Some muddy spots on the trail but other than that, in good condition.

Busy Tuesday on Mount Storm King! Lots of people enjoying the views. The maintained trail was in excellent condition. The unmaintained scramble to the peak was in good shape too. Bring gloves for the ropes. Lots of flowers in bloom right now, including little orchids!

Maybe I'm just a chicken but I found this hike much scarier and sketchier than I expected, based off reading a couple trip reports here. I have done lots of hiking across the Pacific Northwest and this was the most scared I've ever been on a hike! So I'm throwing my opinion into the mix: don't go past the maintained section of the trail unless you're quite fit, you're wearing proper hiking shoes with good tread, and you're comfortable with heights. This is an exposed climb. That said, I'm glad I did it and I don't think it's unsafe necessarily, I just think caution should be taken and people should be mindful of their physical limits. (Trip reports like "it's no big deal!" forget that people using this website may be brand new to hiking and have no base level of fitness). Having gardening gloves with sticky palms was really helpful on the ropes. 

The sketchiest part for me was down-climbing on the ropes section. There are areas where it's a 40/45 degree angle, you're in a rappelling position backwards, and if you lose your grip on the rope you could fall pretty far. If you're doubting whether you want to attempt the ropes section, the view from the bottom of the ropes is like 80-90% as good as the view at the top, so you could just stop there and still get a great view of the lake! 

Okay warnings over :) The view at the topic is epic on a clear day, just stunning. The maintained section of the trail is steep but pretty short, good exercise but nothing insane. Do a endcap to Marymere Falls while you're out there, it's nice but very crowded :) 

Finally made it to this one. It’s pretty steep, but it’s short. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart beyond the maintained trail, but there are gorgeous views to be had before you have to decide whether to use the ropes. 

And while the hike description is right to point out that you shouldn’t climb anything you don’t want to climb back down, in my experience, the downclimb was easier and less nerve-racking than going up, both in the rope section and on the bare rock at the top. 

Go early! I hit the trail before 8, which was perfect — beat the crowd, but saw one group use the ropes before me so I knew they seemed secure. :-) Passed plenty of people on my way down, but unclear how many planned to go beyond the maintained trail. I wouldn’t want to run into a traffic jam on the ropes. 

Difficult hike but the views make it worth it. It's definitely a marathon hike, not a sprint!

If you're afraid of heights, don't go beyond the maintained trail. There is a section where the trail is narrow and rock/uneven with a steep drop off. Beyond that there is a section that requires the assistance of ropes to ascend/descend. While not needed, gloves will help. The last section of rock to get to the view is also jagged and narrow, but just take your time and watch your footing.