Thunder Knob — Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023

Ventured up to the North Cascades on this beautiful Sunday. We just bought brand new hiking shoes and wanted to test them on a short hike first. I’ve done Thunder Knob many times in the summer while the bridge is in, this was my first winter adventure without the bridge. The parking lot was plowed with plenty of space to park. It was icy to walk on but not difficult to maneuver with a car. There was a little ice in the east bound lanes of Hwy 20 but nothing any car couldn’t handle. The bathrooms are closed and the campground is full of deep snow. I forgot our microspikes but it turned out ok since the deep snow and ice was short lived. We had some minor post-holing through the campground and while looking for a spot to cross the river but once over the river and on the trail it was fine. To cross the river we followed an established footpath about 50 yards down river to a large tree over the river and crossed on that. It is wide and easy to cross if done with care. Walking back up to the flagged trail was challenging with more post-holing. The beginning of the trail is well marked and easy to follow. Once over the river the trail is in great shape. There are patches of snow but they are not deep or hard to cross with boots and poles if you use them. There are a few small trees over the trail but they are easy to get over. The view at the top was amazing as usual. It’s a quick but worth it up and down. A big bang for your buck hike!