce on this trail, and we went through a lot given how hot and dry it was (the high that day was 86 degrees F at 2400 ft). Overall it was a great hike!

See additional links below for more trip photos. Salmon La Sac Road was clear up to the turnaround outside of Cayuse Campground, which was still inaccessible by car. Put on snowshoes past the mostly buried stop sign and reached the summer trail beyond the trail detour sign shortly after. Few inches to a few feet of packed snow between 2,600' and 4,000' elevation, as trail wound its way through service road in several places. Trail intersected the road one last time before the 4,000' clearing at road's end, then re-entered the woods. Softer snow past Salmon La Sac Creek bridge crossing at 4,400', the starting point of trail breaking. Terrain steepened past trail junction at 4,600' and flattened out at head of Salmon La Sac Creek Basin. Last couple hundred feet getting up to the 5,600' saddle on Sasse Ridge was steeper. From the saddle we got our first glimpse of Jolly Mountain's impressive northwest face. Pups and I traversed clockwise in the direction of the summer trail contouring Jolly Mountain's northwest basin. What felt like the starting of Cascade Concrete had us slowly plowing through sticky snow while steering clear of the heavily corniced ridge crest. We negotiated a couple of high points from the west just north of Jolly Mountain. Snow arête on north ridge leading to the summit was dull enough to snowshoe atop to finish off the last bit of scramble. Narrow and snow-packed summit with steep drop-offs both east and the west, stretched across 20-30 feet before sloping downward onto the south ridge. Gorgeous bluebird day with occasional light breeze on top; temperatures in the high 40s. Views were very different compared with my first visit on a hot summer day almost six years ago. Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Stuart Range, and peaks in the Snoqualmie region were all visible. No sightings of the wind-shielding lookout pit with massive ladybugs crawling all over the place. Last winter ascent of the season...and happy spring tomorrow! Gear: snowshoes

This hike is all about the views! I had no idea...

With all the crazy snowy weather lately, I was just hoping to get in some good gain without having to trudge through too much snow. What I got was an open, airy hike from the get-go with spectacular views of snow-capped peaks revealing themselves the higher I went. There was definitely some snow-hiking at the end, but super worth it!

The lower half of the hike is bursting in fall color right now, and coupled with the continuous mountain views, is beautiful. There’s even a nice grove of larches pre-peak along trail.

Intermittent snow begins about 5,300’, and by 5,600' is continuous on trail. The views really explode when you gain the ridge at the Sasse Mountain Trail Junction. This is a great stopping point if you don’t want to hike through too much snow. The views are amazing, and there are nice open areas to wander and check things out.

This last 2-mile section of trail is stunning as you hike along a mellow open ridge with non-stop views of snow-capped peaks. Lemahs, Chimney Rock, Summit Chief, Bears Breast, Hinman, Daniel, Glacier, Hawkins, Stuart, and many more... The mountain landscape is particularly striking right now as all the peaks are distinctly bisected with wintry snows on top, and rich fall color below.

The snow on the ridge got progressively deeper, and was about a foot deep in spots for the last half mile or so to the summit. It was never steep or exposed, and I was just fine in hiking boots alone.

I ran into a group of about 6 motorcyclists on the ridge, but saw no other hikers. Pretty surprised for a sunny Saturday.

Road/camp closure notes: I had originally planned on driving up Forest Road 4315, which tops out at 5,000’, and then was going to hike out to Skookum Peak and the Louvre. But 4315 is now gated for the season about 2.5 miles in. So, I went down to the main Jolly Mountain trailhead instead. The trailhead is at the back of the horse camp (noted in the WTA description), which is now closed and gated as well. However, there’s parking in the day use area lot just out front. Only adds another 1/2 mile or so RT to the hike.