This is a very popular fall hike (70 cars at 11:30 am at arrival, 100 cars at 11:15 am at departure). Spectacular larch in all their yellow glory began at Ingalls Pass. But no mountain goats were seen, only a couple of small deer, and a steady stream of hikers for trail talk. It was good trail up to the pass – better maintained since the last time I was here many years ago. This applies to the dirt road on the way in as well.
Almost all were day hikers but the meadow by the creek in the upper Headlight Creek basin offers excellent campsites. I took a bivy sack, which meant only a 16 lb backpack (including food, water, and extra clothing), but it was quite cozy. There had been a sharp wind on the way in, plus evening clouds, but it let up overnight to starlight and moonlight, with the temperature dropping to only about 45 (there had been snow a week before, so watch the forecasts carefully).
In the colorful basin, the boulder field before the meadows is not bad but beyond the creek, toward Lake Ingalls, the trail begins to deteriorate. It became muddy or harder to navigate at times. Beyond the junction with the lower way trail it becomes more sketchy as it climbs to the top of a steep, rock ridge overlooking Lake Ingalls, There are several alternate routes up, all doable scrambles, but this makes it more confusing, especially on the way down. At one point I got a little off route and needed my cellphone hiker’s app to see where I was. Not recommended for less able or experienced hikers.
…It was very colorful in the basic at sunrise at 7 in the morning, with sharp views south to Mt Adams and Mt Rainier from Ingalls Pass, meaning that the summer smoke-haze is now long since gone. It was a very pleasant hike out. Note that there is a small creek about 10 feet from a switchback in the trail below Ingalls Pass at around 6000’ – the only water between the trailhead and Headlight Creek. Basin.
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