Immediately after getting out of the car the mosquitos descended, it was so terrible. Bring bug spray! 

The trail is in good condition, it has a few downed trees that are easy enough to step over and a few mud patches you can walk through or around. 

Towards the top there is one or two small snow patches left, but they won’t last long I assume. The trail is pretty much snow free and the steepish last bit(hands and feet needed maybe?) is snow free which was great to see! 

Sunset from the top was incredible. Highly recommend!!

Another Fourth of July has passed, and the hiking adventures continue on. Today, the weather seemed rather mild with some overcast with temperatures not really breaking the 80's today. 

This would be my 20th hike of the year and 20 out of 52 on the 52 Hike Challenge. Mount Catherine beat me last month due to large snow fields causing me to lose the trail several times. Combined with not really feeling the land navigation course, I made a decision to turn around. 

Today, I would achieve the summit of Mount Catherine for the 3rd time. 

I'll start out by addressing the service road leading up to the trailhead. If you've never been up to the Mount Catherine, expect some potholes and a bumpy ride but it isn't as bad as say Mount Pilchuck. There is a hair pin turn where the road has been eroded away enough to expose some rocks that may or may not tear your front bumper off or damage your undercarriage. I have seen car parts laying off to the side of the road before. 

When I arrived, there were about eight cars lining the road but I was still able to find a spot a little farther up the service road. 

Once on trail, it's a gradual incline that'll get your heart pumping. The trail is  in great condition with only one blow down that is easily navigated. Snow conditions have significantly improved since the last time I was up here, (two weeks ago) and what's left of the snow is surrounded by mud and water. There is one section of the trail that'll keep snow on it well into late July and it takes sure footing to negotiate this section. The snow field is approximately 25 feet in length and on one side is a steep drop off. So if you slip, you could slide down the embankment into the trees. Poles helped through this area but I saw two people make it through in just sneakers. 

Bugs are out but not to that extreme. I did use OFF Bug Spray and I used sun screen which, I think helped a lot. I didn't spend too much time at the summit because a bug flew into my mouth, and I've been up there a few other times before.

I made the summit in 47 minutes and got back down to the "parking lot" in just over 30 minutes. Quick hike, but loved every moment of it. 

This is a wonderful trail as long as you're prepared for a the basically constant and often steep incline of the first half. There was a lot of stagnant snowmelt around which meant LOTS of bugs that ate my hiking parner alive (who was in shorts), and a few snow banks across the trail once you get to the ridge including one that covered the trail completely as it wound along a steep slope (making for a long fall if you slip), but the reward when you get to the top is more than worth it.

It was also quite sparsely populated despite it being the middle of a long holiday weekend and only an hour away from the eastside, so if you're looking for a reasonably challenging day hike that won't be mobbed and has a great view, this should be on your list.

One note to the WTA: there was a recent tree fall across the trail about halfway up to the ridge (I want to say the sixth or seventh switchback?) that will require a chainsaw to remove.

Got a late start (3p) on a HOT day.  Only one other car/family hiking the trail passed on their way out.  Road in good/passable condition with expected amount of rocks and potholes. Trail in good condition with a couple downed trees to cross.  Still snow patches at the top, some a scramble to get over.  Bugs get fierce near the top.  Called it when I was getting eaten alive without DEET.  Bring bug spray.   

The service road up to the "parking lot" is snow free but there are patches of snow on the road as I continued on. I didn't venture too much farther down FS 9070 before I turned around and parked in front of the trailhead. Two other hikers were starting their ascent as I parked around 0915hrs. 

The snow started right away for about 100 yards or so up the river bed and then after that the trail is clear and visible. It's very rocky for the first half mile and then it becomes a gentle incline soft with pine needles and moist soil. This was my third time hiking Mount Catherine. 

I ran into a couple of fallen trees but neither really caused any major issues. There is one small snow patch to get over prior to reaching the constant snow on the upper reaches of Mount Catherine. Around 4,600 feet, expect a lot of snow that is fast melting. The snow that is in the suns rays is becoming soft and I post-holed knee deep coming down in one section. 

I was intending on catching the two hikers that started up as I pulled in but I never found them. I did, however follow their fresh boot prints about as far as I could manage. It didn't appear that neither one of them were using hiking poles or traction devices but I optioned for at least hiking poles. at 4,600 feet, the trail is off and on. It's mostly visible, and since I'm not an expert on route finding, I was really contemplating on turning around. I stood on a snow field staring at Granite Mountain for about 10 minutes going back and forth on if I should continue on or not. I optioned to press on. 

The hair was standing up on the back of my neck and I could feel some anxiety of getting lost or turned around as I navigated the snow covered floor of the forest. I clutched my hand held GPS wondering if it was going to malfunction or run out of batteries. My heart was beating out of my chest. I should turn around. No, keep pressing on. I'm .35 miles from the summit. Keep going. No, this is ridicules. I'm going to get lost. 

But alas, I kept moving forward. I was able to climb up a small slope of ice and snow with a few kick steps which put me on the visible trail again. It wasn't long and the trail disappeared under a blanket of soft melting snow. 

I suppose I could've made the summit but fear of not being able to find my way back got the best of me. Maybe I watch too many episodes of "I Shouldn't be Alive" or maybe I have anxiety of becoming a statistic or the newest search and rescue mission. Whatever the case may be, I turned around and started my slow descent down using my handheld GPS to guide me through the land navigation course I just came through. And on my way back, I passed another hiker heading up. He seemed confident enough as he traveled on and I thought for a split second to maybe turn back around and follow him up so at least I wasn't going at it alone. 

The part that had me all in knots was fairly easy to navigate using the GPS. I did have a moment where I was unsure where to go and I could feel myself about to panic but I just closely zoomed in on my line on the GPS and it guided me right out. Maybe I need to be more confident in my hiking abilities and trust my gear. I found my way back without any issues and made it back to the ol' Dodge Ram 4x4. 

I've posted a link to my Youtube channel for your viewing enjoyment.