I did this route last Tuesday (Oct 25) but I don’t think there have been any significant storms since then, so I imagine conditions are pretty much the same – i.e., perfect. It’s a mellow trail with just a few blowdowns, all of which have a clear path around/over/under. If you’re looking for some snow-free miles on a smooth cushy (runnable) trail, this is a great choice. I took the Suiattle River trail to the PCT junction and then headed south on the PCT. I’d heard that there were some gorgeous big cedars along the PCT just south of the Suiattle River junction, and it was true.
You do have to cross one relatively high-flowing creek to reach the big trees. I wandered around looking for a couple sturdy boulders to hop, before finally deciding to just wade across it. There’s a wide, relatively mellow place to ford the river about 20 ft downstream of the trail crossing.
The trees are gorgeous and my pictures definitely do not do them justice. The trail in general was exactly what I was looking for after a long day in the Issaquah Alps – wild and quiet. Approx 20 miles total for the out-and-back, and only 2000 ft elev gain.
Evergreen Endurance Coaching 