Mainly adding a trail report for crowd reporting! 

Arrived at TH around 5:45 a.m. and found one of the last legal spots in the lot. Cars were already lined up on the short dirt road to the lot (had clearly spent the previous night there) and starting to line up on the highway. 

Bathroom had plenty of TP and even hand sanitizer (what luxury!), but a line of about 25 people at the end of our hike (~11 am). 

Hiked in the dark with headlamps. Most of the larches are on the west side of the pass (including a gorgeous set of switchbacks at about 3.5/4 mi in) so you don't see as much gold on an early a.m. hike, but it's worth it to be able to stop and admire the views without passing folks. Spent a good 45 min or more snacking at the top before heading back down. 

Usual conga line of hikers coming up as we headed down the trail, but everyone was super friendly and just happy to be out on a beautiful day. Many off-leash dogs, but mainly under owner control (just a few roaming farrrrrr ahead) and a handful of dog poop bags that I'm sure someone was going to pick up on the way down...

Line for the vault toilet was very long (well into the parking lot) when we returned and there were a handful of illegally parked cars (including one parked perpendicular to another car's exit - hopefully they knew each other?). Huge line of cars down the highway for Cutthroat and Maple Pass, but as to be expected for larch madness weekend. 

Saturday, Oct 12.

PSA…

Just drove HWY 20 westbound from Mazama — heading towards I-5.

At 745a, Rainy Pass had what must’ve been 300-400 cars parked along the side of the highway.

Blue Lake, perhaps 50-100 cars parked along the highway.

Happy larching, y’all!

It was a gorgeous day in the North Cascades! Willow thoroughly enjoyed this hike, though I’d like to apologize to everyone who heard her yelp across the valley… my stupid big foot stepped on her sweet little paw while taking a photo. I’m clearly a terrible dog owner 😔

Not a lot to update from previous reports, but the wind is definitely starting to take some of the larch needles, so this weekend or early next week could be the last chance to really see them in all their glory. The trail was obviously pretty busy given the decent weather, but maybe not as bad as I expected for a Friday? To steal from Homer Simpson, it was like a freakin’ country dog jamberoo! So many doggos. Big, small, fluffy, houndy, whatever. All well behaved though! 

Bottom Line:

Another "go now" - the larches are a peak, mostly golden, and no significant needle fall so far (although gusty winds yesterday might change that). You arrive at Rainy Pass and face the "Cutthroat or Heather-Maple" decision. At least in the early to mid-afternoon, the choice is clear with Cutthroat this time of year. You will have sun and backlite larches pretty much the entire trail, while Heather-Maple descends into shade across the valley. Quite a number of campers at and just below the pass (out of the wind) that probably had an amazing sunrise this morning. Winter is coming, and my tired body is asking whether I have any other hobbies! :)

Stats:

• Distance: ~12-1/2 miles (with ridge walk towards Cutthroat Peak)
• Vertical: 2390 ft
• Duration: 4-1/2 hours
• Road/Parking: Lots on both sides of Rainy Pass were full, with overflow parking on the shoulder of Hwy 20. Most of the folks were headed over to Heather-Maple Loop so the Cutthroat side was pretty quiet. National Forest Parking Pass required. Toilets. The drive up from Mazama is beautiful right now, with golden larches fringing all the peaks. The pull-off down at Kangaroo Pass from Monday had a single car ;)
• Weather: Sunny with some marine layer clouds to the west; 30-40Fs but seemed warmer in the sunshine. Cutthroat has perfect late afternoon sunshine all the way to sunset, unlike the Heather-Maple side which became shady in the late afternoon. Gusty winds at the pass which were starting to blow the golden needles off the larches. A hard freeze was forecast for overnight.
• Water: There is water for filtering for the 1st ~3 miles up to the pass, with the trail crossing numerous little streams. There is no water once you start the final switchbacks up to the pass, and at the pass itself.
• Larches: What can I say - at peak and amazing. They are good at all elevations, which can be unusual, even on the gusty ridge walk out to the scramble up Cutthroat Peak. This trail is optimal in the afternoon, with tree backlighting the entire way up (and down). This might be the best show I have been at Cutthroat, but it will not last long (especially if the winds continue). A surreal stroll through an alpine bathed in an orange glow - even the descent was enthralling.
• Trail: The PCT up to the pass is in excellent conditions with just a few areas of mud. It is wide, level, nearly rock-free, moderate incline - this is a trail that is just a breeze to power through to the pass. You might feel like you could walk this one forever, and a few years ago I ended up doing just that until I found myself out at Snowy Lakes, and realized my "day hike" had a 12-1/2 mile return to my car! But starting late in the day, I was on a timeline, and decided to make a sharp right at the pass and head out on the ridge towards Cutthroat Peak as far as I could go without getting into some significant scrambling. The walk along the ridge with the streaming afternoon sun and an orange glow enveloping the place was delightful :) NOTE: Mountain bikes are allowed up from the Cutthroat Lake side, so you may see them at the pass.
• Takeaway: Cutthroat Pass is just the beginning, and the trail out to Snowy Lakes is exceptionally beautiful as well. Route-finding, gear and scrambling skills needs to attain Cutthroat Peak.

Attached video captures the late day sunlight on the golden larches

The weather forecast must of deterred hikers today. There were plenty of parking spots when I arrived at 7:00; when I left, with parking limitations, it made getting out on the deeply rutted road easier. On the trail there is only a couple of short sections of slick mud from the recent rain/snow. Creek crossings were a breeze compared to years past. Drizzly at first, once entering the larches, unique views opened up which made for a great hike! Larches appear to be mostly at peak, there are still some turning color. Trail had light traffic today and included 6 PCT thru hikers on their final days! All on the trail were friendly. Enjoy this fall hike while you can.

MISSING — if anyone found a pair of burgundy fleece The North Face gloves, let me know. They were lost likely within the first 2 miles on the trail or in the parking lot.