Amazing hike up to Vesper Peak yesterday! I started around 8am from the trailhead and had no issues finding parking. The road wasn't bad in my Crosstrek but I did definitely scrape at one point. Definitely best to have a medium/high clearance vehicle for this.
In the woods, I lost the trail a couple times but it seems like whatever side trails I took always led back to the correct place. Make sure you have maps downloaded for this hike! I came across the hornets nest around .8 miles in and didn't have any issues. Someone marked it on either side with paper plates so it's easy to know where it is going both directions. The talus field below Headlee wasn't too difficult from a route finding perspective, but you definitely need to keep an eye out for the cairns to spot them. The lower part of Headlee Pass was probably the sketchiest part on the way up and down. It's easy to slide out on the loose rock and other hikers higher up can accidently cause loose rocks to slide down the hill. Stay alert! After Headlee Pass, it was pretty smooth sailing to the summit. I followed the cairns up the scramble section and that worked out well. Definitely needed hands and feet for this section. Poles were also nice to have. The views from the summit were spectacular and well-worth the work!
The way down was actually the hardest part. I climbed Glacier Peak and Mt. Baker this summer, so the uphill didn't bother me so much on this hike, but the downhill is killer. Don't get cute in the talus, it will take you down. Lots of slow careful maneuvering, especially down the lower part of Headlee Pass.
Car to car it took about 6 hours total. Awesome hike, but definitely not for the novice hiker. Some route finding, small doses of exposure, and scrambling. Be prepared and know your limits.
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