Campground at trailhead is still closed but first bathrooms are open and stocked with tp. Parking space available outside gate or along road. This trail quickly starts to climb steeply up a series of switchbacks.  One mucky corner on lower portion. Snow starts at the creek crossing and soon becomes snow covered. We were following fresh coyote prints most of the way. We were able to toe kick and using microspikes make it to the top of the switchbacks. Due to the steepness and angle of the hillside snowshoes were not used. Here is a nice flat knoll where we enjoyed some sun patches. Decided to head back down and return another day. 2 logs easy to step over a few to duck under. Saw snowshoe hare prints near the top and heard pacific wren. No flowers yet.

It’s hard to curb my enthusiasm for this hike, one of my favorites in January when volatile winter weather begins tapering off. I like it because it offers a such a wide variety of winter experiences in a single package while still remaining within reach of anyone who hikes regularly. You could say it’s a jack-of-all-trades (master of none) type of hike. Hopefully I can do it justice in this report while avoiding overselling.

There are several trailheads, but the most accessible one is in Big Creek campground which lies at the bottom of a valley at 1850 feet on Skate Creek Road. On the day that hiking buddy Ron and I went, it was frigid cold which makes the hike better, in my opinion. Though close to perfect, this hike does not make a good first impression. One must cross a 0.6-mile stretch of unkempt scrub forest on private land. Last year it was caked in ice going in and muddy coming out. This year, it was colder and we were able to quickly pass on snow-free, mostly dry ground and, once on the other side, enter the sanctuary of the Snoqualmie National Forest with its mature trees casting an almost mystical spell on the landscape. The trail climbs an open but deeply shaded, north-facing slope, but because skies were clear, we caught several glimpses of Mount Rainier as we ascended. At 2650 feet, we passed a good water source which makes it possible to carry a single liter if one wanted to lighten their load. Snow appeared gradually and at 3300 feet, it completely covered the trail with a smooth, white highway that crunched pleasantly underfoot. A clear boot path indicated past visitors, but we saw no one all day.

At 3900 feet, the trail deposited us on the crest of the northwestern ridge flooded in sunshine. Here two trails split off and descend the southern side, the higher Osborne Mountain trail and the lower Cave Creek trail, but we took neither. Instead, we put microspikes on and went off-trail, following the ridge up towards the high point of Osborne Mountain. This is my favorite section. The forest is open, the slope mostly moderate, and navigation is easy.

At 4700 feet, the forest thinned out and views towards the south opened up with Mount Adams and Saint Helens anchoring a mountainous horizon. A hundred feet higher, the ridge ended at a road covered in snow. We switched to snowshoes and enjoyed a pleasant walk on the flat road. In 3/10 mile, a prominent ridge that leads to the summit provided a convenient departure point. We trudged up the ridge through open forest and crested the high point at 5052 feet with Mount Rainier looming large towards the north. A short walk east of the summit brought us to a sunny, open ridgeline perfect for a prolonged rest. And rest we did, maybe longer than usual. This out-and-back hike registers about 9 miles round trip and 3200 feet of elevation gain. Highly recommended.

Looking for a hike in the Mount Rainier area but not wanting to deal with the July Saturday crowds in the park, I decided to give the Osborne Mtn. Trail a try. The trailhead is in the Big Creek Campground and does not require a NW Forest pass. I was on the trail about 10 am.

The trail starts out flat for the first half mile while crossing the Nisqually River flood plain but then begins a relentless steep climb up the northwest side of Osborne Mountain. Many switchbacks later, I made it to a spot where the trail crosses the nose of a ridge. Here is a junction with the Cave Creek Trail (which does not show up on any of my maps). I stayed left and followed the trail as transitioned to a moderate climb as it traverses the west side of Osborne Mountain. During this stretch, the trail goes back and forth between old growth forest and younger stands which are growing in areas clearcut probably 25-30 years ago. In the old clearcuts, there were many Tiger Lilys in bloom and the view is open enough that Mt. St. Helens is visible to the southwest.

Eventually the trail interects a forest road at the head of the Cave Creek watershed. Here were two cars and a tent but I didn't see anyone around both coming and going. The trail follows the road for about a quarter mile before resuming as single track.

Now the trail drops down to a creek crossing and the climbs again before reaching a junction with the Teeley Creek Trail #251. I beared right to head to Bertha May Lake. After a short but steep climb with views of Mt. Rainier through the trees, I arrived at Bertha May Lake about 1pm and found a shady spot on a log with a view of the lake for lunch.

After not seeing a single person on the way to the lake, the lake had lots of people who seemed to all have arrived on the Teeley Creek Trail which is a much shorter approach. I hung out at the lake for about 30 minutes and then retraced my steps back to the Big Creek Campground and my car.

The trail is open to motorcycles but I didn't see any though there was plenty of evidence of recent motorized activity.

Dedicated parking for hikers at trailhead inside Big Creek Campground. We started out at 7:00am to stay ahead of the forecasted heat. Steady upward climbing most of the way on well defined trail with a few minor obstacles easy to get over. We left the 250 trail and kept to the left and climbed along the ridge where Mt Rainier was visible on the left through the trees, and continued on until we reached a point where we could see to the other side of the mountain. There was no trail hiking the ridge and many fallen trees to get over. Mt St Helens and Mt Adams were clearly visible. Unable to see Mt Hood. Data from my Apple watch: distance 8 miles of active walking/hiking, elevation gain 2728ft with max elevation 4750ft. 

Osborne Mountain is a good hike to do in January when winter storms are done lashing the western Cascades. That’s what hiking buddy Keith and I discovered yesterday as we spent a pleasant but strenuous day climbing to the summit. We started from Big Creek Campground off Skate Creek Road which sits at 1846 feet. The morning air was chilly and the thin snow on the trail at the bottom of the valley was icy for a half mile until we entered the forest. Almost magically, the ground became bare and dry, the air felt warmer, and our progress doubled. The trail passed near a water source at around 2500 feet. At 3300 feet, snow started covering the trail and soon wiped most traces of the route from view. Even so, the general contour, though faint in places, remained visible enough to stay on track.

The trail intersected with the top of the northwestern ridge at 3800 feet. The entire area was bathed in sunlight, the ground was bare, and balmy breezes made it feel like spring. We had come prepared with snowshoes and microspikes but had not used either. Weighing the pros and cons of carrying four pounds of snowshoes, we took a chance and stashed them there, a decision we ultimately did not regret.

Instead of continuing on the Osborne Mountain trail, we headed directly up the ridge off-trail. The open forest allowed quick travel. At around 4200 feet, the terrain got steeper and snow again covered the ground. We donned microspikes and continued up on crusty, firm snow. After passing through an open, mercifully short section that featured hip deep post-holing, we found ourselves standing on Forest Road 8410 at 4800 feet. It was a relief to walk the road. The snow was firm and the grade gentle. We strolled on the road until reaching a point just past and 200 feet below the summit. A short, steep scramble took us up to the eastern ridge where a payday of breathtaking views accompanied us all the way to the summit. It was a very friendly place for lunch and photo-taking.

With gravity’s help, we descended by the western ridge and shaved some distance off our return trip. Upon reaching Forest Road 8410, we retraced our steps. The north-facing forest below the northwesten ridge lost its daylight quickly. We enjoyed peek-a-boo views of Mount Rainier bathed in alpenglow, and soon after, stopped to retrieve our headlamps from our packs. Our vehicle came into view and our 8 hour, 45 minute day ended. We noted our stats, a round-trip distance of 9 miles with 3200 feet of vertical gain. We also consumed about 2 liters of water each.