Hiked up to Flapjack Lakes from Staircase ranger station. The main trail along the Skokomish was crawling with people (it was a sunny Sunday afternoon.) However, once I left the main trail I did not see anyone until returning to the main trail the next day. Camped at flapjack lakes (all to myself) and hiked up to Mount Gladys for sunrise, which was amazing. Summary: no bugs, not too hot, and no other people on the trail... good reason to do those fall hikes.

I had a few hours to hike while I was waiting for 4 family bikers to ride Seattle to Portland. I had to turn around before I reached Flapjack Lakes as I didn't get started till 12:30 and I had to meet them in Centralia by 7 PM. The first 4 miles along the river are mostly level and green. I reached the turnoff up to Flapjack in an hour & 20 minutes. Then the way steepened through the forest and slowed me down a little. It was a hot day. Madeline Creek was pretty. There was a bridge across and camping spots. I think I turned around not far from the junction to Black and White Lakes. On the way back the mosquitoes were out along the river. Trail generally in good condition. There were some rocky areas. I saw about 30 people, mostly in 2 noisy backpacking groups. You turn off at Hoodsport and drive 16 miles on mostly paved road, (about 3 miles of gravel) to the end of Lake Cushman at the Staircase Ranger Station where there is parking. It's 15.6 miles round trip to Flapjack Lakes.

It was a hot climb from the N Fork Skokomish valley to the lakes with temperatures in the upper 80's but well worth it. We camped for two nights by the upper, shallower lake with a view of Sawtooth Ridge from our campsite. The middle day we hiked to Gladys Divide and to the top of Gladys Mountain, where Mounts Olympus, Anderson, and Deception are visible above myriad others. Snow started in earnest a couple hundred vertical feet below the divide. Afterwards, we swam in the lower, deeper lake (cold but above freezing). There was only one other party camped at the lakes while we were there (weekends are a different story, no doubt) and very few bugs.

Flapjack Lakes trail is melted out all the way to the lakes, but the way trail to Gladys Divide is very sketchy, with snow bridges. The view from the divide is primo, and the experience was punctuated by dramatic snowfalls from mighty Mt. Cruiser. One thing puzzles: the trail to the lakes is brutal, but the so-called ""way trail"" to the divide is gentlemanly, well graded and clear (or will be by mid July).

Flap Jack lakes. The trail had a few large trees that had fallen recently and a 20 foot area where a land slide had taken the trail out. The trail was clear of snow until about 3200 ft where it was patchy and at about 3600 ft there was enough snow to make the trail hard to find, but at that point you’re almost there and it is easy enough to follow the orange tabs. The land slide was at around 3100 ft after walking through it I notice that a trial was forming above the slide about 20 ft higher than the original trail. There were a few icy and slippery spots, but nothing a good hiking stick or ski poles couldn’t get you through. The lakes were mostly frozen and were covered in a beautiful hoar frost. The temperature was in the low 30s to high 20s. It was great winter hike and only one other party camped at the lakes.