Started my hike to the lake at Smithbrook which gently and quickly climbed to Union Gap and the Pacific Crest Trail junction. Took a right at the junction. The trail to the lake is mostly downhill (meaning mostly uphill on your return to Smithbrook) and sections are rocky; much different from the hike to Lake Valhalla (left at the PCT junction). After traversing the boulder field and crossing the creek, I ran across a Ranger digging and dousing an improperly extinguished campfire that was still burning underground from the night before. A short distance further, just past the toilet, I took a right at the Y and headed to the pretty lake shore to eat lunch and explore. For a short time, I had the lake to myself. On my return trip, I was met by many people headed to the lake to camp. I am glad to be an early bird..

Looking to avoid the chaos of post-Huskies traffic, I went for an afternoon hike to Lake Janus and beyond. My plan was simply to hike for about two and a half hours and turn around. This got me to the pleasant meadow mentioned in the guide but not to the Glasses Lake viewpoint, 12.3 miles in total. Although the parking lot was overflowing when I arrived a little after 1, the trail was never all that crowded. Both directions of the PCT lead to popular destinations and I suspect that many people start backpacking trips here on Friday afternoon. Of the 20 or so people I saw on the trail, at least five of them were PCT thru-hikers (you can tell by the beards). It's that time of year. The steepest part of the hike is probably the first half mile of the Smithbrook Trail. The PCT has ups and downs but the grade is never too tough in this region. Furthermore, most of the climbing is in the woods. Erosion is a problem in a few places between Union Gap and Lake Janus. It's also pretty brushy in a few places. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable hiking that part of the trail on a rainy day. North of the lake, the trail is briefly a bit of a slog before becoming relatively level as it crests the ridge. Do keep in mind that you have to regain all of the elevation you lose between Union Gap and the lake on the way back. This isn't a great hike for fall colors, but the meadows have already started to pick up some red highlights. The pikas and squirrels were very busy collecting food for winter. If there were any huckleberries along the trail, somebody got to all of them before I did. By far the worst part of the hike is driving to and from the trailhead. Highway 2 seems to be particularly popular with people who like to drive really slowly around corners and really quickly on the straight stretches. More notable is the fact that there is currently construction on Highway 522 in Monroe and on Highway 2 just east of the pass. Drive to Leavenworth this weekend and you may get a free butt massage out of the deal. The Smithbrook Road itself is bumpy but not otherwise a difficult drive. Some parts appear to have taken a beating in a recent rainstorm, but the parking lot was full of small cars. Even in my Mazda 3, it took less than 15 minutes to drive from the highway to the trailhead. Don't fear the dirt road. Overall, Lake Janus is a nice destination but hiking to Grizzly Peak's probably not the best use of your time unless you do it as part of an overnight trip. There are many other trails in this area offering superior views and scenic meadows. Admittedly, most of the alternatives are a whole lot further from the highway.

Hiked from the Smith Brook trailhead to Lake Janus then back to the car. The road to the trailhead is fairly pot-holed with one or two spots that might be tricky for low clearance vehicles. There were mostly trucks and suv's at the trailhead but there was one Honda Civic. Smith Brook trail is nicely groomed and well marked. Took me about 1 1/3 hours to get to the lake, an hour for lunch, and about the same 1 1/3 back to the car. There are a few muddy spots that are easily navigable on the way to the lake, and a little more challenging in the other direction. Bugs were nearly non-existent and I only had to swat a fly or two when I stopped at the lake for lunch. Be careful where you step when walking near the lake, as small frogs are everywhere! I didn't realize it until I had already walked through them, so R.I.P. any guys I might have smashed. There was no snow and virtually no berries to eat. I did see quite a lot of mushrooms so if you're savvy enough to not poison yourself, give it a go. Saw a handful of pikas, a few grouse, a very colorful Douglas squirrel, and of course the frogs.

Decided to do the next 100 mile portion of the PCT from Stevens to Stehekin (loove that bakery). All in all, trail is in good condition, with minor annoying blowdowns and brushiness. River crossing at Kennedy Creek was interesting as the bridge had collapsed in the middle allowing water to rush over. Had to climb on the handrails to get across. Took 8 days to hike this portion, averaging around 12 miles a day, sometimes more. Very dynamic trail, beautiful views (when it wasn't cloudy and raining). Almost missed Glacier Peak entirely as it was really rainy and awful that day. Passed through the Shoofly fire with lots of smoke and actual falling ash. Took the Lady of the Lake to Fields Point for our pick up.

Road was closed at the Smith Brook Trailhead due to a fire on Shoofly Mountain. Trail is excellent. Never too steep to lose stride, wide enough to pass people, not that I saw anyone until running into 2 thru hikers on Grizzly "Peak", which is not obvious at all. I didn't find any path leading to the top, nor did I want to trample the flowers. There's no place to really sit down and eat lunch either. Kind of a let-down. Glacier Peak was shrouded by smoke. I hiked back, looking for a place to enjoy my lunch, but the lack of good sitting rocks and the bugs prevented it. Didn't have bug problems until I stopped moving at which point hungry mosquitos would swarm. And so it was a fast hike. The ridge above Lake Janus provides good views and is pretty easy to get to. It would make a decent stopping point for those not wanting to go the whole 16 miles.