2 nights
Arrived at Staircase TH about 78° at 11:15 am at 785 ft elevation and got to the 3.8 mile mark at Spike Camp at 1475 ft in a little under 2 hours- it was a mostly modest climb to there. From there, we grabbed water and suddenly hit those serious switchbacks which really took a lot out of me, and they climbed for maybe 10 minutes. From there, it was a constant uphill battle with a serious slope just increasing constantly but not too tough to Madeleine Creek at 5.3 miles and 2100 ft. From there, the ascent was seriously difficult, gaining 1400 feet up in 2.1 miles, to elevation 3500 ft. The last .6 miles rose another 400 feet- about the height of the top of Queen Anne from Lake Union for Seattle locals.
We found the maps showing bear wires, campsites, and outhouses totally off, and others seemed to find them wrong, too. But we found a great site, endless mosquitoes, and ticks!
My entire moving time was 4hours 30 minutes. I am 54 and in decent shape. My friends are 44 and better shape and beat me to the lake by 15 minutes, so a touch over 2mph average. Not bad.
The icy water was great to swim in.

It took a while to find a good source of moving water but we did locate in the spur between the two lakes the one flowing fast into the other. I had tried the still lake water but it tasted muddy even after filtering. Spend the extra 10 minutes looking for that clean flowing water source.

The next day was even warmer, and as we tried to climb to Gladys Ridge, just 1.5 miles away and 1100 up, after 10 minutes I just took stock and realized I should return knowing my limits. They went on. Had it been a cooler day, or if I had awoken much earlier, maybe, but the heat and the fatigue were too much for this old man. Good day to explore the lake, jump in, relax, read, and find quiet time with few campers around. They ascended, had lunch, and returned the 1100 ft climb in 3 hours. We all swam some more, rested and swam again. Night was quiet and the world felt calm.
We awoke to a warm sunny day, jumped into the cold lake again before breakfast and returned to pack and left the tent site at 11:15 (same time as we left the TH!) and returned at 2:13, 8 mikes just minutes under 3 hours. Pretty speedy descent.

Lots of birds, so many and different kinds, I just don’t know how to identify them, dragon flies, a hare, ticks, chipmunks, squirrels, and the sound of a marmot, but no deer, bear, elk, or any other big animals.

This felt as tough to me as Upper Lila, or as tough at climbing from Sol Duc TH to the High Divide.

I did an overnighter to take full advantage of Flapjack Lakes and Gladys Divide. Absolutely epic! I'll start from the beginning:

Road:

Gravel road to the national park entry is rough in parts. Lots of small potholes that can be hard to see in the full sun. However, any car can easily make it; just be careful! Parking lot was full at 11 am when I pulled in. Parked along the street in front of the campground.

Bugs:

They get their own section. They were terrible. Everywhere, every minute. Take a bath in bug spray, and you will be good to go!

To Spike Camp:
Trail in excellent condition to Spike Camp, where I spent the night. There are still water sources along this first 3.5ish mile stretch of the North Fork Trail. Didn't see too many people after passing the Staircase Loop junction/bridge. There is a bear wire at this camp and a few campsites. There was only one other person there when I arrived. I dumped my tent and most of my weight and bounced off towards Flapjack.

To Flapjack:

It was hot. I knew it would be, so I was prepared, but I went through liters and liters of water. I stopped counting! Thankfully, the trail parallels a river for awhile, so water was abundant. This trail can be steep and rocky/rooty at times. A few trees down, but nothing dramatic. The last 0.5 mile, once past the junction with White and Black Lakes Trail, is the worst. I met a ranger coming down who was checking permits. 

Flapjack Lakes:

Gorgeous, crystal blue water. Plenty of people there swimming and hanging out. After doing some exploring along the shore, I picked up the trail again and was off to Gladys Divide.

Gladys Divide:

A couple water sources along the trail in case you are running low. This was an absolutely delightful trail with such a surprise! You are traveling in deep forest when all of the sudden, you aren't. It spits you out into gorgeous alpine meadows, with abundant wildflowers and bubbling streams. The Sawtooth Range and Cruiserr loom overhead. It's indescribable! I continued with my mouth on the ground towards the divide. There are only two small snow patches left. Easy to cross without any additional gear. Views from the divide did not disappoint either!! And I was the only one there. I didn't continue on towards Gladys' summit, only because I didn't actually know you could. Now that I know, I am already planning a return trip. If you are camping at Flapjack, you need to do this trail.

The return trip to Spike Camp was uneventful. Ran into a couple backpacking parties that had underestimated the trail in the heat. Spike Camp had only two other groups there besides me. This morning, I returned via Staircase Rapids. Wasn't too crowded at 9 am, and the water was beautiful! 

Hi !!! Anyone loose some jewelry at Black and White Lakes?? We found something and hopefully can get it back to its owner!
Message me and tell me what ya lost! 
thx! 

Bonniebessner@icloud.com

Staircase Rapids to North Fork Skok to Flapjack Lakes + Gladys Divide.

Staircase Rapids trail magnificent as usual. Many old firs and cedars to marvel at. North Fork Skok trail on old road bed all the way to Flapjack turnoff. Trail slumping somewhat on route to Madeleine creek where the bridge is tiled a few degrees making it more fun. Other than the ravine Madeleine falls through this slope is dry and somewhat exposed to the sun. Also very steep slopes. Don't step off the trail. Somewhat rougher and more miserable just before B+W junction. Trail to Flapjacks barely passes NPS standards in terms of grade, width, etc. Merciless.

Flapjack Lakes beautiful with Sawtooth Ridge right there. Plenty of camping. As usual, dogs are not allowed on the national park trails or in the back country. Despite that, you will probably see them here anyway. The owners do not care.

Trail to Gladys is not marked but it's east of the main junction and curves away from the lakes, heading north then east. Extra campsites are up this way. As of 6/22 the snow begins around 4500 feet and is constant beginning at 4600. The way is perfectly navigable, but snow bridges will be melting over the next week or so.

We (family of three) left Staircase at around 10:00am, 11yo daughter joining us for an overnight up to Flapjack Lakes. We got to see some pack mules getting ready for a trip out the Skokomish River Trail to Camp Pleasant along with a crew from the Washington Conservation Corps. We were passed by them at Spike Camp, which was, it turned out, a sign of our pace and general fitness. The day was warm, but not too much of a burden cruising through the green tunnel on the way up to the split off of the Skokomish River Trail at Spike Camp. We were just behind a mama deer and two baby fawns for a segment of the trail, which was only the second most adorable animal encounter of the trip. It got hotter and harder as we turned off up to the switchbacks that carry you up alongside the unnamed creek--there was decent water access at the last switchback before beginning the northerly contour along toward Madeline Creek, so we had a good stop there and girded ourselves for the real challenge of the day.

We did a decent amount of leapfrogging with another group who was also headed to Flapjack, as well as a ranger who was headed up and doing odd jobs along the trail as she went. The trail gets far more intense as you pass Madeline Creek and its wonderful bridge, and we stopped for a bit to hydrate, pull candy from our respective candy pockets, and think about what lie ahead. This is where the couple of years between really being in shape for this kind of trip and now started to take their toll. My wife went on ahead in hopes that if she got up to the split between Flapjack and Black and White Lakes far enough ahead of us, she could circle back and help with any flagging from our daughter. But over the next mile and a half, the one who really needed help was probably me. We took our time, and my daughter set our pace, but I was definitely playing anchor to her. I was basically taking the trail in 100 yard increments or so between pauses. My wife and daughter were far more fit for the hike than me.

It was all to the good of what ended up being basically a type-2 fun kind of hike for the last mile or so. I've been up to Flapjack a couple of times, but the trail really is not forgiving, in the way that's somewhat typical of hikes in this part of the Olympics--it's steep and gets steeper toward the end. Lesson learned on aging and fitness. 

Got to the lake at about 4. At the lake there were really only a few other parties overnighting. We grabbed the tent site just past the ranger station's perch on the more easterly lake, closer to the Sawtooth Ridge. We were worked from the hike, so where I'd planned on taking lots of photos and wandering up to Gladys Divide, I parked in a camp chair while the bugs were still unsure about whether we were interesting, and stared at the meadow across from our site. 

Turned out to have been worth staring off into the green for a bit. We saw an adorable black bear in the meadow across the way, wandering down to the water and having a bit of a swim. Highlight of the trip, for sure. No apparent interest from any critters for our stuff, though we kept a decently clean camp. A good reminder though that you do need to think about bears when you think about your food in the ONP. 

Cloudy overnight, so no stars, and there was a gloom in the morning that sprinkled just enough to remind us that we hadn't put the rainfly on the tent. Had some coffee and breakfast, then broke camp in a spritz of rain and a hail of now-much-more-curious bugs. Left camp at around 9:15, and got back to the car by 2. Many breaks and bites to eat, but by the end it was a hurry to get on out. The Staircase area was busier than I have personally seen it. Absolute madhouse for such a small area, and cars parked way down the park service road. Saturdays in summer...