We did this light 2-day hike last weekend. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding trips! The weather couldn’t be more perfect, the views were just amazing. Some people consider that area one of the the best along PCT. They got a point!

 Entrance to the trail is on FS21 near Packwood. The trailhead is Snowflat Trail 96A (4200ft). We camped at around 6400ft, with an excellent view of Mt Adams.

We brought a lot of foods including cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs, sea weeds, corned beef, etc. The dinner was a feast, with the view of the dusk on the glaciers of Mt Adams, and then a cozy camp fire. The next morning, we followed Trail 96 to PCT and head north on PCT. It was before sun rise, the clouds were below where we were. Mt Adams is high above the sea of clouds. Some peaks reach out of the clouds. Mt St Helens is in distance. It doesn’t have much snow left though. After we climbed over a ridge on PCT, all of a sudden, Mt Rainier presents itself right in front of us, with the Goat Rock and Goat Lake in the foreground. The valley under us is fully covered with clouds.

The sun was shining on Ingraham Glacier and little Tahoma. We tried to identify Cowlitz and Nisqually Glaciers, and to locate Camp Muir. Columbia Crest can be clearly seen as well.

 Goat Lake is still partially covered with snow and ice.

After 7200 ft (highest point of PCT in WA), we branched off PCT and scrambled to the top of Old Snowy Mountain (7900 ft). We took off and got back to our camp around 11, cooked some hot food and broke camp and left. The whole trip was about 15 miles, with 3700 ft elevation gain.