I do not often complete a WTA trip report for hikes that I lead as my hiking buddies usually do it. However, since the last trip report was done on June 3, I want to update others with respect to trail conditions. It is hard for me to believe that I have not done this great hike with over 40 years hiking in Washington. My wife and I camped at Salmon La Sac and hiked early in the morning on June 25 from the Tucquala Meadows Trailhead up to the Cathedral Pass Trail #1345 and then north to Cathedral Pass. We hiked up north on a mostly sunny day to spectacular views along the ridge top of Squaw Lake, Cathedral Rock, Granite Mountain, the Wenatchee Mountains, and the Cle Elum River Valley.
The first snow patch crossed the trail at an elevation of about 4,700 feet. Above Squaw Lake there were side streams to cross, flowing rapidly, with easy rock hopping but little snow to cross. This section was steeper for about one-quarter mile. At an elevation above 5,200 feet the snow increased significantly but not hard to cross. Several inches of water were on the trail just south of the unidentified small lake approaching Cathedral Pass (remember to bring waterproof boots) but the Pass was free of snow and meltwater. There were four places along the trail were logs and tree branches cross the trail which were easy to navigate. There were plenty of blooming wildflowers. My wife went wild. We met only six other hikers on the trail. Round trip distance about 8.1 miles, 2,280 elevation gain.
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