OVERVIEW:

1. Margaret's Way, West Peak, and Bullitt Fireplace trails to Central Peak
2. Down Old Griz to East Side Trail
3. West to junction with Bullitt Fireplace
4. Up Bullitt Fireplace to close the loop at West Peak trail
5. Back down Margaret's Way

Total about 10.6 miles and 2550 feet.

Plenty of parking at the trail head, but beware the huge potholes at the edge of the roadway. Portapotties in good condition.

Most of this route is smooth sailing on very well-maintained trails. The West Peak segment is a little more rugged, narrow and loose than Margaret's Way, and is where I encountered the only trail-blocking blowdown of the day. It's also where I saw an owl perched not very far off the trail. It was staring straight at me, and I was surprised it stayed put long enough for me to change lenses on my camera and take a few photos.

Old Griz is like a different world, which I didn't know existed (though there are some excellent previous trip reports; I just hadn't done my homework). Along this trail, extensive swathes of large mature trees were blown down by the bomb cyclone in November 2024. Maddy's report of May 26 has photos that show the scale of damage better than mine. But thanks to heroic efforts by I don't know how many people, the trail is clear. It's definitely more rugged than the rest of today's route, but quite hikeable. Note that if approaching it from the East Side trail, the junction is no longer at the old sign post on the East Side; it's about 50 yards west of there and marked by orange tape.

Began my hike on Squak Mtn. on the Bullitt Fireplace Trail to get up to the East Side Trail. The East Side Trail has been logged out except for one spot where several trees still need to be cut out. The fallen trees begin at the junction with the Old Griz Trail where the log out started. The Old Griz is still impassable do to all the blown down trees from the November windstorm. It is going to take some time and a lot of work to get that trail back open for hikers.

I hiked the East Side Trail from the junction with the Old Griz Trail heading for the East Ridge Trail and going to the bridge at Crystal Creek at 1,143' elevation where there are three large Glacial Erratic rocks left from the last Ice Age about 12,000 years ago. Along the way I met one guy doing trail maintenance by getting small fallen limbs of the trail and doing some dirt work. About halfway before getting to the big switch back on the old roadbed I came to the one spot on this trail where the fallen fir trees have not been cut out yet. It looks worse than it seems as I had to get under one big tree, then climb over another. When I got to the big switchback in the trail at the junction with the Phil's Creek Connector Trail that goes up and crosses over Crystal Creek at the waterfalls to get to the East Ridge Trail near Thrush Gap I could see many fallen trees. Some of them have now been logged out, but many more to go.

I continued down the East Side Trail where many more fallen trees have been cut out. At two big trees the trail now goes around the big root balls. I went as far as the bridge over Crystal Creek and then headed back up the trail the way I had come. Except for the one spot with some fallen large fir trees this trail is in very good shape. When I got back up the to the big switchback at the junction with the Phil's Creek Connector Trail it was time for lunch. I found a log for a seat and while eating another guy who came by carry a large crosscut saw. He was heading to the East Ridge Trail do some work for WTA who had some crews coming in for three work projects to remove large root balls off the trail. He had cut some of the fallen trees on the Phil's Creek Connector Trail.

After lunch I hiked back down the trail which has had a lot of work done since the November windstorm. Only saw one Douglas Squirrel and a few skeeters flying around. On part of the East Side Trail, I had views to the north and could see Mt. Pilchuck, Bald Mt., Big Four and Mt. Baker, plus many more peaks. Made for a nice hike on Squak Mtn. This year marks my 72nd year of hiking when I started at age 4. George

Hi everyone, Jeno and I did not hike all the trails I listed but we saw a sign dated 1-13 in one of the kiosks up there this morning that showed the status of those trails so I listed them. (See my photo).   We're not sure what SMAT is referencing.  We wondered if they are referring to the Sycamore Access trail?  Bottom line plan accordingly if you're on the east side of Squak Mt. given some of the trails are closed.

As for our hike we made a short loop going up the Bullitt Fireplace trail to the fireplace and then down to the Central Peak trail which we took back to where it connects with the Fireplace trail.   

When we started at 6:00 AM it was a frosty 28 degrees.  We ran into our friend Mike and his three dogs within the first 1/4 mile up the trail then didn't see anyone for a long time.   Both the Fireplace and Central Peak trails are clear of trees with everything cut up and pushed aside.  The latter looked to have had more damage from the storm based on what we saw.

We saw one runner on Central Peak who upon seeing us turned around and took off in the other direction.   Jeno said we must look scary and I said or we smell.    :)   

Other than the runner and Mike we only saw one other hiker this morning on our return to the cars.  Trails were in good shape with some slick spots (very minor) in places. 

Stay safe everyone.  See you on the trail.   SR 

A month after the impacts of the Bomb Cyclone, it was time to revisit the trails on Squak Mountain and assess the progress made in logout. The trails leading up from the Squak Mountain State parking lot were cleared of debris up to the Perimeter Loop trail, extending to Debbie’s View via the Chybinski Trail and the West Access Trail. Once on the Eastside Trail, the trail remained clear until the junction with the Old Griz Trail. A sign posted at the junction of the Bullit Fireplace and Eastside Trail indicated that the Central Peak and East Side Trail up to the Old Griz junction were passable. Additionally, the sign provided information about the difficulty of the East Side Trail beyond Old Griz, the East Ridge Trail, and the absence of the Old Griz Trail. The sign accurately reflected the extent of trail damage and blowdowns after the junction with Old Griz, even with logout efforts underway. The Old Griz Trail was completely destroyed. Approximately 1/4 mile after the junction, the damage was so severe that it necessitated turning back and retracing the Central Peak Trail. The trail remained clear up to the summit of Central Peak. Prior to the summit at the junction with the upper part of Old Griz and the Old Griz check point, the damage was beyond comprehension. It will likely take a considerable amount of time, including numerous logouts and trail reconstruction efforts, if and when Old Griz is resurrected.

Descending the trails, the Pretzel Trail loop was clear, although with a somber note, the Pretzel Trail had succumbed to the windstorm. It was heartbreaking to witness the majestic Pretzel Tree lying across the trail, having been cut down to make the trail passable. Photographs of the tree prior to the windstorm will serve as cherished memories of what once stood.

The following day, Margaret’s Way was traversed, and aside from four passable blowdowns, the trail was in excellent condition. Overall, the trails on Squak Mountain, excluding those on the Northeast Side, were in good shape, and the recovery from the storm was commendable.

Thanksgiving day, and giving thanks for the abundance of nature all around us, was the perfect day to take the first hike after the devastating bomb cyclone wind storm & its impact to the trails on Squak Mountain.  The number of blow downs were too numerous to grasp!!!.  The hike began on the May Valley Loop trail and down trees began right after the first switch back.  There has been a few trees already cut making the trail passable however,  that was short lived.  There were probably 2-3 blow downs before the first trail junction, all of which were easy to get around.  After the junction, probably 1/4-1/2 mile up the trail, the down trees made navigating very challenging however, one could still find a way around or through all the way to the junction with the Bullit Gorge Trail.  The Bullit Gorge trail to the Perimeter Loop trail was largely down  free.  There were several down trees, passable on the Perimeter Loop trail to the junction with the  Debbies View Trail.  There is a cluster of down trees on Debbies View right before the view point that was tricky to navigate and get through. Leaving Debbies view the Chybinski Loop Trail was next on the agenda.  There are numerous down trees on the upper section of the trail all the way down to the first bridge.  They were quite tricky to Navigate through but still passable .  After the Bridge, the trail was mostly down trees began all the way to the West Access Trail.  Moving on to the East Side Trail, the goal was to hike to the Old Griz Trail and then take Old Griz to Central Peak.  Until the junction of East Side and Old Griz, that goal seemed possible as there were few down trees if any.  However that goal was made impossible by the numerous down trees at the junction and beyond.  The Old Griz trail was no where to be found and will need a lot  of rebuilding once the log out is completed. There are numerous down trees right after the junction making the East side trail impassable. Back Tracking to the Central Peak trail, the Central Peak trail to Central peak had about 4-5 down trees all passable.  Heading down to the Bullit Fireplace was open and very easy to hike. Shortly after the Fireplace there is a significant blow down.  From there the destination was to head back down to the May Valley Loop trail and take it basic down to the trail head.  Back at the junction with the road, the typical wind down is to hike the Pretzel Tree Trail. The wind down was not to be as the down trees begin almost at the beginning of the trail.

The impacts of the winds are incredible!!!!  By far this was the most impacting storm to the trails I cab recall and the trees took the impact.  Numerous Log Outs abound and repairs to the trails to follow will be plenty.