Up early with the promise of blue sky and we were on our way. Lots of folks at the Marblemount Ranger station but only one other car at Roads end of Hidden lakes trail head when our group arrived. Despite a early start it was 0930 before we felt the crunch of snow and guessed where the trail was as we headed up Sibley creek. Passed the trail head and shortly put skins on to climb up,up,up. Snow conditions seemed stable while taking note of numerous slides having occurred previously along the upper creek. Kicked steps up to the upper bench and skinned/traversed up to the col below the old firetower. Met one group of two heading down. Made a run down to near Hidden lake setting off a couple of minor surface sloughs and slowly trugged back to the col only to be met by darkened skys and blue/black clouds. Quickly donned packs and skied back down in rain/snow and sludge like snow. Interestingly had a small but sobering rockfall/avalanche send material down between members of our group as we neared the end of the trail in the cold steady rain. Overall a great day to be out.

This trail is in pretty good shape except for some of the usual problems. There is one blowdown on the trail (easily negotiated) in the forested stretch and there are several stretches of puncheon that are starting to develop that ""fun- house-effect"" as they tilt in soft mud. Once you break out into the open expect to find a few over-grown stretches of trail, but the trail is mostly open. Some brushing and regrading has been done this season. The trail switchbacks up and up through the open hillside toward the granite rock piles that form the the Hidden Lakes Peaks. There's still lots of fireweed, mountain daisies lewis' monkey flowers and some great paint brush. As I climbed higher toward the peaks I realized the acrid smoke I'd been smelling all morning was from more than just a few campfires. There was not a cloud in the sky, but still it was hazey. Later I spoke to some other hikers and learned that a fire had broken out over-night in a slash area just south of Highway 20 near Marblemount. I climbed both to the lookout (6890'- easy trail, no snow) and the highest of Hidden Lake Peaks (7088' - scramble granite boulders, some snow). I got the impression that views from these two points would have been fantastic if not for the smoke. As it was I could barely make out the outline of the nearest peaks. On the way out some folks at the trailhead gave me some chocolate to replace my melted Dove bar. This was much appreciated. It gave me enough sugar to make it down to Good Food. There I drank rootbeer and ate onion rings and watched the fire helicopters land for refueling just across the street. I took 530 on my way out and from the bridge over the Skagit I could look up the river and see the thick cloud of smoke blowing up-valley. This is a wonderful hike and this is s good time of year to do it, but wait until the smoke is cleared before you go.