Hiked the loop counter-clockwise from Artist Point. Took about 6hr 30min, which included a stop for lunch and lots of breaks in between. The loop clocked in at about 6.7 miles. Most of the trail is exposed to the sun, so carrying plenty of water and sunscreen is essential on sunny days. Hiking shoes and trekking poles are also helpful. The sky was hazy due to the wildfire activity in the region, but the hike made for gorgeous views nonetheless. A more detailed description of the hike experience is below.
Descending from Artist Point towards the Heather Meadows visitor center, the trail is steep and rocky. The trail gets a little confusing at the visitor center area as there are quite a few criss-crossing pathways. We followed temporary signs for the wild goose trail, but realized that we were off-track when the trail was leading us eastward and away from the larger Bagley lake. We backtracked and headed towards the pathway through the flat rock area, which led us to the stone bridge between the Bagley lakes. From here, the trail continues leftward along the lake and then climbs towards the saddle. This part of the trail can be strenuous as it is a long climb and is almost fully exposed to the sun.
The views from the saddle are gorgeous, with Mt Shuksan to the left and Mt Baker and Iceberg lake to the right. The trail then descends towards Iceberg lake. We encountered lots of bugs while going between Iceberg and Hayes lakes. There's a second, more gradual climb after this. The last part of the loop towards Artist Point is mostly flat and is the easiest part of the trail.
#FirstTripReport
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