4/28/23 - Hiked out of Staircase to Spike Camp. Trail was in pretty good shape until just after the junction with the Flapjacks lake trail. Trail was about 80% covered in snow from the junction to Spike Camp, but fortunately, the camp is only a few hundred yards from the junction.  In camp, about 50% covered, but was able to find a site that had a snow free spot for a tent, so pitched it for a very cold night.

4/29/23 - Went back to the junction and headed up the trail to Flapjack.  A couple snow patches in the first 400 feet, then pretty snow free up until about 2mi in, close to the Madeline Creek crossing.  Trail becomes about 80% covered and a few sketchy crossings.  Snow is pretty soft and gives way easy, so be careful.  I pushed past the bridge and pushed on another mile until I came a side area the cut across the trail.  Snow lay across the trail  through the slide area at a steep angle and all the way down until it hit the river several hundreds of feet below.  There is about a 10 foot section where it is completely covered in snow, and one slip would have you sledding all the way into the river below.  With the snow being so soft, I decided not to chance it, even with my snowshoes.  A small error would have large repercussions.  Turned back around and made my way back to camp.  Pit toilet earns a 5 out of 5 star rating, however.  New, clean, and insect free.

4/30/23 - Woke up, packed up, and hiked the 4mi back to staircase and my car.

Overview:  Overnight up at Flapjack Lakes with a side trip up to Gladys Divide and then a hike out via Black and White Lakes and down the B&W trail to Big Log and back out the North Fork of the Skokomish.  Overall the trails were in good condition - low brush, good tread, and minimal blowdowns. 

I won't go much into the North Fork, Flapjack Lakes or Gladys as those are pretty well covered.  I will cover the Black and White Lakes and down to Big Log as that seems to be less covered.

Brush scale used:

• 0 = clear, may as well be walking down a sidewalk
• 1 = some brush and sometimes it touches my legs but the path is clear
• 2 = yes the brush is reaching over the trail but I can still see there is a trail, I can see my steps just fine even if I need to push some brush out of the way.
• 3 = i can't see my feet.  I need to actively bush the brush out of the way to see what I am about step on (rock, root, a downstep, etc.).

North Fork --> Flapjack Lakes:  A very nice (and quick) stroll to the junction just before Spike camp.  The climb up to Flapjack is where the blowdowns were encountered but still a nice hike up.  The tread overall was good.

• Trail:  good condition, no complaints
• Water:  good availability
• Mud:  none
• Brush: 0
• Blowdowns:  <10:  1 walk around, 1 duck under Doug, and the rest an easy climb over or step over.
• Bugs:  effectively none

The lakes were wonderful and going in on a Sunday late in the season I had both almost to myself.  There was one other group up there but we barely saw each other.  Thank you to those folks who gave me the recommendation of which campsite to score (as I had my pick) - I was able to get the site right by the water and my only visitors were some deer at night.

Gladys Divide:  After setting up camp and having lunch I day hiked up to Gladys Divide.  The hike is ~1.5 miles on a good trail.  Beautiful views and if I had more time I would add in Mt Gladys as the approach from the NFS side is quite easy.  The views of the Sawtooth ridge is great.  Well worth the side trip.

• Trail:  good condition, no complaints
• Water:  none (unless you want to climb down to a small tarn - just pack from Flapjack)
• Mud:  none
• Brush: 0-1
• Blowdowns:  2 maybe
• Bugs:  none

To Black and White Lakes:  This is labeled as a primitive trail but the quality the whole way is pretty much on par with what you would experience going up to Flapjack from the North Fork junction.

• Trail:  good condition - some "creek bed" walking and some loose tread in spots
• Water:  None after the junction and until you get the to lakes
• Mud:  none
• Brush: 1 in spots, maybe a spot of 2
• Blowdowns:  1 (I think - maybe zero)
• Bugs:  none

After doing Graves Creek earlier this summer, it is hard for me to see this trail as "primitive".  The trail is easy to follow, minimal blowdowns and the brush was not an issue.  The climb up from the Flapjack junction is a steady climb.  The tread loosens in some spots and narrows in others, it is all minimal.  The main other footprints I saw were deer along the way.  As you get toward the top, you break out into a meadow and the trail is more like a small creek bed you walk up through the brush.  The pictures will make it look brushier than it really is - meaning the trail is still very easy to follow.  As you continue to climb the brush shortens and the tread returns.  I was greeted with a gift in the middle of the trail of who actually lives there - I guess a reminder that I was just a visitor.  I didn't see any bears but I knew they were around - and rightfully with all the berry bushes (which were all picked clean this late in the season).

The junction with the trail down to Big Log is well marked (unlike what is described in the trail description posted).  The 0.2 to the lakes themselves is easy to follow and the lakes, the view, all was wonderful.  There was some smoke dulling the distant views but little smoke up at the lakes themselves.  Definitely can find even more solitude up there.

Black and White trail down to North Fork at Big Log:  Hiking back down to the North Fork junction at Big Log was an uneventful.  The trail was easy to follow, with brush in my 1-2 scale range.   It is ~2.3 miles and descend ~3k of elevation. It was on this section where I encountered some more loose tread.  I also passed the time down contemplating why this trail was a "primitive trail" as its condition is just as good as some of the non-primitive trails in the park.  I will admit that my quads were burning by the time I got down to the North Fork junction.  

• Trail:  good condition - loose tread in spots
• Water:  None 
• Mud:  none
• Brush: 1-2, a spot or two of 3
• Blowdowns: 2-3 on the way down to Big Log.  All step overs
• Bugs:  none

The hike from Big Log to the TH along the North Fork was smooth sailing the whole way.  Any blowdowns were cleared (except maybe one between Big Log and Spike camp which was an easy step over) and brush is "0" the whole way.

Overall a very nice autumn trip when the crowds were minimal.

Ponder this - Gladys Divide elevation. 

The National Park Service puts the elevation at 5000', but just on the other side of their sign the National Forest Service puts the elevation at 5050' - so which is it?

I wonder if there is a little competition going on between the services.  I think NPS should go update their sign to 5051' and then if the NFS wants to update theirs to 5052' make them climb up from their side (bushwhack) vs. being able to use the nice trails on the NPS side.  ;)

(ok....they should just put the real elevation up there but somebody needs to fix their sign because, 50' difference when they are on sign post?  c'mon man)

Please get a permit if you are intending to camp overnight at Flapjack Lakes. If all the permits are reserved, then do not show up intending to camp there. There were more groups than campsites, meaning some people didn't bother to reserve a permit and so camped in areas outside the designated campsites. This increases impact to the environment we all want to enjoy and protect, as well as causing stress to the hikers that did get overnight permits, who then have to worry about whether they will be able to find a legal campsite.

The trail was overall in good condition except for around 9 blowdowns between the trailhead and the lakes. Most were pretty easy to go over or under, a couple required a bit more effort.

Overnight of Gladys Peak 10/8-10/9 via Black & White Lakes and Flapjack Lakes.

The road to Staircase was in good shape and fine for any car. You'll need an America The Beautiful Pass for entry, or you can pay the fee at the entry kiosk. 

The first 3.5 miles along the North Fork Skokomish River Trail were fairly flat and in good shape. The trail started to climb once we took the junction onto the Flapjack Lakes Trail, but not too steeply - I think we did about 2000' of gain in around 3.2 miles to the junction with Black & White Lakes.

There were a couple of blowdowns that required some intimate tree-hugging for me to get over (at 5'2") or some ducking to get under.

We opted to head up towards Black & White Lakes first - this section of trail was noticeably steeper, and there was also a wasp nest in the ground right next to the trail a little ways up from the junction. Thankfully we managed to rush by without getting stung!

The lakes were another 1000' up in a bit over a mile from the junction, and did not look black and white at all - rather, they were clad in the vibrant reds of fall foliage. We filled up on water here and I filtered 4 liters in anticipation of a dry trail and camp on Mt. Gladys.

From Black & White Lakes we headed cross-country past the lake and climbed upwards and eastward/ESE through shrubbery and bushes, aiming for a ridge that narrowed and topped out at around 5380'. There was a very faint idea of a bootpath along the ridge at times, but it petered in and out. Some minor scramble moves/veggie belays helped get us through the narrowest point of the ridge.

Once over the high point, the terrain mellowed out and we were able to make our way southeast over open rocky terrain towards the summit of Gladys, spying Murdock Lakes briefly below (they looked like a nice spot to camp too). 

A steep last push brought us to the top of Gladys where there was a perfect little campsite waiting for us (the summit of Gladys sits just outside the National Park boundary and is in the Olympic National Forest). We were treated to views of the rugged Sawtooths and Mt. Crusier in one direction, and Mt. Olympus in the distance in the other direction.

We enjoyed the warm fall evening and calm night, and the next morning we packed up camp and headed downwards, picking up a pretty well-defined bootpath that led us down to Gladys Divide. There were some rocky and rugged bits, but from here it was a straightforward journey down to Flapjack Lakes, back down to the junction, and out the way we had come.

Follow along on Instagram for more photos! @thenomadicartist

Day hike to Flapjacks Lake - 17 miles total round trip with wanderings around the lake to admire the beauty. The trail is fairly steady easy elevation grade from Staircase Rapids Trail and N Skokomish River Trail. Shortly beyond the Flapjack Trail, there is a privy at Spike Camp. The climbing begins when transitioning to the Flapjack Lakes Trail: 3.5 miles of climbing - there are switch backs along the way. 3 large trees have fallen across the trail at different intervals: climb under, over or around depending on their arrangement. 1 fallen tree has a side trail that leads around it. Closer to the lake there is an area of sandier trail on a steep slope, be aware of your footing here. Quite a few sections with steep drop off with a narrow trail. The final 3/4mile segment takes you to Flapjack Lakes - more switchbacks & steeper trail. The lakes are worth it! Most people backpack this - this was completed for a day hike for a local conditioning hiking program.