Other trip reports have summarized this trail really well. I don't have much to add but do have a couple of things!
Road to trailhead
Rough but passable. This is your typical forest service road and there might be some blind spots. Go at a reasonable speed and watch for oncoming traffic. I always yield for uphill folks (same with hiking) because they get a more limited view than folks going downhill.
No real parking lot, just park along the road!
There is a bathroom at the trailhead. It was very well-stocked. There was also a trail registrar. I always encourage folks to do this! 1) USFS or SAR know where to locate you if they have to and 2) it helps USFS to figure out how frequently the trail is and prioritize trail maintenance work.
The hike
A lot of the elevation gain was in the beginning on the trail, about 1.5 miles I would say. The first section definitely felt exposed and was in the plants so it felt extremely hot. There are no real water sources along this trail until you almost reach the ridge before the turnoff to the tarns. The hike is not long but definitely pack enough water for the entire 3.5 miles!
Most of the trail was super well-maintained and mostly well-graded as well. No obstacles on the trail and trail was easy to follow.
Tarns + Camp
The tarns were still tarns. Some tarns were bigger than others. There were plenty of spots to camp near the tarns. You can either head south or head towards the Keep Cool trail. Most of these spots do get a great view but some can be rather exposed. Trees are scarce in this area. For windy nights, definitely guy out your tent!
This is a pack it out trail. I haven't run into anything that was gross but do like to remind people about this.
I had my dog so I didn't even attempt to do Tomyhoi but 2 friends and I did hike about halfway up to the first saddle and eventually turned around. This spot gives you a great view of the surrounding peaks including Baker! One friend di make it up to Tomyhoi. She said the scramble wasn't too difficult. Exposed but not difficult.
Fall colors were already beginning to show and I can't imagine what the trail would look like in a couple of weeks. It seemed like summer was just yesterday but happy to be able to hike this trail in cooler temps. Rain was in the forecast on Sunday and I think everyone had the same thought so a lot of the overnighters were hiking out at the same time but it never felt too crowded.
Overall, a great hike and glad I was finally able to do it!
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