Headed up Cady Creek at 8:30 am. The log crossing required good balance, especially because the log was wet and slippery. Pick up a long stick or use poles for balance. The trail was good, although there were at least a dozen major blow-downs and many smaller ones. That's ok, it just turned this flat hike into a cross-training workout! Reached Cady Pass and began to encounter increasing snow up to Lake Sally Ann. An ice ax would have been nice during parts of the traverse under Mt. Skykomish. I returned via Cady Ridge, making use of the map and compass until finding and keeping the trail after a snow-free traverse of the south side of a peak at the start of the ridge. Quite a bit of snow, but the trail was in great shape. A steep descent to the log crossing, and back to the car at 5:30. Whistling marmots at Mt. Skykomish.

A few mosquitoes greeted us at the Little Wenatchee road trailhead mid-morning on 8/23. We headed up the Cady Ridge/Cady Creek trailhead to the river crossing. The Forest Service reported a hazardous crossing. However, the water was a couple feet below a sturdy log, so the crossing required just good balance. When the trail split, we headed up Cady Ridge, because the FS reported more than 100 logs down on the Cady Creek trail. The trail climbs gradually at first, then more steeply, to the ridge. Within a mile or two we enjoyed delicious, sweet huckleberries, which made the steep going much more pleasurable. Clouds obscured some of the distant views, but we could see Poet (Wenatchee) Ridge and a couple peaks to the east and the Crest to the southwest. Wildflowers were abundant. Within a mile or so of the PCT, we hiked through lovely rolling meadows colored by lupine, valerian, and other flowers. Cloudy conditions make the flowers more vibrant. The mosquitoes and flies were present but not obnoxious on parts of the ridge, and non-existent in other locations. At the junction with the PCT, we headed south and set up camp at Lake Sally Ann, just a short walk from the junction. The little alpine lake is beautiful. We crossed a couple snow patches near the camp spots, and some snow is still melting out on the northeast edge of the lake. Mosquitoes must have been hungry, because they joined us for dinner. Some shooing and slapping was necessary, but it wasn't the worst I've seen. However,my companions retired early due to the bugs, so I, too, entered my tent and enjoyed my book.