A few of us had this hike on our list for a while so we decided to make three-day trip of it. The parking lot was very full but mostly from groups headed for Glacier Peak. The trail starts off easy through old growth forest along the river before climbing steeply for three miles to get to White Pass where we camped the first night. After this point we ran into a couple other groups occasionally but mostly had the trail to ourselves. The second day was mostly easy miles, staying high on ridges with views changing constantly. We took the shortcut route as described in WTA at Blue Lake and it's debatable if we actually saved much time at all. If you like scrambling a bit it may be worth it but it could be a bit much for some. A short detour to Kodak Peak was worth the effort and Johnson Mountain's former lookout site is even better, though it does have a step that could be intimidating for some. We made day 2 a bit long just to shorten our trip out on the last day and found a small camp on the ridge about 7 miles out from the TH. There were sites further along the ridge before descending but it would have been too long of a day for us. This loop provides a ton of views relative to the amount of effort put in.

Six of us did the White Pass Pilot Ridge loop in three days, hitting the trailhead around 10:30am on Friday going clockwise and getting back to the cars by 1pm on Sunday. On day one we made it to the White Pass campsite, where there were about six other groups of hikers, half of which looked like they were heading to try for a summit of Glacier Peak. The walk is steep and hard from about mile 3-6 as you climb to the ridge line, but there are lots of places to rest in the shade. Once you hit the ridge the views start and don’t stop until a steep descent from the far side of the trail. Seriously the best hike for views that I’ve done in this area. Not for the faint of heart though! The ridgeline can be a bit exposed and while safe there were a few moments where my fear of heights got the better of me. We did the shortcut to Blue Lake, which was a slow, steep route and took probably as long as it would have to go around. Nice campsites there but we decided to make for s shorter day on Sunday and camped at “Freeman’s camp” off of the trailhead another few miles ahead. This was s small site just off the trail and could be easy to miss, but there’s another smaller site with great views about a mile or two further. Bugs were a bit annoying at night and near the river but otherwise not too bad. Snowfields were few and easy to cross. A good trip for poles if that helps your knees.

The parking lot was very full, get there early and you'll be fine. 

Thanks to the USFS trail crew the trail has been brushed and looks great! I noticed a huge difference from going in to heading out.

Spent the first night at Mackinaw, only party there. Bugs responded well to bug spray and mosquito coils. I recommend stocking up on water here because there's little on the way up. Got on trail the next morning in time to avoid most of the sun on the switch backs.

White Pass had some snow, and so should have water for the next couple of weeks. Had lots of fun sitting in the tent (avoiding bugs) and watching marmots. Biting flies and mosquitos were agressive.

Wild flowers in the meadows are gorgeous right now, and berries should be ripe soon!

Initially I had planned on completing a clockwise loop over the course of three days and two nights, which I would definitely recommend (at the very least) to enjoy this vast and majestic pocket of the North Cascades.

Started hiking at 6:30am. The trail leading up to Mackinaw Shelter climbs gently and provides ample shade. As mentioned in recent trip reports, there is no water between Mackinaw and the PCT junction.After passing the shelter, the trail becomes much more steep and exposed. Get ready for three miles of thigh-burning, full sun action. At the PCT junction, continue right. You'll encounter a handful of streams (maybe two or three) that will serve will for a water resupply.

When you reach the pass, you'll see a sign that indicates to drop down to the right to where the established campsites are. Remember not to camp directly at the pass. The hike down to the campsites is steep but short. From what I observed, there are about eight or so established campsites to choose from. I set up camp at a little site tucked away in a corner for the night.

Because I set up camp so early (around noon), I decided to do a day hike over to the Red Pass/Glacier Peak Meadows area. This adds about another three miles to your trip, but it's definitely worth it. I was able to check out the White Chuck Cinder Cone, and I got the best views of Glacier Peak of my whole trip. I'd like to note that there is no water between the PCT junction and the Glacier Meadows area near the White Chuck Cinder Cone.

Watched the sunset from my campsite and went to bed early. 

The next day, I started hiking southbound on the PCT around 7am. Trail rolls gently through Indian Pass and on to Dishpan Gap, which is where you'll want to turn right onto the Bald Eagle Trail. I decided to take the high route to Blue Lakes; it's pretty exposed and climbs steeply, but the views are spectacular. Mount Tahoma makes a grand appearance here. After cresting the ridge, drop down to Upper Blue Lake to snag a campsite, of which there seem to be plenty (though not all are created equal). 

After setting up camp around noon, I jumped into the lake (it's chilly!) and sunbathed for a bit. I had planned on staying my second night at Blue Lakes, but as more and more people came pouring in, I became antsy and abruptly decided to pack up and hike out around 3:30pm. Not the brightest idea, in hindsight, but it is what it is.

Pilot Ridge is lovely, offering expansive views of the surrounding peaks. Note that there is no water along this section of the hike until right before the trail switchbacks down to the Sauk. The drop from the ridge is quite steep, and I'm very glad that I chose to do the loop clockwise. Unfortunately, because of my hasty decision to leave, I had to hike out in the dark. The Sauk crossing is straightforward enough (and there appeared to be several crossing options to choose from), and I'm sure it would have been much more obvious during daylight hours. As I approached the river, a couple camped on the left side of the trail directed me to walk through their campsite to find a large downed tree to cross on. After crossing, I was plopped directly in the middle of another campsite (apologies to the folks who were camped there for stomping around in the dark). I emerged at the juncture where the loop began and hiked the last two miles back to the parking lot, arriving there around 9pm. 

Again, I would recommend at least three days/two nights to fully enjoy this loop. 

Side note: I encountered maybe two dozen other folks during the entirety of my trip. Of these two dozen, I only saw two people of color other than myself (and I believe they were both PCT thru-hikers), which is a far cry from the demographics typically observed on trails closer to Seattle (on the I-90 corridor, for instance). Hopefully, Washington's more remote and far flung trails will also soon reflect the ever-increasing diversity of our lovely state. Now, more than ever, there is a necessity to include all voices from all backgrounds in our advocacy for the protection of our public lands.  

Great loop hike with my 11 year old son and our Golden Retriever.  Miles of blue/huckleberries.  Tough climb and descent out of the river valley.  The views are worth the effort.  Very busy due to the labor day weekend and a bubble of PCT through hikers but every one was friendly.

I'd like to thank the women who gave us her campsite at Blue lake on the night of Sep 2nd and tell her I have your lost sleep pad and sandals.  I'll give the WTA offices my contact info.