Mountain Climbers Trail, Round The Mountain & Dry Creek — Thursday, Sep. 1, 2022

A group of us drove to the east trailhead that accesses the Mountain Climbers route up to Hellroaring viewpoint.  The first part of this trail had lots of downed debris from the 2015 wildfire and the trail was difficult to follow.  However, as we climbed above the burned zone, the trail was easier to follow, but still took some searching.  The Hellroaring overlook was spectacular with great views of the Mazama and Klickitat Glaciers and the waterfalls below them that fed the large Hellroaring valley.  We ate lunch here and enjoyed the views.

We then descended down through a portion of the Trail of the Flowers to where it connected with the Round the Mountain trail. This section had scattered pockets of wildflowers blooming where there was still water and the trail was still in good shape.  We then turned west on the Round the Mountain and hiked to the Bird Creek Meadows trail.  This section of trail required some track-finding skills as well.  We descended the Bird Creek Meadow trail past Crooked Creek Falls down to Bird Lake.  This section of the trail was easier to follow, but parts of it are like hiking in a ghost forest. 

The next section from Bird Lake to Bluff Lake was okay, but our decision to follow the Dry Creek trail from Bluff Lake back to the trailhead was a disaster.  This trail just does not exist anymore after about a tenth of a mile past the junction.  I used Alltrails map on my iphone to follow the supposed path, and occasionally caught a section of trail, but mostly it was bushwhacking through brush and downed woody debris.  Do not attempt to use this trail.  It is gone.  

This is a beautiful area to visit, but the drive is long and the impact of the wildfire makes it less desirable to visit.  This was my last time I will come here.