Lakes are swimable - just don't check the temperature with your toes first - you'll chicken out. Bugs were terrible. Bad flies during the day. Mosquitoes even worse in the evening and morning. Forced the trip to end early.

Hike this trail and feel connected to Walt Bailey: the 73-year-old who built this trail along with his two companions. (When? In the 70s?) Somebody has recently gone to a lot of trouble to make the flat parts of this trail posh, with logs and gravel, but the steep parts are still all rocks and roots, the kind of toe-busting trail that makes a foot soak in the creek on your way out a must. I can see why the long road to the trailhead might deter some hikers, but the road isn't bad (only a few car-swallowing potholes). However, the road does narrow at the end--only a couple cars can fit here (with barely enough room to turn around)--and a couple more can park 1/4 mile up the road, so you may want to save this hike for a weekday. The hike is a winner though, with as much diversity as I've seen in a day hike. Marshes with purple shooting star and marsh marigold, heathery meadows sprinkled with tarns, and the most awesome avalanche slide I've seen makes you appreciate the power of Mother Nature. The melting ice caves provided a rush of cool air as we passed--welcome relief on a warm day. Part of the trail is gone here, but it's still quite easy to pick your way around the debris, even for two 50-something ladies. The blueberries near Cutthroat Lakes are just starting to ripen. Kudos go to the two young volunteers who put up the classy sign at the trailhead. They were just starting their work when we arrived and had it finished when we left. A nice touch to an underrated trail.

Gave it two weeks after the recent 'too much snow' reports to give this trail a first try, and it was worth it. Amazing amounts of work were put into building the trail. Generally good condition up about 1.5 miles, right before the cliffs mentioned in the 100 hikes book. There you come into avalanche debris, just head down and across the creek, you will see the trail. The trail traverses west across this snowy area almost level, though right now you have to go around a snow cave. Once you eventually get to the other side and cross one more stream, the trail is clear all the way up the pass and beyond. We did not go beyond the pass to the lake, but it looked mostly melted out. Two questions: How did they get that much crushed rock up there? Horse? Snowmobile? Is it spelled Baily or Bailey? [Online Editor's note: 1) Sometimes that use helicopters to deliver gravel. 2) Yes it shoulde be Bailey, not Baily.]

Trail was in good shape at first. Ran into first snow at just past the 1 mile marker. Trail was then lost under avalanche debris at 2 miles. People familiar with the trail that knew where it picked up again, it was just more snow and ice on the other side of the avalanche debris. The bugs were bad so we turned around and headed home.

With such a great day I had to go - but needed to be near Seattle so I couldn't go far. Decided on this snowshoe based on the trail book, but I wouldn't recommend this for someone looking for quick views and adventure. The snow began at the trailhead, but was so crusty that I actually hiked all the way up to the Walt Bailey trailhead. It wasn't until I headed down again that the snowshoes got used for the day. The trial follows 4030 & 4032 FS roads - so nicely wide and flat, with an easy grade. Not much to see through the woods until I hit 3.75 miles or so and then could see north to Three Fingers and foothills. Then the road crossed the ridgeline to the south and you could see Mt. Pilchuck and a set of ridges that looked wonderful in the sun. Took a nice lunch and nap in a small meadow - and then headed down. At the intersection of the roads I took off the shoes (the snow had generally gotten soft enough that shoes were good) and hiked out. Great day to be out, so I was happy to go, but won't probably come back for more. Lots of blow down across the road.