Park Butte Full Report:
(Please share the lookout with others!)
Road:
The road is just fine for any car (25 min up in a Corolla from Bkr Lk Rd), take your time if you aren't used to potholes but please let others pass. On a Wed only about 15 cars at trailhead (most doing baker).
Trail conditions:
Trail up is snow free until it gets patchy at the switchbacks then full snow covered trail at 2 miles up (a fellow hiker described everything past 2 miles as mashed potatos and he wasn't wrong). In my guesstimation this trail won't be completely snow free until end of Aug as there are easily 6+ ft drifts in many places. Of the 3 streams, the middle one (rocky creek at 1.2 miles) is the challenge without the bridge, but go up the "hiker bridge, horse ford" signed trail and it's doable without getting your feet wet (see pic for stream crossing spot) Look across the streams for the pink streamer, marking the trail on the other side.
Once past the switchbacks and into the valley (2.2 miles in) you can see baker in front of you and is where you'll find the main boot pack going up to Railroad grade and Baker. I was on it for a minute before realizing I needed to hang left. Make SURE you HAVE A MAP to follow through the snow. Without one or a boot pack it's extremely easy to get lost, esp if you've never been up before or if you're in a cloud. Right at 3.3 miles up (according to the alltrails map) you can cut to your right and B-line it up the snow field right to the lookout and save yourself some time traversing around. Poles are helpful here as it can be a little bit of a slick slope.
Gear:
A majority of recent logs in the lookouts guest book relay that people were admittedly underprepared for this hike. Do with that as you will. I brought crampons and snow shoes and didn't use either. Microspikes might've been nice, but I had high stiff boots which were fine for kicking steps. Any mid ankle or low top shoes WILL leave your feet soaked without gators on. Poles with baskets are extremely helpful and recommended. Bring binoculars if you want to check out people summiting Baker. Can see them at the top. There is snow near the lookout to boil for water I'd guess for the next 2'ish weeks before needing to hike 5-10 min further down. There are also 3-5 comfy flat spots not in the snow to tent just below the lookout, so come prepared.
Stats:
2k ft vert, 8 miles round trip, 2:45 up 1:30 down. Stayed overnight in the lookout which is doing ok (everything intact and now has it's own guitar), only had 3 day hikers up on tues and 3 on wed that I saw. Both tues/wed, the first Lookout hikers started at 9:30am from the trailhead.
Overall an incredible hike and fun overnighter. Please be kind to those visiting the lookout and invite everyone who comes up in. It's not your private space even if you got there first. I've met some of the coolest people in lookouts and it's many peoples dream to get to one/stay the night, so please keep that in mind.
Pack it in, pack it out, have fun, be kind.
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