I recently did my first WTA work party at Mount Spokane State Park Trail 130. The condition of this trail is being actively worked on. The trail is mostly clear for foot traffic but our group was working towards widening the path with tread work by removing grass and brush, installing drain dips and clearing branches with pruning poles to help make the corridor open for taller trail users (i.e. horseback and bike riders). The path is not completely done and work on this trail will continue over the next month. There were scattered wildflowers blooming. Ripened huckleberries along side the path and the views at the open clearing were beautiful but smoky. Nice tree shade throughout most of the hike. Elevation change is gradual. Bees and gnats were bothersome.

We started early on this beautiful crisp morning, as we had slightly over 15 miles to hike and a somewhat heat-intolerant, but enthusiastic hiker dog with us.  From the parking area just inside the ranger station, we crossed the road and headed up trail 121 into the forest.  The trail connects with trail 120 in around a mile and switches back and forth between consistent uphill and mellow uphill as it works its way around the hillside and up to the cross-country ski parking area.  There are a couple serious inclines, including one you can't see the top of - a psych trail for sure.  A couple stops to catch your breath don't lose the trail cred you're building.  You'll be rewarded with ripe huckleberries on a few early bushes at the top. You're just under 4 miles when you hit the parking lot. 

Cross the paved road and reconnect with trail 130, heading toward bald knob and the campground.  A few more early huckleberries are trailside as you work your way up the mountain.  At the campground, about 4.5 miles into your day, you can stop and celebrate for a moment at the flush toilets or continue on trail 130, crossing the road and again entering the forest. 

This section of trail is fairly mellow, even level-ish.  It's heading across the mountain to the CCC cabin and Mt. Kit Carson Loop Road.  You can stop in at the CCC cabin, which has picnic tables and another bathroom and then either drop down the Mt. KC Road or exit through the CCC exit.  On your left as you're headed up the road, there are 2 side trails - take either of them - both leading directly to trail 140 in about 25 feet.  Turn right onto trail 140 from either of them if your goal is the summit of Mt. Spokane.  You're at about 5 miles here and will be hitting the summit at about the 7.25 mile marker. 

Eyes wide open on this section.  Mountain bikers may come screaming down the trail with little warning.  Otherwise, it's beautiful, though getting a bit dusty from the bikers.  The recent work to expand Mt. Spokane Ski Park has resulted in clearcuts in a couple places.  It hasn't harmed the trail itself and there are new vistas where there weren't before - and less shade.  The trail switchbacks from forest to clearcut all the way up.  At the top, depending on conditions, you can see for hundreds of miles in every direction.  Today, there was smoke in the lower elevations impacting our views somewhat, but up top, crystal clear air and a nice breeze.  Vista hut is a lovely place for a snack break; it's rock construction insulated us from the wind.

Back down trail 140 all the way to Saddle Junction had us well into mile 9.  Next up, Mt. Kit Carson, just to the right of the pit toilet (which has seen better days) is trail 160.  Well-marked, it's not too steep and mostly stays in the canopy after the first section.  More huckleberries await, but they need a couple more weeks of sunshine to ripen.  In about 1.75 miles, we hit the top of Mt. Kit Carson and enjoyed the view while finishing our lunch and then headed back down. 

Back at the Saddle Junction, we took trail 110 the last 4 miles down the mountain.  About a mile down, we ran into lots of ripe huckleberries and stuffed handfuls into our mouths before finally giving in and picking for 15 minutes.  Just enough to make huckleberry scones for breakfast!  Trail dog Lacey was happy for the break, too.  A note about that: water on the trails we did was sporadic, so be sure to carry enough water for doggy hikers, too.  Trail 110 had plenty of water flowing at several locations, so we took quick breaks for doggy drinks and cooling of feet. 

At the cars, our two gps apps had us between 15.25 and 15.5 miles for the day.  A great training hike for backpack trips soon to come!

Today was a lovely fall day for a hike, so I headed for Mount Spokane State Park for a cool ramble. I was the only one there today, so it was a day of peace and solitude. I saw more deer than I could count, and a moose near trail 131 in the middle of my hike. It is supposed to snow later this week, so next time might be on snowshoes, or at least micro spikes.

Another beautiful day on the mountain. We cleared brush and repaired tread on more of trail 130 and 160 today. The huckleberries were still ripe for the picking, even as some of the leaves were beginning to turn red for fall. 

Today's hike was also a work party on lovely trail 130 on Mount Spokane. We shuttled to the saddle junction to start our hike to the work site, and spent our day brushing the trail, ending the day by making a loop with trail 160. The hike is much more open now.