From Camp Sheppard I hiked up to Snoquera Falls (picture 1) using the southern half of the loop. This trail is in great shape. There was no snow, just some ice on the crossing of Snoquera Creek under the falls. I took the White River trail (2 easy blowdowns) south to the Ranger Creek trail and took it up to the viewpoint (picture 2) 2.5 miles up (at about 3900'). The last 1/4 mile up had a dusting of snow, there is so little, nobody would think of putting on traction. This whole route is sharply angled towards the southwest, it gets a lot of sun (delightful). There are many old-growth trees on the way to the falls. Much of the White River and Ranger Creek trails are lined with thick moss. I started early and didn't see any other people until I was back at the trailhead.  I spooked a herd of elk in the woods, they scared me more than I scared them, I didn't see them and was fairly close when they bolted (they are huge animals!).     

Between south snoquera and dalles ridge was very scenic. Considered looping down deep creek after the knob but forgot it about DST. Startled a pair of goats on a cliff viewpoint and got to watch them casually run down a 80* slope.

My experience of this trail was very different then the description. I hiked on a fairly unrelenting upward climb through monotonous 2nd growth forest, with salal or moss undergrowth as far as I could see. I came for the deciduous trees of fall, the old growth trees, and the southfacing slope to enjoy the unusual October sun but encountered a pretty unremarkable and gloomy lowland young forest. After about an hour's climb with the same view I turned around and headed back down. Perhaps all the things described in the hike were further ahead? I'll never know. 

The trail was in great condition. There was a little ice under the tread as I got higher in elevation. I only saw 2 other hikers.

Shared the trail with dirt bike riders. Plenty of solitude for a Saturday hike. The trail was clean and clear, some mosquitos. We had an excellent view of Rainier for lunch

Solitude on a sunny Sunday, starting at HWY 410, I hiked up the Ranger Creek trail to Dalles Ridge, and then to Noble Knob (see picture 4 or the attached Caltopo map). Starting at 5:10 and finishing at 10:45, the only people I encountered were a camping couple on the top of Noble Knob. I was surprised I didn't see anyone, these results are not guaranteed. This 15 miles hike has about 3800 feet of elevation gain. 90% of the tread is good/fast and it was really fun to motor both uphill and down.

The 5.5 miles up to Dalles Ridge is forested, there are lots of views along the next 2 miles to the summit. There are many forest flowers blooming at the top of Ranger Creek. In the first few miles your eye might be caught by candystick (picture 3), western coralroot, and gnome flower (cover picture). Along Dalles Ridge, there are thick lupine and arnica blooms (picture 2). Noble Knob has lots of flowers, hillsides of phlox, purple violets, some paintbrush and columbine, stonecrop, and many, many more. Noble Knob has great 360 views, with Tahoma beautifully dominating.