Lake Janus and Grizzly Peak — Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East

Road was closed at the Smith Brook Trailhead due to a fire on Shoofly Mountain. Trail is excellent. Never too steep to lose stride, wide enough to pass people, not that I saw anyone until running into 2 thru hikers on Grizzly "Peak", which is not obvious at all. I didn't find any path leading to the top, nor did I want to trample the flowers. There's no place to really sit down and eat lunch either. Kind of a let-down. Glacier Peak was shrouded by smoke. I hiked back, looking for a place to enjoy my lunch, but the lack of good sitting rocks and the bugs prevented it. Didn't have bug problems until I stopped moving at which point hungry mosquitos would swarm. And so it was a fast hike. The ridge above Lake Janus provides good views and is pretty easy to get to. It would make a decent stopping point for those not wanting to go the whole 16 miles.