Lake Janus and Grizzly Peak — Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018

Today was my first time doing this hike and I couldn't have picked a better day for it. For the majority of the time on the hike up to Grizzly Peak, the temperature was cool thanks to the fog. And once I reached Grizzly Peak, the fog started to burn off and I was treated to an abundance of gorgeous views.

Started the hike at the Smithbrook TH. The three-mile FR 9700 is still good overall, but there are a few bumps here and there as well as a fairly rough patch about 1/4 mile from the parking lot. Any vehicle can make it though. And there was plenty of space available in the lot when I arrived...at 4 am. :)

It was slow going to Grizzly due to the fact that I had a hard time keeping the camera in the backpack. The conditions were perfect for a brisk pace, but I took multiple stops to photograph.

The bugs weren't as awful as my last time on the PCT in the Steven's Pass are, but they are still a pain when you stop for a break.

Plenty of wildflowers here and there. The pink mountain heather is becoming a favorite of mine.

There were a lot of berry bushes at different points, but for the most part, it was difficult to find any ripe ones. I did manage to get a couple of salmonberries and a handful of huckleberries on the way back though.

The trail is in great condition, but there are some downed trees here and there. All of them are easy to navigate. There are places with mud or water over the trail, but none of them are significant enough to be a problem. I did end up soaking my shoes and pant legs thanks to all the dew on the plants lining the trail in the areas that were especially foggy. Some of the foggy parts of the trail also had a sprinkling of rain.

I didn't see any people on the way to Grizzly. On the way back was a different story. From Grizzly to the junction of the PCT with Smithbrook, I counted 20 people and one dog. From the junction to the Smithbrook parking lot, there were another 30 people and two more dogs. Judging by the number of cars in the parking lot when I returned and the number of cars on the road, there must have been a lot of people at Valhalla today.

I'm so glad that I had the chance to do this hike today. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.