I learned there is no more trail to Lake Byrne except via Lost Creek Ridge b/c of the Nov 03 floods, but the ranger recommended a great alternative just down the road. I hiked trail #649 along the North Fork Sauk River, up the ridge, to the PCT intersection. From the fantastic meadows up there, I continued on past White Pass until the trail bent around a small peak and approached Reflection Pond. The views all along the ridge from the PCT to Reflection Pond are impressive. Glacier Peak hovering above the ridge on the opposite side of the White River Valley, the White River Glacier, Indian Head Peak, Monte Cristo Peaks, and in the distance, once you approach Reflection Pond, Mt Stuart and I think Mt Daniel. But even without any views, the meadows in the White Pass area are pretty amazing. The hike along the N Fork Sauk is a great forest and river hike with some huge trees to accompany you along the way. Most of the river has obvious signs of the huge floods that affected that area in Nov 03, in the form of giant boulders and re-directed water channels. Really incredible that this trail is even still open, but there are also parts that have been recently repaired and repaired well. There are good campsites about 5 miles in on the river, which is the obvious thing to do before tackling the switchbacks up to the White Pass meadows. I wouldn't recommend hiking the switchbacks in the middle of the afternoon. Even going down in the afternoon heat was pretty trying! Look for some ripe wild blackberries on about the 3rd or 4th switchback. Bugs (black flies, horse flies, some mosquitos) are much worse in the afternoon of course, but didn't bother me if i kept moving. A horsefly did take a chunk out of my calf when i stopped to splash some Sauk River on my face, but that was the only bite I had the whole day. My only regret was not being able to spend about 3 days looping around on the PCT down Pilot Ridge or something.

Brian and I got a late start on friday for our three day 30 mile loop in the Glacier Peak and Henry Jackson wildernesses. It had rained pretty hard right up to early afternoon. However, by 1:45pm we were up and running, crossing the log over the North Fork Sauk River to the 3,000 ft. ascent up to Pilot Ridge. Two hours and twenty minutes later we were on top of the ridge as the clouds from the earlier rains continued to linger making things moist and wet. We arrived at our evening's camp site, Freeman's Camp, 8.5 half miles from the trailhead. It was a good day considering the late start and the humid conditions. Saturday morning the skies were clearing and Glacier Peak was bright and beautiful as usual. What a stunning volcanoe on a bright, blue sky summer morning! We had twelve miles to go that day so we headed out at about 9:00am and commenced to do some serious hiking. Upon arriving at Blue Lake, we met up with two fine ladies whom we had met at the trailhead, and replenished ourselves with water. The shortcut over to the Bald Eagle trail is a thigh burner, but well worth it for the views over to Mt. Daniel and Mt. Hinman. We spent the majority of the day hiking the PCT up to White Pass and being amazed at the scenery and views around every corner we took. We made camp that evening in a meadow just below the Pass looking up at White mountain. Sunday morning we headed down the PCT for just one mile to the North Fork Sauk River Trail, and decended 3,000 ft. to the river and the ancient shelter. From there it was approximately two hours (5 miles) to the trailhead and the truck. After our loop we drove to Darrington where I purchased a Diet Coke and some Doritos (an Ice cream Cone and Pringles for Brian). Man, that tasted good! We were back in Bellevue by 4:30pm which made for a nice steak and beer supper with my better half (who let's me feed my hiking addiction very patiently) that evening. It was a 29.3 mile loop over an extended weekend that I'll never forget, given that it was my initial trip on this section of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Stunning and grand to say the least. I've included a picture of the Monte Cristo Peaks and Sloan, plus a late afternoon shot of Glacier Peak. I highly recommend this loop for in-shape backpacking lovers.

Clockwise, no need to carry much water up the switchbacks. Good streams flowing above timberline both before and after you reach the PCT junction. Good water near White Pass (streams coming off White Mtn). Water at Indian Head Peak, Indian Pass. The 2 good streams draining the east basin of Kodak Pk. are the last water until Blue Lake (there may have been some at Dishpan Gap, not sure). Counterclockwise, there are exactly 2 streams crossing the trail as it switchbacks up to Pilot Ridge (not counting 2 wet muddy spots). The second is near the top of the switchbacks and is your last water until Blue Lake, although there are snow patches below Johnson Mtn. Pilot Ridge is quite dry. Blue Lake: not a good place to build fires, OK? It's stripped pretty bare. Not a good place to leave fish guts and 2 lbs. of once-perfectly-edible trout steaks in the lake right at camp, nor elsewhere (I am not making this up). If you want to attract large wildlife to the camp area for future visitors to enjoy, try frying up a pound of bacon and scattering it liberally about; that might work even better. If you do the Blue Lake High route, the 6500' summit NE of the pass is worth a careful visit on tiptoe. Don't so much as overturn a stone; it isn't trashed by careless climbers' feet like popular summit areas. Great view. Or just leave it alone and enjoy the similar view from Johnson Mtn. Met a fellow on the PCT who crossed the Suiattle River; apparently there are log crossings to be found near the washed-out bridge. The logjam crossing at the N Fork Sauk might be interesting when it's wet and dark.

My hiking pal Frank joined me on my Thursday hike this week. He and I decided that we should get up on the North Fork Sauk Trail since he had never been. It was his first hike of the season so I figured I would take it easy on him. I was worried about the trail being washed out 1 mile in, but not to worry because someone has done an excellent job of rerouting the trail above the washout. They did a superb job! I figured we would turn around at Red Creek since that is 4 miles in and the fact that I didn't want to get my socks and boots all wet. To my suprise, there is a very easy rock hop spot right in the middle of the old horse crossing. We didn't get our feet wet at all! It took us 2 and a half hours to get to Mackinaw Shelter, which is 5 miles in. We ate lunch down by the Sauk River, where we both splashed our faces off in the ice cold water. And on the way out, there were horses walking accross Red Creek. They were walking over the rocks that were creating a good passage for hikers across the creek. Very inconsiterate. Trail was in prime conditions. The open rock slide areas have been knocked down nicely. Also we checked out the crossing to Pilot Ridge. It looks to be intact. Actually a pretty good crossing. There were some bugs off and on. The two pictures show the Red Creek crossing and the new trail after the trail had been washed out.

I did a quick blitz (well, not so quick really ... took 10 hours for the round trip) hike up trail 649 (North Fk Sauk Trail) and 2000 (PCT) to Red Pass to check out trail conditions. I met several backpackers coming down the trail with tales of cold rain and snow and being 'stuck in tent for 15 hours', but the weather for my trip was wonderful. Total trip distance is 19.8 miles. Elevation gain is 4,400 feet. Calories burned, 4300. Green Trails map #112 (Glacier Peak). The trip starts at Sloan Creek CG and you have to get there via the Mt Loop Highway thru Darrington. The trail is generally in very good condition all the way to Red Pass. No snow to speak of anywhere, no washouts, no blowdowns, just a little mud due to a little water on trail here and there. The trail has been brushed ALMOST to Mackinaw Shelter (5 miles). But there are a couple of places near Mackinaw Shelter where the trail desperately needs brushing. There is no good log crossing of Red Creek (4 miles) but fording is easy. The washout that occured a couple of years ago (about 1 mile from trail head) has been completely repaired in impressive fashion. Beautiful. Lupin, Columbine, Tiger Lily and Paintbrush are out in profusion. A couple types of Penstemon, some Phlox, occasional Elephanthead and 1 gorgeous Stonecrop also to be seen. I noticed one isolated heather patch just beginning to bloom. Glacier Basin (north side of Red Pass) is about 75% melted out.