Mt. Pilchuck

"I would definitely recommend this trip to a friend."

Arriving at the Mt Pilchuck trailhead at 6am, there were plenty of mosquitos to greet me. Once I got moving they did not seem as interested to keep up. I enjoyed waking up what must have been 7 or 8 brown bunnies along the base of the trail.

About 200 yards up the trail, it was a little confusing. The trail seems to fork, and with a little scouting it's obvious the right fork is the one to take. Now you're walking an old logging road and you come to a steep slope. You can hear water running to your right, don't cross the creek. There is no real obvious way to get up the slope, so you just have to go for it.

Next you head back to the left where you'll traverse the side of the ridge until coming into a large snow covered clearing. There is a waterfall on your right up the steep slope, and a small alpine lake down to your left. Keep headed across the ridge up through the ravine that feeds the lake. This would be to the east.

Upon making it to the top of the ravine, you encounter another series of steep slopes as you head toward the summit which is in view now. You'll see a lower summit to the right but your destination is the one on the left. There is a saddle between the two peakes which is where the trail goes. Over the saddle, the trail takes you around the south side of the summit where you'll finally reach some rocks. The view of the sound is already spectacular from here. Keep going, it gets better.

You'll see the yellow markers on the rocks that lead you to the summit lookout building. The lookout is a great place to rest your bones. The Everett Mountaineers have done an excellent job on the restoration. They deserve a real thanks from folks like me. THANKS!

All in all, it was definitely worth it, but a tough hike since I was in snow the whole way. I imagine its even tougher later in the day when the snow starts to melt. Thank God I took my gaiters.

I'm not in great shape and it only took me two hours up and one hour back down. If you want, you can slide most the trip down on your backside.

I would definitely recommend this hike to a friend. Next time I'll go on a day that's not so hazy. I'm sure I could have seen Rainier and Baker on a clearer day.

Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.