We started this trip going up the Little Wenatchee River Trail to Meander Meadows - see that page for my report on that section.

After staying in MM overnight, we headed up to Dishpan Gap and Blue Lake.  I would advise not taking the clearly obvious trail you see along the ridge to the north of the meadows, but taking the trail that leads south out of the meadows - much more enjoyable and less traveled.

We hit Dishpan Gap, then headed up to Blue Lake via the high route.  Once on the high route, we realized it is fairly sketchy and was going to be even more treacherous going down - narrow trail, a few climb ups/downs, all with an open 50-60 degree slope below - one trip and you would undoubtedly tumble out of control to what might be your end.  There is a lower route to Lower Blue Lake and then up to Blue Lake, but it adds about another 3 miles, but it's certainly safer - I would certainly go that route the next time.

Blue Lake is called that for a good reason!  I've seen a lot of alpine lakes, but this one has to be the prettiest by far!  It was an azure/indigo blue - stunning!  Several good spots to camp. 

The next day, we came down from Blue Lake (very nervously and slowly), hit Dishpan gap, then down the PCT to the junction down Cady Ridge.  The Cady Ridge trail was in good shape and nice grade most of the way until you hit about 4400ft and then it dropped straight down the side of the mountain - it was brutal on the knees trying to deal with that grade - I can't imagine going UP that trail!  I'm not sure why the trail-builders did that - seemed there was plenty of real-estate to do switchbacks with a reasonable grade.  A little lower, around 3700ft it changed to a gentler grade with switchbacks - what I would expect.  It was a long day out at 10.5 miles.  If I were to do it again, I'd add a day and make a stopover somewhere along the route, and certainly take the long, safer way into Blue Lake.

All in all, it's a great trip, wonderful views, & stunning lakes - you GOTTA see Blue Lake!!!

I wanted to check out White Chuck Basin, but because the North Fork Sauk trail is closed, took Cady Ridge to the PCT and went north.  

The last three miles of road to the Cady Ridge / Little Wenatchee River trailhead is very rough. I made it fine in a VW golf, but it was 10mph of weaving around rocks and large potholes most of that way and I was the only low clearance car in the lot when I arrived and when I left.

The Cady Ridge trail is in good shape, but pretty steep and also weaves along the top as you go up, so by the time you actually top out you've already given up hope. But the last couple miles have tons of ripe berries right now.  Once you're past the switchbacks and start heading straight up the ridge, there is no water.

Picked up the PCT, popped south to lake Sally Ann for lunch, then headed back north.

There is little/no water from lake Sally Ann until the ascent from Indian Pass. On the way up from there there's a small murky pond and a couple trickles coming down across the trail, then a larger pond maybe a mile from White Pass. Camped at the campsites down from the pass -- tons of marmots.

Day two took the Foam Creek trail to White Chuck Basin and Glacier Gap.  The Foam Creek trail is in excellent shape all the way to the top of the first ridge.  Coming down the first ridge and going up over the second ridge, the trail is narrow, rocky, dusty, steep, and slippery, but the exposure isn't bad -- it's just annoying.  Cross one more low rocky ridge -- some cairns but you can also pick your own way -- to get to White Chuck Basin.  The basin is a spectacular lunar landscape where the glacier receded recently, much of which still has no vegetation, just rocks and sand and meandering glacial streams running off the glacier with silty blue/green lakes and tarns everywhere.  Through the basin there is a direct-ish route to Glacier Gap that's cairned but it was great to just meander around and explore.

Headed back to the PCT then went up to Red Pass, but it was all in clouds at this point. Went back to camp.

Day three was just doing day one in reverse.

I ran into lots of through hikers motoring north about to finish the PCT. Not many backpackers though, two nights at White Pass and I saw only three other parties total, and had Foam Creek / White Chuck Basin to myself for the entire day. 

Greetings, my goodfolks! We left Seattle around 6a and got to the trailhead around 9 this morning. Handful of cars in the lot but nothing crazy. The road out there is so narrow I have no idea how people would let an oncoming car pass without a very long stint in reverse. Also, the last bit of road is bumpy but should be passable for any car.

My friend and I ran up Cady Ridge and split left (south) on the PCT, which I think the junction was around 6.2 miles from the TH. Went to Lake Sally Ann and had a very freezing dip. The mosquitos and biting flies had a heyday with us. Pretty much any time we stopped to fill water or eat or gaze off yonder into time and space the bugs would descend upon us. I recommend bug spray.

We then shot north to Kodak Peak. My buddy drank a blueberry Red Bull and I crushed some sour patch kids before we ran back to the Cady Ridge Junction and made for the car. 2/3+ of our run was exposed so I also recommend sun cream if you are into protecting your skin. The views were otherworldly almost the whole time.

Plenty of spots to fill up on water. Probably not more than a mile without a source. A nice leisurely jog today totaling at 20 miles with 4700 feet of climbing and around 4:15 to do it. 10/10 Chef RT recommends.

Did a trail run up Cady ridge, to dishpan gap and lake Sally Ann. Road rough with big potholes but easily passable if you drive slow. Mosquitoes were fierce at the trailhead, but no problem up high on the ridge and the PCT. trail in great shape with only a couple trees down, which were easy to step over.  

A few snow patches up high on the ridge and on the switchbacks to dishpan gap.  No danger to cross.  Lots of snow at Sally Ann and the lake was still iced over.  No water on the ridge, but plenty once I hit the PCT.  only a few other people on the trail.

Beautiful views of glacier peak and wildflowers in force up high.

We hiked Cady Ridge.  Lots of water along the first third of the trail.  Once the trail starts climbing in earnest, the water disappears.  There was still quite a bit of snow along the final third of the trail.  There were a couple smaller patches that we had to climb around as they were along a steep hillside but it was all doable.  Once we got to the top, at around 5500 feet in elevation there was still quite a bit of snow.  Where there wasn’t snow though the avalanche lilies were out in force, more than I have ever seen.  In places it was just a sea of yellow.  Looking out ahead towards the PCT there was a bunch of snow there as well.  Since the PCT is along a steep hillside there it did not look safe to go onto the PCT since we didn’t have an ice ax, crampons or even micro spikes.  There were a few bugs but they weren’t too bad.