Did the Chukanut-Blanchard traverse today! 

Started out by hiking up to Lizard Lake & North Butte, then back down to lizard lake and over to the british army trail. Then hopped from logging road to logging road over to south lost lake trail and up the rock trail to the Cleator Road viewpoint. Then headed out via the Chuckanut Ridge trail, and made my way onto the interurban trail and over to Fairhaven Park.

Ended up doing 20.1 Miles & 3400ft vert, took 8 hours this included stopping for photos, food, etc. Didn't see many people til on the interurban trail. Lots of cool views offering views to the north and at the twin sister range. Also nice views across the puget sound and the san juan islands. Really fun day, would highly recommend if you can figure out the logistics of cars on either side. Make sure you have some kind of gps app theres lots of trails that lead in all different directions. I use gaia it's free & awesome! 

I did my usual conditioner in the Chuckanuts today which begins at the Lost Lake parking lot and continues up Fragrance Lake Road. The wash out is now passable, but still looks impressive. Then I took the turn off to Lost Lake with and an immediate left onto "Chin Scraper" up to the high point of North Chuckanut and the trailhead to the Rock Trail. This section is steep and eroded from trail bike use. It's also not for the faint hearted since at any moment a trail bike may crash into you with very little time to react which is why I usually don't hike it on weekends, but today seemed quiet enough. Chin Scraper was stomped out by hiker boots and had been there for years before I first hiked it in the late 1980's, long before trail bikes took over and made it hazardous for us simple hikers. I was lucky enough to only encounter one group of bikers today, but one of them told me it was a "bike trail". I gave them a short history lesson which wasn't much appreciated. I can always try. It's bad enough to feel unsafe on a trail which is clearly designated as "multiuse" with the right of way given to hikers, but it's especially annoying to be unwelcome on a trail that we initially built. I thought for about two minutes about avoiding it in the future, but nope. It's my trail too. Besides it the best way to do a loop that includes both Chuckanut summits and a good workout! So, after arriving at the top of N. Chuck I took the Rock Trail down to join the Lost Lake trail, then a right to pick up the trail over to South Chuckanut. After a quick lunch at the view knoll and a howdy to a couple of familiar faces, I closed the loop with a cruise down the logging road called "Burn Out". I saw very few people today after the first half mile or so. Gorgeous day, cold wind, and clear views!

Road to the TH was bumpy and potholed, but we made it fine in my Prius by driving carefully.

The Rock Trail is great!  Hard to imagine who thought it would be possible to build this trail.  Lots of lovely native plants budding out right now.  

Took a right at the end along the Lost Lake trail, then headed back to the TH along the Double Black Diamond trail.  As mountain bikers, we assumed this would be a downhill mtb trail, and it was.  Definitely not fun to hike up since you have to pay such close attention for oncoming bikes.  Bikers were all great, but I wouldn't recommend this route.  Gaia showed the Fragrance Lake trail as a road, so we avoided it, but it appears to be a converted road trail.  Would definitely recommend this route instead.

The Rock trail was the best part of this hike, as the other trails are on converted roads and are quite weedy.  Views through the trees are great but will likely be gone in the next few weeks as the trees leaf out.  Overall a nice hike not too far from home.

Parked at the North Chuckanut Trailhead in Arroyo Park around 11am, lot half-full. Made a loop following the North Lost Lake trail to the lake, then took the Rock Trail up to Cyrus Gate overlook, then took the Chuckanut Ridge Trail back down - all in all about 11mi. The North Lost Lake trail was really wide and clear, easy to follow and generally a steady slow incline. It was occasionally muddy but nothing you couldn't get around. There were a dozen trail runners or so mostly heading downhill. The Lost Lake spur doesn't really bring you to a clear view of the lake, as far as I could tell. I followed an overgrown social trail along the edge for a bit but still only got peeks through trees. The Rock Trail was so cool! Very good rocks :) and nice and steep but lots of switchbacks and stairs to break it up. Once you enter Larrabee the signage changes, and having a map becomes more helpful. The Chuckanut Ridge Trail on the way back was a steady up and down for a couple of miles before actually heading downhill. The trail blends a wee bit with the surrounding forest floor occasionally, but I never lost it. There are a couple of viewpoints along the trail but mostly you are surrounded by trees. Only encountered one other person on the upper ridge trail, nice and quiet. The weather was wild and spring-like, alternating between mist, hail, sun, and snow. 

I drove out to ze Chuckanuts for a jaunt around the trails.  The parking lot for the Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail has been resurfaced and the Prius-eating potholes are gone!  I parked, made sure to lock up (prowlers are common at this TH), grabbed my pack and headed deep into the sorta-wild.  The trail starts off steep and keeps climbing for 1.6 miles to the junction with the Hemlock Trail.  While steep, the trail is wide and smooth with few obstacles.  There is one area of rock ice that I slip on almost every time on the way back down.  Stay to the right of the trail on the descent and you should miss it.

I checked out the Cedar Lake Overlook and its views of Mt. Baker, then toured both lakes before heading back northwest along the Hemlock Trail until it crossed the North Lost Lake Trail and became the Chuckanut Ridge Trail.  I climbed up the ridge and followed it back southeast to the Cyrus Gates Overlook and the start of the Rock Trail.  A WTA work party was back at it cutting up logs, shoring up sections of trail, and improving drainage areas.  They were kind enough to let me test out their hard work first hand (or first feet!) as I passed by.  The Rock Trail is one of the coolest trails in the Chuckanuts, with huge boulders, sandstone cliffs, mini-caves, and views of nearby Blanchard Mountain and the surrounding forest.  I hiked down to the North Lost Lake Trail and took it north to the Raptor Ridge Trail.  I climbed up and over the ridge back to the Pine and Cedar Trail and eventually my car.

All of the trails in the Chuckanuts are in great shape with only a few minor exceptions: The North Lost Lake Trail is very muddy in spots and has a couple down trees to step over.  The Hemlock Trail and Ridge Trail likewise have a few small blowdowns but that's it.  The rock ice on the P&C Lakes Trail almost got me again, so watch your step on the way down.

Summary: 14.5 miles w/approx. 3000ft elevation gain, 8am-4pm