Poo Poo Point via Chirico Trail - Tiger Mountain, WA

May 29, 2017

Poo Poo Point is one of popular hiking destinations in West Tiger Mountain located in Issaquah just east of Seattle. The Point is also used as a launching pad of paragliding.

The trail is short...about 2 miles one way....but climbs steeply with switchbacks gaining almost 1800'. It's a great workout hike through the forest and views from the Point are fantastic...Mt. Rainier, Issaquah and Lake Sammamish toward Bellevue's downtown. Squak and Cougar Mountains before you, Seattle's tallest buildings are seen in the distance. You may see paragliders launching into the sky, too.

 

Video by Lifeisamt

Mt. Rainier Snowshoe - Paradise to Muir Snowfield Via Glacier Vista, Panorama Point, The Sugarloaf

May 7, 2017

Snowshoeing at Mt. Rainier! The mountain's still got tons of snow as of early May, 2017. The weather was perfect....sunny and warm. There were lots of skiers enjoying spring skiing, too. This is an epic adventure snowshoeing from Paradise to Muir Snowfield via Glacier Vista, Panorama Point, Pebble Creek and the Sugarloaf. Enjoy this amazing winter wonderland in spring and spectacular views of Mt. Rainier and other Cascades peaks including Tatoosh range, Mt. Adams, Mount St. Helens and Mt. Hood and beyond.

The snow condition was excellent though it got a little slushy due to the warm weather. The road to Paradise is clear (required to carry chains) and the gates are open 24/7 now. Check weather and avalanche conditions before you head up there. If you are not familiar with Mt. Rainier, contact Mr. Rainier National Park for information.

For this trip report:
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-rep...

 

Video by Lifeisamt

Plummer Peak via Pinnacle Saddle - Mt. Rainier, WA 8-27-2016

Ditch the crowd in Paradise! The hike to Pinnacle Saddle and Plummer Peak is an easy short hike with moderately steep trail, and views are FANTASTIC....and less crowded! Perhaps, one of the best and breathtaking views of Mt. Rainier you can get with less effort.

To get to Plummer Peak, go right/to the west from Pinnacle Saddle. If you go left/to the east, that's climbers route for Pinnacle Peak and the Castle. Soon after you trek down the trail from Pinnacle Saddle towards Plummer Peak, from the main trail there is a sandy trail going uphill to your right. Take that sandy trail to hike up the slope which leads you to the route to Plummer along the saddle. You can actually see it along the saddle if you look up toward Plummer when you approach Pinnacle Saddle.

The trail runs along the saddle and sits on a steep gully, but it is in good shape and solid. So, just traverse carefully. Mt. Rainier to your right and Pinnacle Peak behind you....wow, what a view! The trail gets a little rocky part of the way, but fairly easy hike. In a little over 1/2 mile(?) from the saddle, you reach the top of Plummer Peak. Easy scrambling is needed to get to the summit rock.

Wow, sweeping panoramic views in all directions!....Mt. Rainier, Pinnacle Peak, the Castle, Unicorn Peak, Goat Rocks, Mt. Adams, Mount St. Helens and more peaks and ranges far and near. I could see lots of cars in Paradise....crowded!

If you want amazing views from Tatoosh range, I highly recommend Plummer Peak. Perhaps, you can combine with other hikes for a day hike as it's a easy and short hike. By the way, I noticed colors are changing....summer is almost over! Get out there and enjoy every bit of the summer hiking before it's gone! Cheers!!

Hidden Lake Lookout - N. Cascades, WA 8-25-2016

This is a great hike with jaw dropping views of N. Cascades including Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak and Mt. Rainier. If you like the hike of Cascade Pass/Sahale Arm, this hike will not fail you with sweeping vistas of amazing landscape and mountain ranges. However, no pain, no gain....be prepared for a strenuous journey as the trail continuously climbs up and up, and even gets rocky. Wildflowers are still blooming strong, particularly paintbrush is abundant at this point. But, summer is fading....so that could change any time soon.

The lookout is going through re-roofing now and the work may continue for a week. I saw two guys (Robert and Ethan) working on the roof. Many thanks for their work and dedication!....I should have brought them a bottle of sake for kampai (cheeres)! It made me realize once again the fact that it does take time and effort to preserve history and wilderness. Hike up there and witness the history and appreciate their work while re-roofing is in progress or completed.

Road condition
Cascade River Road is paved and in great condition. Drive about 10 miles to the junction/FS 1540. There is a sign for the Hidden Lake Trail. FS1540 is a narrow dirt road (rutted, rocky, pot holes). So, go slow and take it easy. My sedan could handle the road with no problem. In 4.5 miles you reach trailhead. There is one section on the road where it gets really narrow due to washout, but the spot is well marked with a white stick, so pay attention as you go....you don't want to drive off the edge!

Trailhead
Parking lot is small. When you park in the lot or on the road, make sure to leave enough room for other cars to drive in/out. No privy at trailhead.

Hidden Lake
The journey begins in the forest and the trail climbs steadily. In about one mile, views open up as the treeline thins out and you come to green meadows on the hillside in the valley. Wow, wildflowers galore! The higher you go, the more flowers blooming....particularly, paintbrush. The trail continues to climb steadily with switchbacks for another 1.5 miles or so. As you reach the saddle, look for Mt. Baker looming over the skyline. The trail levels out along the saddle. After the breather for 1/2 mile, the trail climbs up again and gets rocky. The views get better and better as elevation gains, however. Trekking up the steep and rocky trail about 1.5 miles, you reach the bottom of the summit block of Hidden Lake Lookout. From there, zoom in and look for the lookout sitting on a granite boulder pile at 6,900 feet. What a view! The trail continues to the ridge where Hidden Lake can be seen down below. There are some snow fields to traverse about 200 feet or so....it's slushy, but easy to cross. Enjoy the view of Hidden Lake!....with Forbidden Peak/Boston Peak/Sahale Arm/Johannesburg in background. Cascade Pass (another amazing hike!) is somewhere behind Johannesburg, you can visualize.

Lookout
The trail continues from the viewpoint of Hidden Lake. To reach the lookout, follow the steep trail climbing up with switchbacks to the summit. It's pretty steep ascent, but the route is solid with switchbacks....hopefully, you are not acrophobia!? A little scrambling and rock hopping are needed for the final push to the lookout.

Wow! Take in the sweeping vistas in all directions! Splendid! 360 panorama of jagged N. Cascades peaks with Hidden Lake as foreground, including Eldorado, Forbidden, Boston Peak, Sahale Mountain, Johannesburg, Spider Mountain, Mt. Formidable, Snowking Mountain and more. Glacier Peak, Mt. Baker, and Mt. Rainier are seen in the distance. When you stand on one of the pointy granite rocks and view those craggy peaks far and near, it almost makes you feel like you are standing on the Himalayas. It was also nice to happen to witness the work of re-roofing the lookout. Can you imagine what it would be like roofing the lookout standing on top of the granite boulder pile at 6,900 feet?

This hike is definitely one of the top 10 hikes among my favorites now....not only spectacular views, landscape, wildflowers and lookout, but also the hike gives you a sense of the experience of being out in a remote alpine wilderness. With extra sweat and effort, the reward you'll see is AWESOME! This is a hike that should be on your hiking list as a PNW hiker!!

Pinnacle Peak/The Castle - Mt. Rainier, WA

June 30, 2016

Two thumbs up! Amazing hike. In just a little over 1 mile/1000' gain, this hike offers sweeping vistas of breathtaking mountains, green valley, lakes, wildlife and the towering peaks of Tatoosh range - Pinnacle Peak, the Castle, Plummer Peak, Denman Peak, Unicorn Peak....and more beyond near and far....plus, great workout. You may say, "really?" And, my answer is YES!!

I always wondered if there was a way to hike up to those peaks sticking out on Tatoosh range seen from Paradise. To me, they always remind me of Gothic cathedrals visually. Last month when I hiked to Unicorn Peak, someone told me there is a short and easy trail to Pinnacle saddle. Since then, I put Pinnacle saddle on my hiking list. When I read the recent trip report on the hike describing the route is snow free and in good condition, my spirit said "let's go!"

Pinnacle Saddle
Trailhead is located right by Reflection Lakes across Stevens Canyon Road. Follow the trail sign which says Pinnacle Peak Trail. The trail starts with a gentle grade and soon climbs steadily. Snow along the trail is almost all gone and there are some small patches left here and there. Glacier lilies are abundantly blooming now in lower elevations and will be bursting all over pretty soon. The trail is in excellent condition, but partially a little wet, which is normal this time of the season as snow is still melting. There is a couple of long stretches of snow still standing en route in about between 0.5 - 1 mile from trailhead. But, they are not hard to cross as the snow is firm and not slippery, and boot tracks are solid. There are a few gullies to traverse en route, and they have some snow, but no problem to cross. One of the gullies has snow and scree (loose rocks) on the path and it was a little tricky as the scree created loose traction. So, pay attention as you proceed.

In 1.3 miles, you reach Pinnacle saddle....the portal to many amazing views and hikes! The trail sign says "End of maintained trail." Wow, where is the amazing views?" Mt. Rainier? Pinnacle Peak? Unfortunately, clouds were forming when I started the hike and by the time when I reached the saddle, it was totally shrouded in the clouds! Darn it....no views?...you've gotta be kidding!? I stepped over to the other side (south) of the saddle.... Mt. Adams was faintly visible through the clouds. But, wait....I could slightly see some blue skies to the east through the clouds!

Pinnacle Peak/the Castle
You have a couple of options for hiking from the saddle. Climbers routes run from the saddle....going right (west) for Plummer Peak and going left (east) for Pinnacle Peak and the Castle. Because I saw some blue skies to the east, I decided to take the trail to east and hike toward Pinnacle Peak/the Castle.

Bingo! The view gradually opened up in blue skies as I came out of the shroud of the clouds. Wow, amazing vistas before my eyes!....the Castle, Mt. Adams, Denman Peak, Plummer Peak, green meadow and valley (Butter Creek Research Natural Area) down below, wildflowers....and Pinnacle Peak looms right beside! In fact, the clouds shrouding part of the valley and surrounding peaks created a mystic beauty of austerity....adversity became advantage.

The climbers route to Pinnacle Peak/the Castle is not too bad. It's dirt, scree and rocks with a little up and down and over all in good shape. There are a couple of sketchy sections en route, but not hard to figure out the way. In about 1/3 mile from the saddle, you come to the point where you may need to decide....either ascend the scree slope to the ridge between Pinnacle and the Castle, or continue the trek toward the Castle, or turn around. It looks there are several different routes and options to choose from there, based on what you aim for with Pinnacle Peak and the Castle. Assessing my capability (I am NOT a rock climber or a hard core scrambler!) and visually evaluating visible traces of routes and other factors (grade, scree, rocks), I decided to climb straight up to a short ridge close to the west face of Pinnacle Peak, instead of hiking further toward the Castle. I was hoping for open vistas to north from the ridge. Ascending the steep route to the ridge was a little tricky due to loose scree, but manageable. A little scrambling near the ridge may be needed....I used my hands to grab the rocks. Overall, the route I took was secure and no serious climbing skills were necessary.

Take in the majestic view of Mt. Rainier! It's the best view of Rainier I've seen among all my Rainer hikes so far. The sea of clouds added a magical beauty no doubt. It gave me goose bumps all over. No joke! Pinnacle Peak looms right beside me and the Castle rises just to west from me. We juxtaposed all together there. Totally amazing. Beyond words. The view south was equally spectacular....Mt. Adams, Unicorn Peak, Denman Peak, Plummer Peak....and Mount St. Helens joined the skyline, too.

If you want amazing views for a short hike, I highly recommend the hike to Pinnacle saddle on a clear day. You can also explore part of climbers routes for additional adventures, either with Plummer Peak or Pinnacle Peak/the Castle. If you are a climber, you already know what you are looking for! I'd like to go back again to hike up to Plummer Peak next time.

Marmot Pass/Buckhorn Mountain - Olympic Peninsula, WA

Absolutely FANTASTIC hike! Spectacular views of mountains, bursting wildflowers and mountain goats. Although the hiking distance and elevation gain may kick your butt - 5.3 miles/3,500 ft gain for Marmot Pass or 6.3 miles/4,500 ft gain for Marmot Pass and Buckhorn Mountain, it is totally worth the effort....the reward is jaw-dropping 360 views of Olympic mountains, Cascade range, Puget Sound (yes, you can see Seattle!), San Juans and beyond. I hear people make a special overnight trip to Marmot Pass for July 4th to view Seattle's fireworks.

Marmot Pass
The trail is in good condition and smooth sailing. There are some wet and muddy spots, but not a big deal. Blowdowns are cleared thanks to WTA's work. The first mile or so into the journey is a gentle grade and soon the trail begins to ascend steadily through the forest. It's a pleasant hike along Big Quilcene River and the sound of the stream is really soothing. At 2.6 miles you reach Shelter Rock Camp which is adjacent to the creek and it's a good place for a short break. I saw some Rhododendron on the way, but they are mostly done for the season now.

The trail continues to climb and the view opens up soon after Shelter Rock Camp and sky-scraping mountain peaks come into sight. Wildflowers are abundant along the trail from this point on. Look up to the gullies of Buckhorn and Iron Mountains for stunning views of the towering boulders.

At 4.6 miles, you pass Camp Mystery. Camp Mystery seems a very cozy camp site and tucked in by a creek nearby and a meadow along the trail. Marmot Pass is less than a mile from here, so chin up and keep going. The trail travels through a small meadow before ascending switchbacks which take you up to a vast open meadow. From the meadow Marmot Pass is seen on top of the saddle across the meadow. Follow the last stretch of the trail up to Marmot Pass as Buckhorn Mountain and wildflowers greet you.

Take in the gorgeous views from Marmot Pass....Olympic mountains, Buckhorn Mountain, Puget Sound and open meadow down below. There are small patches of snow here and there on the pass, but it's easy to cross. Although views from Marmot Pass are beautiful, if you want to get even better and jaw-dropping views of the Olympic range and Puget Sound with Cascade peaks, hike up to Buckhorn Mountain.

Buckhorn Mountain
The trail climbs steeply from Marmot Pass. It's about a mile to the summit. There are two steep sections en route....at the beginning and at the end where you ascend the summit block. The middle section of the route is a gentle grade on Buckhorn's saddle. The steep switchbacks at the beginning and at the summit block are dirt and scree and a little slippery, so be careful. I found hiking poles were helpful. The views get better and better as you ascend....Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker show up in the skyline and the entire Puget Sound is visible. More peaks deep inside of the Olympic range show up, too. Wow!

There are two peaks on the summit block. Enjoy the jaw-dropping views sweeping all directions. Olympic mountains (I wish I knew all the names of the Olympic mountains!), Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, N. Cascades, Puget Sound, San Juans, and beyond. And, it was a special treat that I also saw a family of mountain goats. They were trekking along the trail on Buckhorn.

I am so glad that I did Marmot Pass/Buckhorn Mountain hike, and I do agree with other trip reports....put this hike on your must do hikes on the Olympic Peninsula! It's epically amazing. I highly recommend. Two thumbs up!!! :)

By the way, FR 27 (paved) has dips and bumpy spots here and there, and there are quite a few potholes on FR 2750 (unpaved). So, just pay attention as you proceed. Happy hiking!

Windy Ridge Trail, Truman Trail-Pumice Plains, Loowit Trail & Plains of Abraham Loop - Mount St. Helens, WA

Wow, wow, wow! Actually, I wowed a lot more in this hike. Amazing hike with stunning views of Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake ...and bursting wildflowers. Mount St. Helens is visible even closer/bigger than seen from the observatory/Boundary Trail as this hike lets you experience trekking on Pumice Plain in the blast zone. Spirit lake is so blue with eerie remnants of the past with dead trees still floating. Mt. Adams looms big and beautiful just to east. Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and others peaks in the vicinity are also seen in this hike. This is very different from typical evergreen Cascade hikes; and yet, it offers its own unique beauty, geological terrain and dramatic history of mother nature since the 1980 eruption.

Ditch the crowd in the observatory! It seems the Johnston observatory and Boundary Trail are often crowded with visitors whereas Windy Ridge is much less so....and views en route from FR 99 are gorgeous. There are also quite a few off-shoot trails and vista points along FR 99. FR 99 (paved) is generally in good shape, but winding and bumpy at times, so pay attention.

Windy Ridge overlook....as the name speaks for itself, Windy Ridge was a little breezy, but not too bad. in fact, thanks to the breeze, the temperature was comfortable and no bug! I started my hike trekking up to Windy Ridge viewpoint upon the hill just behind the restroom. Take in the breathtaking pano view of Spirit Lake and Mount St. Helens. Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood are also seen in clear skies. And, look east for Mt. Adams.

Windy Ridge Trail....the trailhead is located at the closed gate on the other side across the parking lot from the restroom. Windy Ridge Trail is a well-maintained wide dirt road which leads you to a trail junction for Abraham Trail and Windy Trail/Truman Trail in 1.75 miles. After a mile or so from the trailhead, the view opens up and Mt. Adams and Mount St. Helens come into sight....and wildflowers are blooming all over!

At the trail junction, you have a few options for hiking in Pumice Plain....follow Abraham Trail to hike up toward Plains of Abraham and loop around Windy Pass to Loowit Trail (or continue to Loowit Falls), or take Windy Trail/Loowit Trail to loop around Windy Pass via Abraham Trail counter-clockwise, or hike all the way to Loowit Falls via Windy Trail/Loowit Trail, or trek Truman Trail back and forth in Pumice Plain.

I deiced to explore Truman Trail first, and then Windy Trail/Loowit Trail, and in the end try Abraham Trail on the way back to Windy Ridge instead of doing Plains of Abraham - Windy Pass loop. Last month I hiked Boundary Trail from the observatory to Truman Trail, and this time I wanted to explore the east side of Truman Trail. Truman Trail traverses on the north side of Pumice Plain and eventually connects to Boundary Trail which leads to the observatory. I hiked about a 3/4 mile in and out on Truman Trail to see the north face of the lava dome. It is interesting to see sandy ash and pumice rocks/boulders along the trail. You can notice how nature and landscape have been reviving since the catastrophic eruption 36 years ago. Wildflowers are not abundant on the east side of Truman Trail, however.

Loowit Trail....back to the junction after Truman Trail, following Windy Trail to Loowit Trail was a little tricky at the beginning because the trail is partially washed out. Proceed to westerly from the trail sign, but not to south, to find the trail. Soon after crossing the dry creek, the trail appears obvious and easy to follow Windy Trail to Loowit Trail. The trail goes up and down on Pumice Plain. There is a narrow stream crossing and in 3/4 mile you come to Loowit Trail. I trekked another 1/4 mile or so toward Loowit Falls before I turned around. Enjoy Pumice Plain trekking up and down with wildflowers decorating along the trail and the view of the lave dome. (it's huge!) Spirit Lake is also seen down below to south and spectacular. Mt. Adams also greets in the eastern skyline behind Abraham Trail ridge line.

Back to the trail junction again from Loowit Trail, I took a short journey up to Abraham Trail to explore part of Plains of Abraham loop trail. The trail runs along a long ridge (south end of Windy Ridge) and climbs steep at first, but no worries....it's short. There are log steps connected by wire rope installed on the steep grade. I also noticed traces of bike track along Abraham Trail which indicated the trail is shared with mountain bike riders. Then, I realized the log steps with wire rope are designed for both hikers and mountain bikes. I didn't see any bike riders, however. (Perhaps, it was not weekend?) The vistas from all along the ridge are stunning left and right....Mount St. Helens/Pumice Plain, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and the valley down below to east, plus bursting wildflowers. I didn't hike all the way down to Windy Pass as I ran out of time, but the hike along the ridge was great enough for the fantastic views and good workout!

This was my first time to hike the northeast side of Mount St. Helens and now it has become one of my favorite hikes. Although it's a long drive from Seattle (well over 3 hrs!), this hike is certainly worth the trip for what you experience. Go soon for wildflowers as they are in full swing now. Make sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and enough water for this hike as it could get pretty hot and dry under sunny skies in summer!

Unicorn Peak via Bench and Snow Lake Trails - Mt. Rainier, WA

This is an epic hike "if" it's done timely....before the snow melts away and the route to Unicorn Peak becomes rocky.

I snow-hiked Bench and Snow Lakes Trails 3 weeks ago and noticed a pointy peak looming by Snow Lake. It intrigued me and learned the peak was Unicorn Peak. Seeing boot tracks heading up to the gully toward the mountain peak, I figured that must be the way to Unicorn Peak.

Reading the recent trip report and WTA's description, I decided to try Unicorn Peak and set the goal to reach the saddle below the summit block. I am an avid hiker, but not a rock climber or into a hard-core scrambling, so reaching the saddle and get a closer view of the peak would be a great adventure, I thought. And, the mission accomplished! What an exciting journey it was! I am glad I did this hike while the route is still snow covered (instead of rocky) and the weather was gorgeous with no bugs this weekend.

The trail to Bench and Snow Lakes is mostly snow free...just patchy snow here and there. The trail has some muddy spots, but no biggie. Glacier lilies are popping out now and will be blooming more soon.

There is one blow down blocking the trail, but it's easy to get around. There is a creek you have to cross, which seemed posing a little issue. I saw some hikers needing a help to cross the creek. There were three options I found for crossing the creek yesterday....hopping on rocks (staying on trail), big fallen tree (veer to left from trail) or small wood piece (veer to right from trail). You can follow the boot tracks based on which way you want to choose for the creek crossing. I followed the boot tracks going right from the main path and found the small wood setting over the creek. The creek seemed relatively shallow there and not too wide (about 4 feet). See the pics for comparison.

After the creek crossing, the trail becomes mostly snow covered and leads you to Snow Lake. The lake is not completely snow/ice free yet, but it is showing up more compared to 3 weeks ago (it was still mostly frozen).

From the lake, I continued the journey to ascend the gully by following the boot tracks. I passed by quite a few climbers coming down en route. The gully is very steep. I could manage ascending the first half without traction device, but as it got steeper and the snow was slushy and slippery, I decided to use microspikes for ascending the second half. Hiking poles are a must. Ice axe may be even better in case of losing traction and slipping down the gully.

The view of the snowfield at the top of the gully is spectacular. It's surrounded by the mountain wall....it made me feel like hiking into a snow-filled gigantic stadium. As you continue to ascend, turn around once in a while and enjoy the view of Mt. Rainer behind you. Traversing the snow field, Unicorn Peak comes into sight with another pointy peak (West Unicorn Peak). My destination was to reach the saddle between the two peaks. The slope to the saddle is once again very steep....and it was slushy/slippery in the late afternoon. I even wished for crampons!

Take in the grand view at the saddle! Worth the effort!! With Unicorn Peak next to you, Mt. Rainier to north and Mt. Adams, Mount St. Helens, Mt. Hood and other peaks of Tatoosh range to south are seen. I hiked down to the south side of the saddle to get a better view of the southern peaks. From the saddle, the climbing routes to the Unicorn's summit block are - scramble the steep north west face, or ascend the snow covered steep route along the south side of the peak, or traverse below the saddle to the east side for scrambling. You should be better equipped with ice axe, crampons and helmet to reach the summit block safely. 

Descending from the saddle was a little tricky due to the steep grade and slushy/slippery snow condition which presented a poor traction. So, I ended up glissading down part of the way which saved also my knees! Trekking down the gully was fair as the snow was not so slushy/slippery and I could use the boot tracks as a step.  

Unicorn Peak was a great hike and adventure with fantastic views, though it was a bit strenuous to conquer the two rather steep slopes. Instead of scrambling up the rocky trail/gully after the snow is gone, I am glad that I did this hike with the trail still snow covered. The journey to Unicorn Peak gave me such an exciting hike similar to Camp Muir, but only in a shorter distance! (5 miles RT) Two thumbs up!