"I would probably not recommend this trip to a friend."
This is a long day tour, with many miles of easy crusing. The distance is about 21 miles, but only about 1500 ft of elevation gain. There is also about three miles of road walking.
I did this tour in mid January on a Saturday, with a good snowpack and six inches of fresh snow I headed south from the Hyak sno-park on the freshly groomed Iron Horse trail a little after sunrise. The flat miles glided easily by and I reached the intersection with the Stampede pass road in few hours.
Skiing the snow machine ruts and dodging the snow machines to reach the crystal springs sno-park wasn't too bad, if a little stinky with two-stroke fumes. I walked the road from the sno-park over I-90 and about a mile north on FR-49 before turning left on FR-4832.
This road is a "groomed" snow machine trail, which makes for fairly easy gliding, but this road is far less busy than the Stampede pass road. I saw maybe six machines between here and the Gold creek sno-park. The road rolls up and down for a couple miles and then begins a steady climb to Resort Creek Pond, from here back down rocky run was an exciting schush and with tired legs to boot.
The last few miles back to the Gold creek sno-park and hiking the road back to the Hyak sno-park were a bit weary. The next time I feel like doing this loop, I'll go clockwise from the Hyak instead. This way with fresh snow and an early morning start you could ski the gold creek road before it was plowed and sanded and your legs will be fresh for the hills by resort creek pond.
A more sensible and pleasant tour would be to take two cars, leave one at the Hyak sno-park and then drive to the Keechelus dam sno-park, ski over the dam and back up the Iron Horse trail. This would avoid the road walking and the snow machines.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions.
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