Shy Bear, Deceiver & Wilderness Peak Loop — Sunday, Jul. 27, 2014

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain

Walked a big loop Sunday morning starting at the Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail trail head right off hwy 900 south of Issaquah. The lot is small - maybe room for a dozen cars - so get there early. Our path followed the main trail up from the parking lot, up the Gombu Wilderness Cliffs Trail to Wilderness Peak, west along Whittaker, northwest along Shy Bear Trail then turning left back along Deceiver Trail past Doughty Falls and Long View Peak and then southeast back along the main Whitaker Wilderness trail back to the parking lot. Total distance of this loop is a bit over 5 miles with a total climb of about 1400'. The new signage along the trails dating from last fall's renaming (after Whittaker and Gombu) are nice - very clear. The forest is typical second generation mostly fir though there are some interesting large stands of Devils Club and a neat huge Sword Fern grove along Shy Bear. I love that the steepest, bust your butt switchback section is named after Nawang Gombu. Lots to see, though the only view is a tiny peek-a-boo at Long View Peak. The "view" along Gombu listed on maps is completely grown over. Doughty Falls is just a trickle this time of year. The big boulders along Whittaker and Deceiver trails are neat. The elevated section of trail through Shy Bear Marsh is interesting as well. Don't miss the plaque at the very top of Wilderness Peak. The trail is nice now but likely at it's peak in spring when the falls and wetland areas are in full glory.

More Information on this Trip Report

• http://your.kingcounty.gov/ftp/gis/web/vmc/recreation/BCT_CougarMtn_brochure.pdf