West Peak, Central Peak & Phil's Creek — Friday, Jun. 17, 2011

Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain

7.8 mi loop, +2000/-2000 ft, West May Valley Loop, Bullitt Gorge, Perimeter Loop, West Peak, Bullitt Fireplace, Central Peak, Truck Road, Summit, Phils Creek, Truck Road, West May Valley Loop (clockwise) Trailhead 47.48192, -122.05426, 340 feet, May Valley Trailhead 3.2 miles, +1655/-0 feet Waypoint 47.50378, -122.05826, 1995 feet, West Peak 1.0 miles, +345/-315 feet Waypoint 47.50416, -122.04751, 2024 feet, Central Peak 3.6 miles, +0/-1685 feet Endpoint 47.48192, -122.05426, 340 feet, May Valley Trailhead This is most certainly my last hike in the Northwest as I will be heading back home to Texas tomorrow. Was planning on going to Denny Creek, which is named for the founder of the restaurant chain that shares his name, but didn't figure the snow and broken bridge would allow much progress. The May Valley Loop begins near the trailhead, rather than further up the truck road like it used to. The trail is wide and on a shallow to moderate grade. The old part of this trail which began at one mile of the truck road is now named the Bullitt Gorge Trail. This trail is narrower and climbs on a moderate to steep grade but levels off as it approaches a junction with the Perimeter Loop Trail. This trail climbs on a shallow to moderate grade for 0.4 miles where a side trail to the left ends at a viewpoint overlooking May Valley to the west (also known as May West). From the viewpoint trail, the Perimeter Loop is mostly level until it meets the West Peak Trail. The West Peak Trail climbs on a moderate grade (the approach from the other side is much steeper) to the top of West Peak where there is a collapsed structure. From West Peak, the trail descends steeply and climbs steeply over the top of a bump and descends on a less steep grade to a junction with the Bullitt Fireplace Trail. This trail climbs along what was probably a truck road to the Bullitt Fireplace, which appears to be part of a construction project that went bust when the mortgage market collapsed. From the fireplace, the trail descends on a moderate grade to a junction with the Central Peak Trail, which climbs on a moderate grade to the top of Central Peak where there is a collection of microwave towers. Some pranksters have mounted huge bass drums on the towers. About a quarter mile down the truck road, the Summit Trail heads off the the left (east) and descends on a moderate to steep grade to a junction with Phil's Creek Trail, which is narrow and overgrown. The trail is obvious but should not be used by herbiphobes (people with an irrational fear of people named Herb) as vegetation seems to be winning over trail. Phils Creek Trail ends at the truck road. The East May Valley Loop (formerly the Equestrian Loop Trail) is closed. A short descent along the truck road and the newer West May Valley Loop can be accessed off to the right, which lands at the trailhead after a little more than a mile and a quarter.