White Pass - Pilot Ridge Loop — Friday, Jul. 24, 2020

Fri 7-24 Great walk up N Fork of Sauk in old growth treed trail...fill up with water at site of old shelter because its 25+ switchbacks up to the ridge to contour over to the pass. We decided to go clockwise because we got started late and it was an overcast,cool 50 degree day. The disadvantage of clockwise is climbing the exposed switchbacks in the heat of the day...advantage is that on Pilot Ridge, you are walking towards Sloan and Monte Cristo thru the meadows, altho its a long ways down on last day. Left at 11am, at White Pass at 430pm. No snow on first day...first water after hitting ridge is two melt streams coming off White Mtn about .5 mile from the Pass. We camped at far south end of pass in the trees...two good toilets just past this campsite. Plenty of water from snowmelt....9+ miles

Sat7-25 Up early to bluebird day, high 60s....walked over the Foam Basin trail to near the end....many snowfields to cross but with warmer weather easy to navigate. Then off to Red Pass, about two miles...climbed knoll to south of Pass for great view of GP and Whitechuck basin...lots of snow and would be a very careful traverse going down, easier coming up. Then pack up and off to Blue Lake. Nuff said about this part of the PCT, great ridge views as it meanders down and around, past Indian Mtn to Dishpan Gap. Good looking bear in meadow to west just before Indian Pass. Take a right at the Gap and off to the High route to Blue Lake. The cornice SHALot mentioned is only a big snowbank at the top. Great exposure, met a couple with a mini Schauz in a front pack coming down the S side. There was a still pretty significant snow field leading out of the basin to the lower part of the trail...I did spikes on it but the steps were set pretty good in the snow. We arrived around 530pm,  bummer, no campsites...so hoofed it down to lower Blue Lake and met rest of our party that went the lower route to the lake. A lil buggy that night....but sometimes its worth it....at that altitude, a bald eagle was fishing at lower Blue Lake!.. watched it in fading light miss on a pass, turn and fly within 50 feet of me, then right by our camp...20 mile day

Sun 7-26 Up early because its 70+ degrees and its a long day out with no water after you break camp till going down to the Sauk river. Big snowfield left as you come out of the basin, stay left towards the large rock, marmot home...just past it, you reach the westerly traverse of the trail of Pilot Ridge. Some interesting snowfields under Johnson Mtn but warm enough in the morning to be soft. Then off to the ridge for several miles of some of the better ridge,flower meadow walking around with great views of Sloan,Monte Cristo an some GP along with views south all way to Rainier. Then it gets into the up and down ridge hike until after 9+ miles you get to the right turn to start the descent to the N Fork of Sauk...wind around, pass a nice seepage in less the .25 mile, then last good stream at mile down...then 35+ switchbacks deposit us at the rushing creek. Big single log to the left is a good one but there are multiple choices to cross here...could even ford it, just hard scamble up the side. Then two easy miles to the car. Everybody was pretty tired of the down in terms of quads and toenails complaining, but thats a great loop....13+ miles

Happy trails