This was my first larch hike and it sure lived up to the hype. Bluebird day up in the Rainy Pass/Washington Pass area. The larches are peaking right now. There's still time to see them!
The trail proper was entirely snow-free, though the shade-sides of the ridges are starting to accumulate some dusting. However, the ground is muddy in places and it is starting to freeze at high elevation on the shade side. The back half of this hike (if you go counter-clockwise from the trailhead, so I guess the eastern half of the loop) is a bit steep and almost entirely shaded. The mud near the top is getting pretty hard and slick. I had microspikes in my pack and did not use them, just watched my step on the way down as the frozen stretches weren't very long. But as the nights get colder and the sun goes away, you might want to use traction devices near the top.
I got to the trailhead at 10:30am on Friday and the parking lot was already full. I parked in the PCT lot on the north side of Highway 20. I'd imagine this lot might fill up too on the weekend during the peak of the larches. Get here early if you can, or go between Tuesday and Thursday.
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