Made a trip up to Flapjack lakes last month. Like almost all the trails right now there is very little or no snow! Easy trip with my 14 year old grandson who is a great hiker. Didn't see anybody or any wildlife all day. When we got to Flapjack lakes they were frozen and there was a little snow on the ground. It was a typical N.W day and we had a few peeks at sawtooth ridge. Would have liked to have gone up to Gladys Divide but not this trip. I did haul down some garbage but there is plenty more up there.

This was a leisurely two-night backpacking trip up to Flapjack Lakes. For the first couple miles of the trail, it's wonderfully mild in terms of grade. While walking on a slight uphill, it's easy to fall into a constant stride that you can do forever. Stopped to eat some thimbleberries while still in the valley. Later, the trail steepens and the last mile or so right before the lakes was the toughest part - once it sucks, you know you're close! As for wildlife, most of what we saw was at the lakes. We had a semi-nocturnal deer that snuffled around our campsite until almost midnight, saw an owl (but heard the calls of three), and a mountain goat trotted through our campsite on the second morning - thankfully we had no trouble from them. Many trout in the lake and little green caterpillars. The first night we stayed in a campsite right by Madeline Creek - it's not marked, but you can find it. After you cross the bridge over Madeline, look for a steep trail going downhill to your left. It's a great spot! The second night we stayed at Flapjack lakes and there were considerably more bugs, but they didn't bite much. Be prepared for their presence. Blueberries along the trail were visibly ripe, but pretty sour! And remember to get a permit at the Staircase ranger station.

First Divide is snow free and full of amazing views of nearby Mt Steel and across the Duckabush Mt LaCrosse- forgot what a stiff push those last three miles are. Sunday did the grand tour from Big Log camp- Flapjack Lakes (beautiful but buggy), jaw-dropping Gladys Divide, a snowy ascent of Mt. Gladys, great trail through a mosquito infested killing ground to the ridge of Black and White Lakes, with a neat return down the knee popping way trail back to camp- epic day

Fun and easy to the bridge, then increasingly uphill! Skokomish fork trail was clear to the junction of FlapJack Lakes, then we climbed over three blowdowns from a recent storm. We timed it wrong and were on the exposed sections in the heat of the day, but that made the lake feel even cooler. The view of Mt. Cruzer was worth it! Bugs were annoying but not awful. Should've brought some bugspray. The trail through the center of the two lakes is impassible. To get to the campsites on the far side of the lakes you have to walk around the lake on the right. Fun, but harder than we were prepared for. Definitely sore the next day!