Spark Plug and Little Spark Plug Peaks, Surprise and Glacier Lakes, Thunder Mountain Lakes, Iron Goat Trail & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section J - Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass — Saturday, Jul. 19, 2025

Ran a big 'ole loop up the Iron Goat to Stevens, South on the PCT to Surprise/Glacier, and then back out via Surprise Creek, with a couple of side quests thrown in.

Got stung by a bee half a mile into the climb up to the IG upper grade, right out of the parking lot, but I didn't see a nest... bee might just have been out for an alpine start!

PCT is in great condition! All the creeks flowing and lots of backpackers out. I would guess it is buggy by the lakes normally, but I got lucky with cooler weather and a strong breeze all day, which kept the bugs at bay. Lots of wildflowers out in the slopes below Trap Pass.

TML off-trail section is almost entirely melted-out; there are a few patches of shallow snow amid the rocks, but all are easily avoided.

Attempted Spark Plug from the top of Piper's Pass, but it was quite a bushwhack and I only made it half a mile or so before turning back. There is a bootpath here, but it's very faint and requires a lot of climbing over trees to follow.

Surprise Creek trail is pretty overgrown, some of the sections crossing avy chutes below the lake are akin to swimming through brush at this time of year. Otherwise good condition with the occasional blowdown.

This is a super-neat area, but as my friend is fond of saying, there really aren't any bad stretches on the PCT in Washington!