Started around 2pm from Chinook pass/Sheep lake TH and did the loop clockwise. Parked at the PCT trailhead as there were some open spots. Just after crossing the bridge there are some icy and slippery patches. My partner put on traction but I was fine with just hiking poles.
Fall colors are still great. I was surprised to see there were still so many shrubs holding colors. Most of the trail was slushy so waterproof boots are nice to have. A very warm day indeed.
First time doing the loop and I was impressed with this smallish hike. There is so much variety of views. Reminded me of Chains lake loop at Mt Baker but easier. There were so many lakes and tarns on the way. A very nice hike for people of all ages.
Different apps showed metrics but the loop is slightly less than 4 miles rather than 3 miles irrespective of where you start from. It was crowded around Lake Tipsoo due to photo shoots happening and there was even a wedding happening at the PCT/naches loop intersection. The hike is busy due to constant traffic as this is a popular trail but there were lot of places where you make a side trip around a tarn or lake or viewpoint and could just sit in silence and not bothered by anyone.
All the tarns were were calm and no bugs and pretty warm and cozy to just sit back and relax. There are established trails around all these tarns so staying on trail and not destroying the delicate vegetation is easy here. There was trash, TP, orange peels at multiple location lying around.
Did not go all the way down to Dewey lakes but the PCT in that direction was in pretty good shape. 5 miles total due to the side trips and around 1000 feet of total gain/loss. Nice last few color filled sunny days of fall. The closest point of loop from parking is Tipsoo Lake Comfort Station or the small parking lot between tipsoo and little tipsoo lake. Yes there is a little tipsoo lake as well, we saw it for a first time and there was another wedding/wedding shoot happening on other side of the lake.
There was only one point where we could see Mt Adams from trail and that was the spur(orange in caltopo link) we took above Dewey lakes.
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