Thornton Lakes and Trappers Peak — Sunday, Jun. 4, 2023

Got a 7am start on a beautiful Sunday morning. 3 other cars were in the (very small) parking lot. The forest road up was not bad at all, definitely prius friendly.

The 2 mile approach is mostly flat with a slight incline. Creek crossings dot the path. Some are small, one has a bridge, but one requires some boulder hopping. Right now, while the snow is still melting out and the creek is running high, it poses a slight challenge.

Once the trail starts snaking its way up the mountain, the nature of it changes. It becomes steep, covered in roots, rocks, and leftovers of blow downs. Pace slows down drastically, as you have to keep picking your footing.

The first clumps of snow are at 4200 ft, and the meadow at 4350 ft is still mostly covered in snow. Be careful here, the meadow is rapidly melting out, and lots of creeks and water paths are covered by the snow with the potential to fall through.

After the meadow, the trail crosses into North Cascades NP, and becomes snow free once again. At least, until 5000 ft, where it splits, one path going towards Thornton Lake and the other towards Trappers Peak. I skipped the lake, opting for the peak. Here, there are still snow fields dotting the ridge.

From this point forward, at least in these conditions, this isn't a leisurely hike. The patches of snow obstruct the trail, often on a narrow ridgeline. There is a constant need to pick your path. The snow patches, especially after 10am are rotten, every step threatening a post hole onto the rocks below. I spotted at least one dripping cornice. In essence, be careful, as these are not stable conditions. I had my ice axe out for the descent, but did not put any traction on (brought spikes and crampons).

The ridgeline is a fun and somewhat challenging traverse. There is one class 3 section, maybe 30-40ft. Everything else is, at times steep, class 2. On the approach, the peak looks more imposing than it actually is. I opted out of X mountain, as that ridgeline is still covered in snow, and I didn't want to navigate any more of that mess.

Overall, this was a fun and challenging adventure.