Mount WA is a fun and challenging hike. I only ran into a few other groups and had the summit completely to myself for awhile! I would not recommend it for beginners as it requires a solid amount of endurance and can get pretty steep in some sections. The road there is no big deal; you are only 5 minutes from the freeway. Definitely print out the directions for getting from the parking lot to the trailhead as there are several other trails in the area and Mount WA doesn't have a clear sign. Speaking of which... when I arrived back at the trailhead at the end of my hike I noticed that someone had dismantled the rock cairn! Destroying a trail marker is an awful thing to do considering they are there to keep people from getting lost. This is completely against hiker code!! I re-built it and hopefully future hikers will be more respectful. Anyway... If you can't find the rock cairn look for the trail with an Alder tree on either side. The one on the right has Mt. WA carved into it. This hike was very wet! It crosses back and forth several times over a number of streams and brooks; often a stream will flow down the path itself and you will be hiking in an inch or so of trickling water (see photos). There are some pretty muddy spots (if you aren't careful at the muddiest you could sink in up to your ankle) and much of the trail is covered in loose rock so I would not recommend wearing your best tennis shoes, better to have hiking boots with good ankle support. Poles aren't essential but are beneficial. Most of the streams you cross aren't a big deal, there is only one that requires you to "rock hop." Also, around a quarter of the way up there is an intersection where you can go to the left for "Sallal point" I took this path on the way down and found a cool waterfall (pictured) a short ways up the trail. The path went farther but I chose to turn back there. Overall I had a great time, it's a beautiful hike with a great view at the top (look for Rainier but also keep an eye out for the Olympics far off to the west) and the numerous streams create a lot of tiny water falls on the way up which are cool to look at/take a shower under :) I would definitely do again!

As promised by the wta description, this morning was uncrowded on Mt Washington, with only two other hikers, although hordes were ascending when we were nearly done. Lots of water, dripping down the rocks, lots of little streams and falls, the trail merging with streambeds in places, and about 4" fresh snow on the last third. Mosquitos emerging already. More varied than Si, and doesn't take long to get there. The second half of the trail is very wet. An earlier reviewer mentioned old growth, but we didn't see any, although in places the forest is pretty, with lots of moss and ferns. Other places have that awful dark crowded small tree forest, but not for long stretches.

Got to the parking lot at 9:30am. It took me a quick minute to find the trailhead after the logging road (as the WTA description says, you go up a little trail from the parking lot and then right on the logging road and then it's the second little trail into the woods, marked with a small rock cairn) but it wasn't so bad. I made it to the summit of Mt. Washington around 11:30am (I didn't take breaks other than to take off or put back on layers, and I was hiking alone- if I was with a friend and chatting maybe it would've taken a little longer). There were no other hikers the whole way up! I was surprised but maybe it's because of my earlyish start and the fact that it's a Monday. My footprints were the only ones in the snow near the top, besides some fox or coyote (small paws-- are there fox and coyote on this mountain?!) and some rabbits. On my way down I did see 7 other hikers making their way up. I think the main thing to note is that this trail is SOGGY right now. Real soggy. There is mud, but mostly just lots of running water from melting snow. There were a couple times I stopped and wondered if I was on the trail or if I was walking up a stream. (It was the trail)... I tried for awhile to keep my feet dry but there were a couple parts where it was inevitable... they got wet! After I accidentally stepped all the way in a puddle, I just decided it's part of the fun! and let myself wade through the shallower parts of the puddles/streams. Farther up, you find snow covering the trail. Totally passable though. I was wearing trail running shoes and had no poles or microspikes or anything and I was fine. Poles may have been nice at times so if you have 'em, bring 'em! I didn't take much of a break at the top either since it was snowy, I just looked around, ate a luna bar, and was on my merry way. I hiked fast on the way down and made it back to my car around 12:40. All in all, a beautiful hike and I'd do it again. I like hikes with a good incline to get my blood moving and this had it. It also had nice old growth forests to hike through and then good views here and there. Right now, the trees near the top are still snow-dusted and they're soooo pretty. Today was pretty clear (just some foggy stuff lower than where I was), but I think on a completely clear day the views of the peaks around would be incredible. Not that the views weren't good today-- just a little fog obscuring parts of my view of them! Hike it! Have fun!

We had a great hike to the top of Mt. Washington - there is a tube there you can open and inside are papers and pen/pencil to sign your name and date of your hike. This is an excellent hike. It definitely has some elevation gain. We took quite a few mini-breaks to rest our legs. It took us about 3 hours and 15 minutes to make it to the top and it was so worth it because the view is spectacular. There are a couple of slightly rough patches with some larger boulders you have to navigate - I recommend hiking poles as they provide extra stability when you are climbing around the rocks.

A gorgeous and tough ascent up Mount Washington. We opted for this hike at the last moment after finding the road to Silver Peak dangerously icy. We'll have to save that one for later this spring. Despite arriving around noon on a sunny Saturday, we only encountered 2-3 other groups on the way up and were one of three groups lunching on the summit. The WTA directions were great, the trail entrance is unmarked and unremarkable except for the small cairn to the left of the trail and two nearly perfectly symmetrical trees at the entrance. The trail is dry and in great condition overall, despite one or two blowdowns on the way up and some muddy, marshy spots about three miles in. The majority of the hike is a rocky climb up a moderate incline. Proper hiking boots and poles are recommended. Your feet and knees will thank you. After the marshy area, take the left fork that leads to through a horse barrier at the top of the hill (the other side is washed out and looks like private land). After criss-crossing through up the boulder field, you reach the home stretch--a steep climb that cuts back through the forest and deposits you at the summit. What a reward! We had unencumbered views of Mount Rainier and the Puget Sound watershed. The wildflowers along the trail are just beginning to wake up. I imagine this hike will only get more beautiful as the season progresses.