I won't repeat most of what others said in the most recent trip reports.
As stated in other recent reports, the first part of the trail has recently had significant work and is in great shape. There is a section in the middle/upper section that one hiker that passed us called "gnarly". Great description. It's been quite a few years since I hiked this trail, but I don't remember this gnarliness. Lots of roots and slabs of rock. I've included a few pictures of this. It is also maybe where this section starts that it is not exactly clear for a little bit if you are on the trail. Some folks seem to head to the right at a switchback, but the trail really does head to the left. It's more apparent after you get farther and see regular trail indications. There are some orange tape pieces tied along the actual trail in this section, but not close together.
The lower part of the trail has huge stumps. The upper part has some huge trees. Both are amazing.
There is a huge new-to-me parking lot on the right. It looks big enough to hold as many as the Lake 22 trailhead holds if not more. That is in addition to the smaller parking lots on both sides of the road at the trailhead. Some folks were parked parallel along the road rather than in the new parking lot when we came back down so it seems folks might not be seeing it or sure that it's a trailhead parking lot. There is an outhouse between this new parking lot and the road parking lot.
There is a sign up at the lake to the left for a backcountry toilet, but we walked a ways that way and did not find it. It would be great as there were lots of folks up there, but we asked others and they hadn't found it either.
The recent mention of not many folks being on the trail I think has dramatically changed this week. Lake 22 is now closed Monday - Friday through October 31st for heavy maintenance so I think Heather Lake is seeing the result of it. There were lots and lots of people on the trail.
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