We arrived at 11:00 am and decided to check out Artist Point before we began our hike counter clock wise from Heather Meadows.  Good thing that was our choice as the parking lot was completely full and buzzing with people.  The bathrooms outside of Heather Meadows are in really good condition.   The toilet was stocked, bathrooms were clean and the pits were not overflowing.   Maybe they’re preparing for winter.  There was a few spots at Heather Meadows and we were lucky to score a parking spot of an early bird hiker leaving.  It is a busy hike!  There is plenty of sun exposure so plan on those sunglasses, sunscreen and water.  As soon as you descend from Heather Meadows you will cross a small bridge.  Take a left and start climbing towards Table Mountain.  Once you plateau, take in the views that have been behind your back.   You will start descending towards the lakes.   The berries are out in force but plenty have been picked within arm reach of hikers.  Fall colors are not out in full force yet.  That’s a few weeks away still.   We had lunch on the shoreline and cooled our feet in the water.  Plenty of campsites were still open with just a few being taken.  As we got on Ptarmigan Ridge holy Batman did we come across a lot of backpackers going down to either Goat Lake or Chain Lakes.   If you’re going on a Friday, if you can get an early start it will certainly help you score a preferred campsite.  Once we arrived at the Artist Point parking lot, we were puzzled how to pick up the Wild Goose Trail to descend back down to Heather Meadows.  We found no obvious markings so we walked the road until we could pick the trail up.   About 10 other hikers did the same as us.  All in all a good hike but plan on not being alone!

* please make every effort to stay on the trail and resist taking shortcuts.  This causes trail erosion and damages the fauna.

I absolutely love The Mount Baker Wilderness. 

This is my annual North Cascades/Artist Point adventure where I get to spend the entire day hiking around Mt Baker. 

I arrived at Artist Point at 0930am to a parking lot that was filling up fast. And when I returned to the parking lot around 1:30pm, there were several cars circling the lot waiting for a parking spot like hungry vultures. Who knew this place would be so popular on a Tuesday. 

I passed upwards of 50+, (probably a lot more) hikers on the trail throughout my nine mile journey. Everyone was pleasant. A few dogs off-leash and a handful of people going off trail to eat blueberries. But by and large, the sheer volume of people on the trail, there wasn't a lot of misbehaving. That's the "glass half-full" perspective because no one is perfect. 

I did, however do my part by hauling out four dog poop bags left behind by our responsible dog owners, who as we all know, would've collected those said dog poop bags on the way out. One bag was left in the rocks, opened about a mile or so into the hike. I was able to get a trash bag from a fellow hiker and collected that bag on my way out. I then found three more that were trail side, and all but one seemed to have been left there for several days. That would be 121 total dog poop bags that I've hauled out of the wilderness over the years. 

The trail is in fine condition with very minimal obstacles or tough spots to navigate. Today was a little warm with temperatures reaching the high 80's in some areas so I made sure I brought extra water. The good news that came with the heat was wind. It was very windy in open areas on the trail. 

From afar, the trail looks pretty daunting as you traverse the ridge line. But I assure you, this is a pretty mild trail. Although, nine miles roundtrip might seem like a lot, the elevation gain is spread out over those miles which makes the hike pretty enjoyable. Once I got to Goat Lake overlook, I made that my turn around spot. But I made sure to get a glimpse of The Portals. 

The hike back to the parking lot was uneventful. 

I'm closing in on 1,500 life time miles hiked. This hike put me at 1,469.1 miles. 

Absolutely my favorite hike this year! Our group of Mountaineers met at 8am and hit the trail to the viewpoint at the 3 mile mark of the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail. Stunning views in every direction! Despite previous reports, there were still plenty of delicious huckleberry along the trail. They were so sweet and juicy, what a great trail snack! The trail was in good condition and we met a Forest Service worker hiking up to remove a tree that was a bit difficult to climb over. There are several areas that required careful footwork, including areas with water crossing the trail. We didn’t see many people on the way in, but the way out felt like we were pulling to the side to let others pass constantly. All in all it was a great hike and a great day in the mountains!

Amazing day up there!  I've included 4min of video highlights below..

Road: paved, great condition, with a couple brief stops for construction.  

Trail: great condition, lots of variety!

Crowds: parking lot mostly empty at dawn, 3/4 full upon return mid-day on a Friday. 

People: Got to meet Mt Baker Trail Crew guy "Seth" who says "Hello!" to WTA (photo#4).  Also got to meet hike videographer MrArt2D2.  Also met Carrie, another WTA Trip Reporter, and her fun adventurous children.  And lots of other friendly hikers.

Wildflowers: Lupine, monkey flowers, pearly everlasting, groundsel, arnica and fireweed

Berries: lots of ripe blueberries

Fall foliage: just starting to turn

I turned around after reaching the Coleman Pinnacle, after enjoying a wonderful hour there.

I learned something important today, which likely everyone reading this already knows, but which I had never twigged: that the pleasant view at the foot of Coleman Pinnacle (overlooking Goat Lake) is, in fact, NOT the end of the Ptarmigan Ridge trail. I started up the Pinnacle path today in order to escape the piercing strains of a human voice puncturing my hiking bliss, when I noticed a mystery trail continuing in the distance. I asked a pair of passersby (not the piercing party) if they knew what that trail was, and--it was the rest of the Ptarmigan Ridge trail. So today I finally reached the "ridge"--though the trail does continue, becoming a climbers' trail. Anyway, beyond the Pinnacle is a whole 'nother piece of landscape, and this last part of the trail takes you around to another angle and slightly closer perspective of Baker.

The views along the Artist Point and Ptarmigan Ridge trails were outstanding today. There was only a touch of fog by 9:45 when I started, and it was pretty cleared by noon. I like fog, anyway; adds to the sense of mystery surrounding our existence. I hiked solo, as Edelman is recuperating from a medical issue. This meant that I forgot to bring the parking pass, map and a medical kit, but luckily I know the trail, and the Glacier Ranger Station has a machine in the lot where you can purchase a day pass for $5--as long as you have plastic. RE: the medical kit, even though I virtually never need it, I was very careful to be sure to avoid the issue! 

The hike: as others have reported, it's dry and dusty, and once you leave the junction with the Chain Lakes trail, the "technical" details keep you on your toes. If you're north of 60, a ledge can be defined as a technical detail, as  it's all about preserving the body parts so as to hike till 90. Some examples: there are a couple places where you're hiking across rocky outcroppings that may be wet with streamwater or else dry and slippery with dirt; a narrow ledge or two with a notable slippery slope beneath; a few steepish dirt inclines. All of which are fairly easily done, but want attention and poles. The main idea: STOP to gaze in awe at the view of Shuksan at your back, or the cloud-shrouded peaks across the distance. It is a gorgeous hike with varied landscapes, as others have described beautifully. 

I saw only a few blueberries today. I believe Zhuck Yu may have enjoyed the last crop :-) , deservedly so! Happy hiking, All!