Hiking Mount Pilchuck in Washington State

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Hiking Mount Pilchuck in Washington State
Getting a perfectly clear day for a hike is about all you could ask for, especially when your destination is a restored fire lookout that promises stunning views of countless Cascade Peaks and the Puget Sound Basin. The prospect of getting this panoramic view is what sparked my interest in this hike, but whenever I would plan on doing it, the weather just wouldn’t be cooperating and I’d end up opting for a different trail to a lake or meadow, where the destination wasn’t so dependent on having great visibility, but as I stated in previous posts, saving something for a better day in the Cascades can mean putting it off for a while. If you can’t pick up and go out there at will, you have to take what you can get, so I finally decided that I would wait no longer, and when the next opportunity to go hiking arose, I was committed to get to the summit of Mount Pilchuck rain or shine. Naturally, it was raining. But I stuck to my plan and am glad I did.

The weather really didn’t take anything away from the experience. In fact, it was cool to reach the top and see the silhouette of the lookout through the fog, and very comforting once inside, out of the cold rain and clouds. Though we didn’t get the views we were hoping for, or any views at all for that matter, being engulfed in the fog added a feeling of isolation at the top, and we felt higher and more out in the wild than we actually were.

The fire lookout dates back to 1920 and thanks to a restoration effort by the Everett Chapter of Mountaineers and a shared responsibility of maintenance by both them and Washington State Parks, it is in outstanding condition for hikers to enjoy. You access the shelter by a ladder that leads to a wrap-around porch. Inside there is a full history of the site, including old photographs showing the construction and remodeling, copies of letters charting the original development process, and maps and charts showing which peaks you are looking at from each direction. When we arrived, we found three young hikers who had all their provisions, complete with guitars and playing cards, for a night of camping inside. Considering the pounding rain and blowing cold outside, I can’t say I wasn’t envious of them not having to go back down so soon, but nevertheless I loved the eeriness of not being able to see anything beyond the surrounding summit ridge. You can tell that you are definitely high up there, as the ground all around you drops down at different pitches on all sides. Looking at the maps facing each direction which name all the neighboring peaks, I remember thinking how cool it was that all of this was around us and we just couldn’t see it.

Besides the lookout, the rest of the hike amounts to a pretty memorable experience. And getting there is easy too, as this is the Mountain Loop Highway’s closest hike to the Seattle area. You turn off of the highway at Mount Pilchuck Road and travel 7 miles on Forest Service Road 42. Everything I mentioned about the hazards of these roads can be forgotten when dealing with 42, for this is one of the best maintained roads I’ve encountered, as it is paved for most of the way and doesn’t contain nearly as many potholes or narrow passes as you usually encounter. Barring snowy conditions, which on this particular road can last through most of the year and well into summer, the seven miles should go by quickly and without much trouble.

From the trailhead, you immediately begin a steady climb though old-growth forest and cross over several streams, the first of which utilizing a neat little crossing formed by large rocks sitting in the water. You are under tree cover for the first mile before reaching a pretty cool rock garden that sits at an impressive pitch, and from here you start climbing towards the east and travel in and out of open meadows, beautifully mixing hemlocks, large boulders, wildflowers and the huge granite slabs that form the face of the mountain. The climb remains moderate and the trail well maintained throughout, and sign posts appear frequently enough to assure you of the right direction as you enter the north basin, just past Little Pilchuck at the 1.6 mile mark.

The signs indicating the lookout will become more frequent as you near the summit ridge, and you’ll know you’re getting close when the trail becomes steeper for the final push. You reach one last rock field to traverse, and sitting atop, right before you, is your destination. You will have to make your own route up and over the boulders, which can be a bit slippery in the rain, before reaching the ladder that will bring you up to the lookout. For us, going through that door into the warm shelter was a welcome relief from the cold clouds we had been walking in for the past hour. It was a great little spot to enjoy our lunch and chat with our new friends who kept strumming away at their guitars. After teaching them a few card games to occupy them that night, we headed back down the ladder and quickly covered the 2.8 mile trek back to the car, which was good considering that the rain had really begun to fall while we were up at the top.

Looking through the photos for this post has really made me want to go back the next clear day I have available. The experience was so memorable even without the panorama that I can’t wait to see what it’ll feel like to look out from that shelter over miles and miles of peaks. I’m definitely planning on bringing a sleeping bag this time too…that and my guitar!

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Vega

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