Relatively easy hike that is full of lovely fall colors, although the mountain views are impaired by smoke from nearby fires. Camped at Meadows Campground near the trailhead and got an early start so we had the trail mostly to ourselves on the way out to Grasshopper Pass (a few people passed us as we were taking photos in the larch groves). Quite a few people on the way back but much quieter than the trails off Hwy 20 (rightfully so given the road and additional distance).
Not much more to say than the larches are beautiful, in full fall color along with the deep red and orange of the blueberry/grouseberry undergrowth. The first grove at about 0.5 miles is stunning and worth the trip. The second grove at the west end of Tatie Peak (at about 2.5 miles) is equally beautiful. Find a seat in the bright red blueberries and bask in the golden glow. At Grasshopper Pass and its grove, our larch tank was topped off for the year. There is beautiful color not just in these groves but all along this trail.
The road is bumpy with a lot of pretty deep potholes starting down in the valley before you even start to climb. I usually drive pretty fast on gravel roads in my RAV4, but these made me slow down quite a bit, but there was nothing that challenged the RAVs ground clearance. A carefully driven passenger car might be able to make it to the trailhead, but I'd recommend higher clearance.
If you don't like feeling exposed, this might not be the hike for you. Much of the trail is across somewhat steep talus and scree slopes with an open drop in some places a thousand feet or more to the valley floor. It's a beautiful section of the PCT that starts high and stays high. A great way to spend a fall afternoon before the snows come.
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