Carne Mountain — Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022

Decided to start my 2022 #larchmarch hiking series with a trip up Carne Mountain.  Today was the first time I've hiked this trail.

The road to the trailhead is rough, but I've been on a lot worse - for instance Mt. Pilchuck and Twin Lakes (beyond Yellow Aster Butte).  The road should be passable for most high clearance vehicle without any problem.  I got to the trailhead on this first Sunday in October around 10:30 and found a full parking lot, but not many cars lined down the road - so I parked at the very first side-of-road spot below the main parking lot.  I'm guessing the hazy conditions, perhaps, prevented masses of people showing up?

There is quite a bit of blowdown on the trail below the meadow - I counted 45 blowdowns (plus or minus 10%), most of which were easily climbed over.  A couple of them required some thinking and off-trail detouring (or taking pack off and going under).  I know the USFS is very busy with higher priorities this year with all the fires - so hopefully next year they can get into clearing some of these.

The larches at the meadow are just starting to turn.  It's going to be a late larch season this year - at least in this area.  Many larches are green-turning-to-yellow...and some of them at higher elevations are a bit more yellow.  But, this is not the golden larch colors that are expected this time of year.  Maybe another couple weeks?  I can't exactly predict - but I can say that right now they are NOT at peak.  That said - the deciduous plants - blueberries, huckleberries, maples, ash, etc. are quite lovely now - even at peak colors with lots of red, orange, and yellow throughout the trail.

I only made it up to the Ridgeline just above the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary.  Views looking over into the valley beyond were quite hazy/smoky. 

After a quick peak and talking with a couple people at this viewpoint, I turned around and headed back to my truck.  A flock of Clark's Nut Crackers cackled as I headed down into the larch area.  Other birds seen/heard were:  many red-breasted nuthatches, an American Robin, a Northern Flicker, a Steller's Jay or two, a couple Ravens, and a few lovely Mountain Chickadees.

A very beautiful (and very challenging) hike!