Stats (mileage and elevation from Gaia):

• 5 days, 4 nights Counter-clockwise Loop
  • Campsites: Copper Creek Boundary Camp, Indian Creek, Copper Lake, Silesia 
• 33.57 miles
• 11,689 feet of elevation gain
• 11,740 feet of elevation loss

Hiked in on August 18, and hiked out on August 22. This trail is beautiful, but easily the hardest I've done so far with the constant elevation swings each day. 

Day 1 - 5.11 miles, 2371' gain, 1078' loss - TH to Copper Creek Camp Boundary Camp: Got to the trailhead and started out around 1:30pm the first day. A terrible idea to start so late, as it was a scorcher of a day. Mid to high 80's, with high humidity, sun, and absolutely zero wind. From the trailhead up to Hannegan Pass was like hiking in a sauna/steam room. The air was so thick in the valley it made my usual slow pace 10x slower. While the mileage and elevation gain in this section should be relatively moderate, it took forever with a ton of long breaks, and I'm quite sure we were all showing signs of heat exhaustion. To make it worse, any time you wanted to stop you would instantly be swarmed with biting flies. 100% Deet helped for a small amount of time, but after awhile it didn't even matter - those flies were going to bite you and it didn't matter how many chemicals you doused yourself in. The way down from the pass was mostly shaded by that time, and a welcome relief. Flowers were past their peak, but the bees and butterflies were still doing their best to pollinate.

On that note - there is a wasps nest in the trees just off the trail by the boundary line. It's one big ball of NOPE.

They weren't aggressive, but I wasn't hanging out for long so see if they wanted to change their minds.  By the time we made it to the boundary line for the National Park, it was 7pm and we still had 2.7 miles to get to our first campsite at Copper Creek. We were all EXHAUSTED and hungry, so we called it and decided to set up at Boundary Camp. There was only 1 other group there that night so thankfully we were able to grab a site. I did bring a Thermacell with me, so either it worked to keep the bugs away, or they just weren't bad here. There are lots of moths, as evidenced by the amount of cocoons in the trees. And also when they fly into your face after dark when you have a headlamp on. Good times! 

- Site details:

• Water: There is water access here, but it's a steep climbers trail down. Not too long before you get to the camp, there is a water crossing you can filter from. However, check the levels - it was a steady and wide flow on Thursday, but when we went back through it on Monday it was half the flow from just a few days prior.
• Food Storage: Bear box across the trail from the campsites
• Toilet: Open air pit toilet (no lid) up above the bear box 
• Bugs: Moth central. Minimal other bugs.

Day 2 - 8.85 miles, 1672' gain, 3691' loss - Boundary Camp to Indian Creek Camp: We woke up rested - or as rested as you can be for sleeping on a blow up pad - and set out around 10:30am to get to Indian Creek camp. There was 0% chance of rain, so naturally it had rained on and off overnight, and throughout the morning while packing up our site. This would continue all day and into the evening. Naturally. The trail itself is fine - narrow in spots, but never sketchy. Going mostly downhill we were much faster - an hour from Boundary Camp to Copper Creek, and then another hour to U.S. Cabin Camp. The trail from Copper Creek to US Cabin is overgrown and bushy, so we were soaked from all the brush. It's almost all huckleberry bushes though, so you'll at least have some of the best trail snacks while making your way through this section. 

The cable car crossing was the highlight of the day. There were 3 of us, so one went solo, and the other two went together. With packs, 2 people in the car is quite awkward, so everyone going solo is a better idea. We didn't have gloves, but wrapping a shirt around our hands worked just fine to keep from getting rope burn.

The suspension bridge is just before you get to Indian Creek camp, and the planks were quite slippery since they were wet from the rain. When we got to camp, all 3 sites were taken. However, the middle one had a ranger who had told us about a communication error and he was supposed to be at a different site. This one was large enough though that we were able to get our two tents in with his just fine, and he was super nice to chat with about our upcoming days on the trail. 

- Site details:

• Water: Easy access trail to the river to collect water. If it's not raining, a great spot to bring your cookware and make/eat dinner
• Food Storage: Hang it from a tree or have a bear can
• Toilet: Open air pit toilet (no lid) - trail crew was replacing it the morning we left
• Bugs: None 

Day 3 - 7.42 miles, 4261' gain, 1451' loss - Indian Creek Camp to Copper Lake: Up and out early as we knew it would be a big day to get up to Copper Lake. The trail crew that redid the pit toilet was also working to cut through some of the downed trees just after the camp, so not sure what it looks like now. Nothing major before crossing the Chilliwack, and flagging was easy to spot. We watched the salmon work as hard as they could get swim upstream for a bit, then switched into Tevas to get across the river. For a 5'5 person the water was just under knee high. Current wasn't terribly strong, but still enough you'd be knocked over if you aren't watching your steps. Poles were helpful.

If you're doing this route CCW, the blowdowns are the worst at the bottom of the trail with minimal flagging (flags are almost all condensed around the river). While it was never hard to keep the trail in sight, if you aren't paying attention I can see how it would be easy to lose and get turned around. So really, just pay attention.

We got through the mess at the bottom relatively fast, and started our way up. There are a few cairns to help guide you through the dry creek bed, and when you get to the part with flowing water it's your last chance for water until you get to Copper Lake. The rest of the trail up is just logs to cross over on the trail with no route finding necessary, but with heavy packs made heavier by carrying extra water, this section for forever. I believe actual years went by before we got out of the forest. The worst is when you reach the last log (thanks Bruce!), you're still not close to the lake.

It took us 90 minutes from the end of the switchbacks to get to the lake. There are some great views which help pass the time, but there are still times when you just want to scream into the void because your legs hurt and you wonder why you put yourself through this time after time. Blueberry bushes abound up here - some are almost ripe, but the majority are still little green balls. Once you get to the waterfall crossing (easy, but you'll get your feet wet) you're only half a mile from the lake. We got there around 6pm, and the spot closest to the lake was taken. While it looked nice, it was windy that day and their tent fly was putting in a lot of work to stay staked in the ground. We chose the site up higher and in front of the bear box. It was quite large and had a great view of Mt. Redoubt through the trees - along with being protected from the winds down below. The best spot to get water is by the outlet where that waterfall was coming from. Water was cold, but not the coldest I've been in. It was windy and cool so we didn't get in to swim, but a nice leg dip was refreshing. 

- Site details:

• Water: Easy access, but make sure to take a trail that's not closed for restoration (there are a lot, and some are not clearly marked).
• Food Storage: Bear box
• Toilet: Composting toilet with a lid and a great view into the Cascades not too far from the higher campsite
• Bugs: Mosquitos, but not horrible - thinking the Thermacell really helped here

Day 4 - 4.28 miles, 1961' gain, 1593' loss - Copper Lake to Silesia (+Egg Lake for water): The morning was thick fog and lots of dew over everything, so we had a very slow start and hung around waiting for the sun to burn it off. I hung out by the lake watching the fog roll in and out. Pretty sure it should also be renamed to Pika Lake - so many meeps echoing around the basin. More meeping than I've ever heard in one spot before! 

We headed out of the basin around noon, and off on the 1000' or so of gain to get to the lookout. The switchbacks are short and steep, and it never really lets up. You'll be high above the lake soon, and it is a beautiful view back down into the basin. The fog was gone by now, and there was a great breeze to make the sun somewhat tolerable. The views though. WOW. It's hard to make good time when you're stopping every minute to take a photo. Got to the lookout just before 2pm and had the entire area to ourselves (we met the ranger down by Copper Lake). The views here are just amazing. Peaks upon peaks upon peaks in every direction. We stayed for about an hour just taking in the views and enjoying the day. 

I thought the trail to Silesia would be mostly downhill since the lookout is the high point of the trail, but I am dumb and that is false. There's downhill sections, and then plenty of uphill hiking to get there. My quads ACHE. We got to the turnoff around 4:30pm and got incredibly lucky by being the first group there (there are only 2 sites). The first one is the prime spot - it's large and has a GREAT view of the Pickets, Mineral Mountain, Whatcom Peak, Shuksan (though you need to walk around the corner), and half a view of Baker. The heather here is still going strong and lots of bees buzzing about. 

With it being dry, we set up camp and then took our cookware and water bladders down the short and steep trail to Egg Lake. We ate our dinners down there and got all the water we'd need for the morning and the hike out the next day. Back up to camp in time for a fantastic sunset and some stars before promptly passing out. 

- Site details:

• Water: Only available at Egg Lake - 1/2 mile and about 430' of elevation loss/gain
• Food Storage: Bear box
• Toilet: Composting toilet with a lid and a great view of Whatcom Peak
• Bugs: Thermacell died early in the evening and the mosquitos were terrible

Day 5 - 7.91 miles, 1424' gain, 3926' loss - Silesia to Hannegan Pass Trailhead: Woke up around 5:45am to catch the sunrise, and what a great one it was! Perfect time to get out of the tent and watch the pink sky hit all the peaks.

A quick breakfast and pack up we hit the trail for the final day at 8am. And the inclines still weren't over. COOL. LOVE IT. The trail was beautiful at least, and there was still a decent breeze. 

The flies came back in force part way back up the switchbacks to Hannegan Pass, forcing us to keep moving. They were horrible at the top so we stood there for maybe a minute before starting the long descent back to the car. Flies eased off closer to the bottom, and a surprising amount of people heading up with backpacking gear for a Monday. 

While it wasn't as hot as Thursday, there was only a light breeze so the valley was still incredibly hot. At least this time it was all downhill. 

We got to the car around 1:30pm and hopped in the river for a refreshing cool down and to get some of the dirt off of us (there's a little trail opening by the road closure sign). Back in the car with fresh clothes on horrifically unfresh people, we made our way to Chair 9 for a stupid amount of fries, chicken wings, and beer. 

What an adventure! We hiked from Hannegan trailhead to the Ross Lake Dam via Copper Ridge and Whatcom Pass/Tapto Lakes, 62 miles over 8 days. The views were truly once in a lifetime. It felt like you could reach out and touch the glaciers and mountain peaks. Not to mention the rivers, creeks, waterfalls, and old growth forest! This hike is not one to be trifled with - we counted about 350 blowdowns and multiple areas with no trail to follow due to washouts. The bugs were relentless for a lot of the hike, although there were thankfully moments of reprieve. All in all it was a tremendous trek, and I highly recommend the Hannegan Peak, Copper Ridge/Copper Lake, and Whatcom Pass/Tapto Lakes sections. If you want solitude, try the Big Beaver trail - we didn't see anyone for almost two days. Feel free to reach out with questions, and here are details day by day:


Day 1, Saturday 8/6
Hannegan Trailhead to Boundary Camp, side trip back to Hannegan Peak
This was a great start to the trip. Most of the way up to Hannegan Pass you have great views of Nooksack Ridge, and patches of forest for some shade. Boundary Camp has a good size stream for water and sits in the trees belowthe pass. There were multiple flat sites. Beautiful wildflowers were blooming  on parts of this hike. The deer flies were aggressive and there were a few horse flies in the mix too. I cannot recommend enough the side trip up to Hannegan Peak. We are so glad we added that on (hiking back up for dinner and sunset after setting up camp) as the views were absolutely phenomenal of Mt Baker, Shuksan, Ruth Mountain, Nooksack Ridge, and more for a 360 view. We got a preview of Whatcom Peak and the Challenger Glacier too. If I came again for a shorter trip I would camp up at the Peak for the complete sunset/sunrise/night sky views, though you would have to hike up all your water or melt snow. We saw the most folks this day of any on the trip due to day hikers and folks coming back from Ruth Mountain. Thanks to our friends for joining us and making dinner!

Day 2, Sunday 8/7
Boundary Camp to Copper Lake
This day featured lovely views all along Copper Ridge and at the lookout, and a very picturesque lakeside campsite. Also, more bugs! The flies were relentless in the morning at Boundary Camp and on the early part of the hike until we got above the tree line and had some more breeze on the ridge. Views from the lookout were wonderful, and similar to the views at Hannegan Peak. It would be great to see at sunset or sunrise. The hike up to the lookout was pretty steep and tough work since we were doing it mid-afternoon in the sun. Not a ton of spots for water on the ridge, though we got some from a snow melt trickle a bit after the lookout. Copper Lake was beautiful, probably my favorite camp of the trip. I would love to go back and have more time there. We swam and enjoyed the views for the evening. If you swim out into the lake you get a beautiful view of the mountains past the point where the creek flows out, like an infinity pool! There is a great outflow creek for getting water. When you arrive at the lake, follow the small trail to the right to reach the three campsites. Thank you to our camp neighbors for recommending the farthest site which has lovely views of the lake and mountains, and great access to the little peninsula for swimming. There were mosquitoes and flies biting here, but most of the time we could escape them if we found a breezy spot. We saw 25 people today.

Day 3, Monday 8/8
Copper Lake to Indian Creek
Today the real work begins! We dropped off the ridge pretty quickly into the trees, saying goodbye to our mountain views for the next day or so. The trail was in good condition until partway down the switchbacks to the Chilliwack River, where the blowdowns started! We crawled over, under, and through 117 trees and logs on the trail. 70 were before the river crossing, and 47 between the river and Indian Creek camp. The worst sections were those nearest the river. Plan on lots of extra time for this stretch. There are also  sections where the trail is washed out or destroyed by blowdowns, and we had to do a lot of peering in multiple directions before settling on a possible bootpath. There was helpful flagging in a few spots but not really enough to make it easy to follow. We were relieved when we made it to the Chilliwack River, particularly because it was a surprisingly lovely spot! We relaxed in the shade on the river bank for about an hour, soaking our feet, getting water, and watching the sockeye splash around in there. You have to ford the river, but it only came up to about mid-calf for us and was fine to do in our Tevas. The section immediately after the river is so messed up by blowdowns etc that we weren't sure if we were on the proper trail until we made it to the junction with the Chilliwack River trail. We stopped to check our compass at one point to make sure we were still going the right way. We took the first site from the trail at Indian Creek camp which is nice and spacious, although lots of bugs. The other two sites were also fine but had even more blowdowns to access, and the only other group we saw camping opted instead to camp along the creek. The breeze by the creek was great for escaping the bugs up in the woods. Note that there is no water from about a mile after Copper Lake until you reach the Chilliwack River. We saw 8 people today, 3 of whom we'd camped with yesterday.

Day 4, Tuesday 8/9
Indian Creek to Tapto Lakes
This was our big day of up, up, up! About 4000 ft of elevation gain. It was our midpoint and our peak in terms of elevations and spectacular, jaw-dropping scenery. We started hiking at 6:15 to give us time to get as far up the pass as we could before the heat of the day. Thankfully it was a bit overcast today because this would have been a killer hike in the heat! A very cool and bouncy bridge gets you over Indian Creek. There were 28 more blowdowns in the stretch just after Indian Creek, for a total of 145 in this Chilliwack River area. We were so happy when we reached the first recently sawed log - thank you so much to the trail crews!! We reached the junction with the Brush Creek trail surprisingly quickly, and stopped to filter water there since we didn't know if there would be any going up the pass. This turned out to be unnecessary as there were plenty of water crossings all the way up to and including Whatcom Camp. The wooded stretch up to Graybeal was pretty mellow until we got to the washout section just before camp. It is difficult to find your way here, thankfully we had encountered a man who gave us great trail tips and who told us to generally keep left in the washout, follow footprints, and not wander too far on the rocky stream bed/wash areas. He had met a group who got lost in this area for at least an hour. After Graybeal things start getting steeper and you start getting cool views of the surrounding mountains and waterfalls tumbling down to Brush Creek. It was really neat to be able to see the Brush Creek drainage transition from a wide rocky channel that shows the full power of the creek at high flows, to an idyllic little brook up at Whatcom camp, complete with a lovely meadow and wetland area surrounded by flowers. I have to thank the deer flies in this section - they were so relentlessly biting my legs that I literally ran up the trail at times. We moved so quickly to avoid them that we were shocked how soon we arrived at Whatcom Camp. The pass is just a short way from there, and the climber's trail to Tapto Lakes turns off to the left at the pass. It is very steep in the beginning and we had to pull ourselves up with our hands at points. It levels off somewhat into an astoundingly beautiful meadow with full views of the Challenger Glacier. We literally gasped with awe. This area is a must see! I spent forever going up because I would just turn and stare at the view every 5 minutes. Then you continue up and over the ridge where you can see Tapto Lakes laid out in front of you. We hiked down and camped in an existing site in between two of the lakes. This spot has a spectacular view of Whatcom Peak reflected in the smaller lake, truly gorgeous. We swam in one of the lakes (briefly, it was cold!) and sat in the tent looking out at the views for a long while (it was buggy... mosquitoes this time). I also wandered around the lake basin a bit, and would love to come back with more time to explore the area and get closer to the waterfall. Sunset was astounding, and after that an almost full moon came up over the Challenger glacier, turning it briefly golden. It was wonderful to wake up throughout the night and look around at the moonlit views. We also saw an interesting bar of light move across the sky around 4am, which we think was a group of Starlink satellites. We saw 14 people today, 9 of whom we had seen at prior camps. 

Day 5, Wednesday 8/10
Tapto Lakes to Stillwell Camp
This was probably our toughest day mentally, because it was much rougher trail conditions than we expected, even after what we'd heard from prior reports. It was sad to leave Tapto Lakes and the spectacular views up there. The descent to the pass was steep but doable since we already knew the way. The switchbacks down from the pass were also quite steep and we were glad we were going down that way and not up - in some points they are just tight switchbacks traversing a very steep rock slide. We got down pretty quick off these and were surprised that the trail from here to Twin Rocks was mostly either completely overgrown or one of a series of rock slides/dry creek beds that you had to climb down into and up out of. This section did have really cool views of the opposite ridge and tons of huge waterfalls coming down to form Little Beaver Creek. We left Tapto Lakes at 8:30 and didn't get to Twin Rocks until around 2pm. We filtered water here and had a lunch break, wearily contemplating all of the blowdowns and missing trail we'd heard lay before us. The stretch from Twin Rocks to the junction of the two Beaver trails was a long slog through 179 blowdowns and one long confusing trail washout with footsteps going in multiple directions. We found our way through but it took a good bit of poking around to keep on the right trail. When the logs are cleared this section would be a nice walk through the woods with some good views of the creek. We also think we happened upon a bear den here - following a faint path around one series of blowdowns, we found a spot with multiple piles of fresh bear scat and a deep, bear-sized depression in the ground. After we got to the bridge over Little Beaver, there were only a few more blowdowns but it still felt like it took a while to get to Stillwell since you have to hike down to it off the trail, through yet more blowdowns. We took the first camp that the trail comes to. The access to the main creek is hard to find as the original route down is now a cut bank, but there is another faint footpath that goes down to it near the stock camp. When the water is lower you could probably also walk in the side channel to the creek, but right now it's flowing. This camp has a nice, calm feel with large trees and open understory, and a nice setting along the creek once you find your way down to it. Strong winds in the evening kept the bugs away, but it seemed like it would be pretty buggy normally. We saw marmots, pika, and lizards today, and 7 people (many of them PNTers).

Day 6, Thursday 8/11
Stillwell Camp to Luna Camp
Thank you so much to the trail crews! It was so delightful to walk on maintained trail after all the blowdowns. We celebrated every cut log we saw. There were a few blowdowns after Stillwell, but none at all beyond Beaver Camp. The crew had also improved several of the creek crossings which made them very easy to get by, and brushed many parts of the trail. Switchbacks were pretty mellow going up the hill to Beaver Pass, then pretty much all downhill. In the woods all day. I got stung twice by a wasp just before Beaver Camp, ouch! Luna camp has a couple flat sites but no easy access to the main creek that we could find. There is a lovely little step-pool creek next to the camp though. We found a spot over past the toilet where we could get a view of the main creek and some of the sunset. We saw 0 people today, and none yesterday evening either.

Day 7, Friday 8/12
Luna Camp to Pumpkin Mountain Camp (Ross Lake)
Good trail conditions continued today, thank you trail crew! No more blowdowns. The trail from Luna to 39 Mile was a mellow, quiet forest walk. After 39 Mile you start getting into some really nice old growth forest, with a couple huge, beautiful wetland areas and some creek views. I wished we had more spots walking along the creek, it was a lovely turqoise to deep blue color, deep and slow moving, very calm water but powerful. More like a river than a creek! The huge trees were lovely to see, and nice other plants around too. We saw tons of tiny frogs on and around the trail, so many that we had to slow down several times to give them time to clear the trail. Pumpkin Mountain is just past the cool bridge over Big Beaver Creek, and has a couple sites in the woods and one spot where you can sit near the lake or get in for a swim! You can also make your way down to the creek from the sites to get water or check out the view of the rapids. We saw 10 people on the trail today (our first human contact in almost two days), and more out and about on the lake or lakeshore in the distance. Thanks to my in-laws for joining us and bringing fresh veggies for dinner!

Day 8, Saturday 8/13
Pumpkin Mountain to Ross Lake Dam/Hwy 20
Our last day, it was sad to go! The hike from Pumpkin Mountain is a mellow walk through mossy woods with a few hills and views of the lake here and there. We crossed several creeks and some nice little waterfalls along the way. We saw 7 or 8 people along the trail before the dam, then loads more on the dam trail. The dam itself is pretty impressive to see, and a great spot to see the water on either side. It felt very cool to finish this long trek! And interesting to see pavement, cars, power lines again after a week away in the mountains. What a great trip all around, with spectacular views and some challenging conditions to help us grow as hikers. Thank you to all the folks who keep these trails accessible to the public.

Happy trails!

On the trail at 1:15 Friday afternoon after parking quite a ways down the road, which we expected for a sunny august weekend.  Bugs super annoying the first few miles - got better as we went up, or maybe we got used to it. Definitely much clearer at pass and beyond - we were able to sit down near Boundary camp and eat w/o constantly swatting. Arrived at Silesia about 7pm in time to enjoy the amazing alpenglow.  

Saturday morning, hiked down to Egg Lake for water (note - there are a few  running water options between Silesia and Boundary), and we spent the afternoon at the lookout. Got to meet the ranger on the trail - super nice guy.  Apparently we missed seeing the teenage bear near the lookout and the bigger bear at Egg Lake.  We did see a teenage bear on the road on our way back to 542, maybe a mile from trailhead.  Fortunately, we were driving slowly due to potholes - he took his time crossing the road and seemed oblivious to our car. 

Hike out on Sunday afternoon was brutal thanks to heat wave, but the bugs weren't as bad as expected.  Our friends stayed at Egg Lake Sunday night and reported the same experience coming out on Monday - super hot slog, but not as buggy. 

One of the best bang for buck view hikes around - not easy (at least for me), but worth the pain.  One of these years, I hope to do the full loop. 

Reminder that permits are required to camp in the park.  Please get a permit if aren't planning to hike in and out in the same day.  We were woken after dark the first night (no idea what time) by voices and headlamps outside our tent.  The next day, we noticed an older couple camped in an undesignated spot clearly marked as restoration area.  I spoke to them later that morning, and they were quite nice and seemed to be experienced outdoor folks so I didn't ask why or judge - assuming something unexpected had happened. We mentioned this to the ranger the next day, and he informed us that they were up at the lookout at sunset will full packs.  As it was very unlikely that they'd make it out of the park that night, he took their names, and a citation will be coming in the mail. 

Recently did a 2 night backpack to Selisia camp on copper ridge. Wildflowers are in full bloom right now and beautiful. On the way in we hit our first snow patch on the way up to Hannegan pass, with fairly consistent snow starting when we got to Copper Ridge. There were several sketchy snow bridges over streams that we had to cross on the way up to Copper Ridge. In the span of just a couple days the snow melted significantly and on the way out there were no more sketchy snow bridges as the snow had all melted. There is one site at Silesia that is fully melted out and the other is still covered in about 2 feet of snow but melting quickly - with the heat wave this week, I suspect the second campsite will melt out at an accelerated rate now and possibly be snow free by the start of the last weekend in July. We hiked up to the Copper Ridge lookout from our camp at Silesia and it was beautiful, 360 degree mountain views - I would highly recommend it! Bugs (flies and mosquitoes) were a nuisance and not too bad, but they got consistently worse in our time out there, so beware.

**IF you find a clearly loved walking stick a few car spaces down from the trailhead's wash-out, almost 5' long with small branch stump and "SYLVIA" carved  on it, I very much would appreciate you rescuing it for me.  I would absolutely drive back to the area for it.  That walking stick has actually saved my life, so I am kicking myself I forgot to put it in my car when I was loading up.  "Sylvia" is precious to me, so if anyone can hold onto it for me, I would be so very thankful!

Other special note- Bear Creek camp is closed for a while due to the fire last year.  Likely unsafe from dead trees in the area, so don't plan on camping there.  Trust me, a snag can fall and take you out without a sound.  Stay safe.

Ok, all that being said- on to the Pass and beyond:

I attempted to explore along the Copper Ridge/Chilliwach River but could not even make it to Boundary Camp.  It looked like no one had used that section of trail from over the pass in a while, and I would assume when snow was saver to traverse and the trail still totally hidden. It was just a tease occasionally emerging between 45-degree snow patches.  I at least found the trail down to Boundary camp and put a few orange flags on trees to guy the next folks along the snow.  But I only got maybe a quarter mile down, sliding on steep snow a few times in the process before deciding kicking secure steps the entire way was not a good use of time or worth the risk to get down there and then have a worse time getting out in the rain due Sunday. 

I'd advise a few more weeks before aiming to camp beyond the pass.  Word on the trail was the rangers said other's had been in the valley area, but I saw no sign of them via the pass.  Maybe they skied in from Hannegan Peak, as there were clear tracks and most people along trail seemed to be hitting one of the peaks.

The trail up to the pass was mostly in good condition, with one large fallen tree you can scooch past and a medium one to hop over.  But the creek crossings that are all along the trail are getting sketchy.  Several had large snow patches still walk-able but one I noticed had significant melt from 1 day to the next with a large hole in the middle becoming almost completely across after a moderately warm day, causing you to have to climb down a bit (and sadly erode the trail) to skirt the big hole.  (before & after picture below)  And one crossing is pretty vigorous with the snow melt requiring you to dunk at least one shoe fully, or pop em off and hop across then dry off.  The rest would require waterproof shoes or very fast-drying. 

The terrain is lovely and wildflowers approaching full bloom.  No berries yet.  And the way up to the pass is still very snow-covered with a steep approach set by the main foot-treks.  Spikes for traction are highly advised for now.  The good news is, you can also glissade back down that section (safest way down really). There are some flat spots up by the pass you could camp at (even maybe some snow-free ones) if you head up there with hope for further-in sites and need a back-up. 

I will definitely be back towards the end of the month!  For now, this is a skiers' destination.  Hope y'all are having fun!