Goat Peak — Thursday, Jun. 22, 2017

I keep quoting John Burroughs in my reports, sorry, but his words are so appropriate: "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." After another year of teaching seventh grade, that resonates deeply with me. So now that summer vacation is here, I escaped into the mountains, to see if Goat Peak remembered me from a few years ago.

MOST IMPORTANT: The trail to the top is now 99% SNOW-FREE. Trip report from last week mentioned large drifts - these are mostly gone. There are just a few patches in the shade (like in the photo), just before the final stretch along the ridge. They are all small and easy to cross, I promise!

I left Yakima at 5:00am, hit the trail at 6:15am. Reached the top at 8:15am, spent 45 minutes at the top (fell asleep sitting against a rock in the sunshine), and arrived back at the car at 10:30am. My GPS said 6.2 miles round trip, high point was 6414ft (3235ft elevation gain).

STEEP is the word to describe this trail. Sometimes it is "kinda steep," other times it is "really steep." Definitely uphill all the way to the top. The first part is strenuous, as you climb along a stream. Once you cross the stream and head away from it, you go to "kinda steep" for awhile.

The middle section had a few precarious spots. You traverse across some dirt hillsides, and in a few places, the trail is narrow and the dirt is loose. I caused a few small landslides, and I could see how easy it would be to slide with it. But if you go slow and step carefully, you should be fine. If you have small children, definitely keep them close.

The last section is a long uphill through the woods (the shade was welcome), then on a final ridge to Goat Peak. When you reach the American Ridge sign, you are a mere 1/3-mile from the top. You can make it - the 360-degree views at the top are breathtaking.

Even though this trail is steep, I love the VARIETY. You are in the woods, then by a stream. Oh, now a sudden view of Rainier! Back into the woods - then a hillside traverse to get your adrenaline going. Then another amazing view of the Goat Rocks Wilderness! Back into the trees, and a view of Fife's Ridge this time! Plenty of flowers along the way - mostly purples and yellows, some whites near the top.

I recommend an early start for this hike - you are in the trees for a good part of it, but I can guess that when you are on the ridges, it gets pretty warm. When I started it was 40 degrees outside, and when I finished it was 65 degrees. I don't recommend this hike if it's raining or even cloudy - if you don't have the views at the end, I'm not sure it's worth it.

An aside: I just have to say that Sawmill Flat has become my favorite bathroom break spot - the Memorial on the east side of the road (not the campground). The bathrooms are right off the road, always open, relatively clean, and usually stocked with plenty of TP. As long as I bring my headlamp and hand sanitizer, what more could I want? Has anyone else discovered this magical place? Maybe TMI - sorry!

I saw only birds and chipmunks, and only two other people, just before I made it back to the car. The bugs were only bad along the stream, otherwise they were no trouble. I returned to Yakima, senses put in order (for now).