10-14-23
I
was out late the night before for the 40th anniversary of Pie Night. I
planned a short drive and hike before the afternoon rain came. In the
morning the rain was put off from noon to 2:00 pm. I had a plan to go
to Squak Mountain. I have an easy 7 mile loop and a way to bring it up
to 10 miles. I was out the door later than recent trips. I reached the
Squak Mountain State Park lot at 8:12 am. I was on the trail at 8:17
am. First, I did the short Pretzel Tree loop trail. A loop at the
beginning and end brings the route up to an even 10 miles. This route
goes up the south side, down the north side, and then back up to
Central Peak. From there it is downhill to the trailhead. I quickly
decided that there would be enough time to do the 10 mile loop. The
past several weeks rain finally started and the mushroom displays have
been terrific. Last weekend at Cougar Mountain was the best. I hoped to
find more on Squak Mountain. I found a few on the Pretzel Tree Loop. I
looked for the Pretzel Tree and completely missed it. I would have
another try at the end of the hike. I turned onto the May Valley Trail.
It is very nicely graded and makes for fast hiking. At .50 miles I
reached a junction. I would be doing the loop clockwise this time so I
went left and returned on the right hand trail. The loop took in all
but the first and last half mile.
It was cool and I needed long pants and a long sleeve shirt. It warmed up later but stayed at or below 60 degrees. My first stop would be at Debby's View. I turned left at the junction with the Perimeter Trail. More uphill then it leveled off and I soon reached the short side trail to the viewpoint. I was not expecting much of a view. I could not see Mt. Rainier at all from the floating bridge on the drove over. I reached the viewpoint at about the 2.5 mile mark. It took just over an hour. Two hikers were leaving as I arrived. One was still there. There was a little sunshine and some clouds. There was still no view of Mt. Rainier. At about 9:30 am the other guy mentioned that the eclipse was going on. I had forgotten all about it. The sun was pretty dim. I had no eclipse glasses so I just took a photo of the sun with my phone camera. It just showed a round blob. Later, at home I noticed a green. crescent below the sun blob. I did have some kind of view of the eclipse after all. Soon I was back on my way.
I hiked back to the main trail an turned left. This heads over to the top of Margaret's Way Trail. That is the longer and much more popular way to get to Debby's View. At that junction is a newer trail that goes right and climbs a little than begins to drop down the north side of the mountain. The grade is very gentle. There are a few bridges and a smooth trail. I did not see many mushrooms on the south side but I began to see more along this section of trail. The trail reaches a multiple trail junction. I tool the one that turns right and starts climbing. It is a steady climb with few switchbacks all the way to Central Peak which is the highest point on Squak Mountain at just over 2000'. A short trail reaches an old road and then it is straight up though not that steep. This is the road that was used to access the Bullitt Cabin atop the summit ridge. Part way up I turned left on another trail. Last time I hiked up this trail I looked for the old car and missed it. This time I saw it. I found more mushrooms along here. At the next junction I turned left. It was now not far to Central Peak. I passed the Old Griz Trail just before the top.
On top of Central Peak I had a short brunch. It was still only 10:45 am. The Squak Mountain Microwave is still chained to the fence. After my break, I headed back to the Old Griz Trail. This is among my favorite places on Squak Mountain. I nice trail through forest. I saw some of the best mushroom displays along here. I was not seeing continuous mushrooms like at Cougar Mountain last week but there were still quite a few of them over 10 miles. Half a mile later I turned right on Phil's Creek Trail. This was more lonesome walking. I occasionally saw runners but not many hikers. I turned off the trail onto the May Valley Loop. The brush along the start of the bridge was above the hand rails. I could not see the creek through all the brush. The next section is good trail but seems to go on forever.
I finally saw a few hikers after I passed the bench. The trail drops down to cross the creek then climbs a little and continues to the road up Central Peak. I turned right a short way and then was on the trail again. A few minutes later I was back at the junction that is half a mile up the trail. I saw the usual numerous groups on this part near the trailhead. I reached the road again and took a second loop on the Pretzel Tree Trail. this time I found the tree. One tree wrapped around another like a pretzel. A few minutes later I was back at the trailhead. It was 12:47 when I reached my car. It was unusual to see the lot not full on a Saturday. The #7 ranked UW Huskies were playing the #8 ranked Oregon Ducks at nearby Husky Stadium. The game began shortly before my hike ended. That might have kept the crowd down as it was on national television.
I ended up getting just what I wanted. I managed to come home late, get up early, and get in a 10 mile hike with 2400' of elevation gain. The rain did not begin until i was almost back home. The mushroom display was not continuous but I saw quite a few different varieties and some really dense clusters. I saw people occasionally but the trail was never close to being crowded. All that and I had a pretty short drive. So far, the fall hiking season has been great.
Click on thumbnails to get
larger pictures.
Trips - 2023
Home
It was cool and I needed long pants and a long sleeve shirt. It warmed up later but stayed at or below 60 degrees. My first stop would be at Debby's View. I turned left at the junction with the Perimeter Trail. More uphill then it leveled off and I soon reached the short side trail to the viewpoint. I was not expecting much of a view. I could not see Mt. Rainier at all from the floating bridge on the drove over. I reached the viewpoint at about the 2.5 mile mark. It took just over an hour. Two hikers were leaving as I arrived. One was still there. There was a little sunshine and some clouds. There was still no view of Mt. Rainier. At about 9:30 am the other guy mentioned that the eclipse was going on. I had forgotten all about it. The sun was pretty dim. I had no eclipse glasses so I just took a photo of the sun with my phone camera. It just showed a round blob. Later, at home I noticed a green. crescent below the sun blob. I did have some kind of view of the eclipse after all. Soon I was back on my way.
I hiked back to the main trail an turned left. This heads over to the top of Margaret's Way Trail. That is the longer and much more popular way to get to Debby's View. At that junction is a newer trail that goes right and climbs a little than begins to drop down the north side of the mountain. The grade is very gentle. There are a few bridges and a smooth trail. I did not see many mushrooms on the south side but I began to see more along this section of trail. The trail reaches a multiple trail junction. I tool the one that turns right and starts climbing. It is a steady climb with few switchbacks all the way to Central Peak which is the highest point on Squak Mountain at just over 2000'. A short trail reaches an old road and then it is straight up though not that steep. This is the road that was used to access the Bullitt Cabin atop the summit ridge. Part way up I turned left on another trail. Last time I hiked up this trail I looked for the old car and missed it. This time I saw it. I found more mushrooms along here. At the next junction I turned left. It was now not far to Central Peak. I passed the Old Griz Trail just before the top.
On top of Central Peak I had a short brunch. It was still only 10:45 am. The Squak Mountain Microwave is still chained to the fence. After my break, I headed back to the Old Griz Trail. This is among my favorite places on Squak Mountain. I nice trail through forest. I saw some of the best mushroom displays along here. I was not seeing continuous mushrooms like at Cougar Mountain last week but there were still quite a few of them over 10 miles. Half a mile later I turned right on Phil's Creek Trail. This was more lonesome walking. I occasionally saw runners but not many hikers. I turned off the trail onto the May Valley Loop. The brush along the start of the bridge was above the hand rails. I could not see the creek through all the brush. The next section is good trail but seems to go on forever.
I finally saw a few hikers after I passed the bench. The trail drops down to cross the creek then climbs a little and continues to the road up Central Peak. I turned right a short way and then was on the trail again. A few minutes later I was back at the junction that is half a mile up the trail. I saw the usual numerous groups on this part near the trailhead. I reached the road again and took a second loop on the Pretzel Tree Trail. this time I found the tree. One tree wrapped around another like a pretzel. A few minutes later I was back at the trailhead. It was 12:47 when I reached my car. It was unusual to see the lot not full on a Saturday. The #7 ranked UW Huskies were playing the #8 ranked Oregon Ducks at nearby Husky Stadium. The game began shortly before my hike ended. That might have kept the crowd down as it was on national television.
I ended up getting just what I wanted. I managed to come home late, get up early, and get in a 10 mile hike with 2400' of elevation gain. The rain did not begin until i was almost back home. The mushroom display was not continuous but I saw quite a few different varieties and some really dense clusters. I saw people occasionally but the trail was never close to being crowded. All that and I had a pretty short drive. So far, the fall hiking season has been great.
 White Mushroom |
 Me & My Shadow |
 Low Down View |
 Debby's View |
 Eclipse |
 More Mushrooms |
 Forest Trail |
 Devil's Club Life Cycle |
 Triple Play |
 All White Shrooms |
 Great Grouping |
 Lower View |
 Dual Mushrooms |
 Room Of Leaves |
 Pile Of Mushrooms |
 Forest Path |
 Pool Of Water |
 Busy Nurse Log |
 Squak Mt. Microwave |
 Old Griz Trail |
 Another Shroom Pile |
 Lots Of Them |
 Ferns & Mushrooms |
 Mushroom Log |
 Gills On Display |
 Green & Brown |
 The Show Goes On |
 Phil's Creek Trail |
 Orange Leaves |
 Lone Mushroom |
 Nice Colors |
 Brushy Bridge |
 Back On My Knees |
 May Valley Loop |
 Triple Play |
 Underneath View |
 Pretzel Tree |
Trips - 2023
Home