Cloudy Pass to Holden — Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019

We hiked up to Cloudy Pass as part of a multi-day out and back that started at the Phelps Basin Trailhead, camped in Spider Meadows, over Spider Gap, camped at Upper Lyman Lake, and day hikes to Lyman Lake and Cloudy Pass. Separate reports for the other places.

Cloudy Pass is about 1.5 miles, 800 feet elevation gain from Lyman Lake. There are many ways to get here. Its about 11 miles from Holden. Could be done as part of any number of loops or out and backs. 

We descended from our camp at Upper Lyman Lake and made our way through the beautiful rolling hills toward Lyman Lake with Bonanza Peak starting to show its face behind the clouds. Seeing the trail to Cloudy Pass and being recommended to visit by a fellow backpacker we made our way up the somewhat steep but quite manageable trail to the pass. The trail is in excellent condition thanks to the hard work of the many Forest employees one of whom we met along the way. Thanks for your hard work guys!

Right before reaching the pass you enter into a beautiful alpine meadow filled with all colors and types of wildflowers. I believe this may have been one of the most beautiful hikes I've done in Washington so far. The density of the wildflowers and the extent of the meadows was the most I've seen, even better then Spider Meadows (haven't been around Rainier this time of year yet). A brief hike further and you reach the top of the pass. Beyond it the glaciers of Glacier Peak can be seen sliding down that big mountain. Off in the distance looking the other way we could see both Lyman and Upper Lyman Lakes and Spider Gap and its surrounding mountains towering above. 

Between the wildflowers, the alpine meadows, the distant blue lakes, the towering multi-colored rock peaks, and the patches of snow and glaciers, this was a perfect hike. 10/10.