On Saturday we went for a family hike about 3 miles up Milk Creek trail, which is in six to eight hundred year old growth rain forest, which is very beautiful. What is amazing is that only a mile away on the opposite side of the Suiattle is the Sulphur Mtn. trail, which is also old growth but because of a drastic climate change, is dry forest almost like Eastern WA. This is an amazing workout and you don't break out of the trees until way up on the ridge. Which is good because the trail is dry and ""hot"". Excellent trail for those who like to fry their calves on the way up and the quads on the way down. The blow downs are small and easy to negotiate, and the crowds are on the other trails, enjoy. Leave the kids in camp for this one, like I did.

Here's the low-down- 4200 vertical feet in 5 miles. Not quite as steep as Sourdough, but certainly in the same class of trails. Hard workout but fantastic pay-off. Why this trail doesn't get more use is beyond me. It is in very good shape and leads to some incredible and lonesome high-county. And the Views! You can practically spit on Glacier Peak (Okay it's not that close-but close enough). The trail is dry but there is still plenty of snow from about 5400' on. Bring axe just for mobility- there are no exposed sections. Blazes easy to follow where snow has covered the trail. The ridge is snowfree and beginning to flower. Great view down into Sulphur Lake and the Sulphur Creek drainage. Heather and I are strong hiker-runner types- it took us almost 4 hours to get to the summit ridge. Some blowdown, but nothing difficult to negotiate. Bugs tolerable. This is a great choice for escaping the crowded adjacent trails. Just remember- you have to work hard for the views- they come only at the very end-but they are worth it.

Went and checked out Sulphur Mtn trail. About 21 miles in, the Suiattle River Road has some snow patches - no trouble for the Blue Blunder Bus (my Honda CRV). Then we encountered an RV camped in the road. RV'er Tim travels with a chainsaw, and was clearing the road - thanks Tim! The road now goes to Sulphur Creek Camp. Beyond that the road has some more snow patches, but more importantly there are significant blow-downs that will require a crew. No problem - Sulphur Creek Camp is only a quarter mile or so from the end of the road anyway. On the trail, my pal and I found snow patches in the forest clearings, but mostly snow-free trail up to 3000'. Lots of blow-down requiring step-overs and end-runs. Lost the trail in the snow at 3300'. Hiked on up to Point 5121 on snowshoes. We were never lost, however you might say we had 'navigational tribulations'. One clearing gave a view up Sulphur Creek to Downey Mtn, but mostly we were in forest. It was rainy anyway so we weren't in it for the views. -Dox

It looked like a perfect day to get out and get a little altitude to try and beat the heat. We were away from Green Lake by 6:15 and by the time we picked up everyone and drove to Darrington, stopped for gas, checked with the Ranger Station, drove to the end of the Suittle River Rd., and put on our boots it was 9:15. The trail wastes no time with trivial flatness. It starts steep and stays that way. However, it ascends under the cool shade of the forest the entire way until the final couple hundred vertical feet. There was not a speck of snow on the trail and just a few very easy to cross blow downs. We were on the top (a 4500' gain) in just 3 hours. The views in all directions are stupendous. All in all, a very pleasant hike.

Sulphur Mountain didn't smell like sulphur like the adjacent creek trail does. It is snowfree to the ridgetop, and quite steep in spots. The trail is clear. Did not see a soul...in fact, the entire Suiattle river drainage was relatively empty on Sat...There were only about 8 cars at the Suiattle Trailhead...and next to none at the other trailheads off this road... tab