Perfect clear and hot day for a trip to the lookout. Bridge is installed on second creek crossing. First creek crosing no problem. Third creek crossing is a problem, high water levels. Look downstream for a log across the stream. Note by the end of the day water is running over the log. Solid snow (2 feet) when you hit the upper meadows. Hard to find the trail to the lookout. Passed 3 dozen climbers headed up baker. Lots of mud and horse flies on the trail.

First time on this trail - will definately return to explore more. After the glacial streams the trail starts heading up and in places was very muddy. Snow covered the trail in exposed areas. At the top of the climb in the upper meadow, the snow was continuous. We paused at the fork leading to Railroad grade. We thought we'd have a better chance or reaching Park Butte than high camp so we headed left. Saw only a couple of others on the trail. The snow became deeper (estimate 18 inches) as we went on with lots of wet spots. It was mostly overcast but certainly the last mile to the lookout was gorgeous with the bowl covered in a fresh fall of snow and the tarns frozen over. After lunch at the lookout by ourselves, we were fortunate to catch glimpses of Baker. On the way down the weather cleared out. Fantastic colors in the lower meadows and the blueberries are everywhere below the snow line.

The day was too nice to ignore and I swallowed my concerns to hike a trail I feared would be mobbed. Trail having major work done,having never been up on this side of Baker during the ""bare"" season do not know what the baseline is. Gas powered tractor and diggers being used to make a horse highway it looks like hmmmmmmm lots of berrys and a fair amount of walkers. Having occasionally done trail work for the WTA and other folks I have comfortably ignored the double taxation of the trail pass. However as we came down !!!! sure enough enforcement day at the trail head!! 30$ tickets. They said if you do not pay its failure to comply with some federal court and a warrant is swown out for your Arrest!!! I think you need a new box to check for problems you encountered on the trail ""federal authorities"" Other wise a great day in late fall

Perhaps because of the rain this past week the uphill section after crossing the glacial streams is exceptionally muddy. There is considerable trail reconstruction underway up to Morovitz meadow. After that, the trail is in ""normal"" condition for this time of the year. Lots of huckleberries in the first 1/2 mile or so.

This trail is still under heavy snow. Most of the other hikers for the day looked either ill-prepared, or ready to climb, camp out and/or ski. The first part of the hike is rerouted over the snowmobile bridge because the hiker bridge is washed out. The resulting temporary trail is a muddy, brushy mess. My hiking partner and I made it to the creek crossings, where the bridge is washed out, and has been for some time to my knowledge. The run-off isn't too hard to cross, and the views of Mt. Baker up the creek are fortifying. Beyond the creek, the trail ascends rather steeply in the snow. I've only done this trail once before when it was snow-free, and on Saturday, it seemed that where the boot tracks take you through the snow may not be the ""real"" trail. It goes extremely steeply up the hillside, and my friend and I, short on time and energy, turned back to eat lunch by the washed-out bridge. Give this hike several weeks before it's snow-free.