Snow from the get-go. A few exposed places, but several feet of snow on 90% of the trail.

I skipped out of working in the lab on this sunny Friday to break in my new pair of Asolo Yukons. Fred (the left one) and Cindy (the right one) performed very well on this trail. They were kind and removed very little of the skin from my heels. The trailhead is at the end of a very long winding road on an exposed mountain side. There was only one car at the trailhead when I got there around 9:30 and it was already sporting a yellow envelope/ticket for not having a Trail Park permit. The trail starts off on the remnants of an old road before gaining true trail-tread on wooded Johnson Ridge. This is one of the few trails in the area signed for multiple use including horse and mountain bike traffic. The ridge top location eliminates most drainage problems so it's a great choice for a bike trail. I climbed up and over the small wooded summit of Sunrise Mountain before encountering the owner of the ticketed vehicle on his way out. I thought I would have the summit of Scorpion Mountain to myself, but when I got there I found it occupied by a very charming Wilderness Ranger from the Skykomish R.D.. She was waiting to check hunter's licenses. We talked and shared the views for a while before she headed down the trail to do some lopping. I passed the wilderness boundry down 300 feet to the small, fragile, but well-preserved Joan lake. The lake was full of trout desparately biting at anything on the surface. If only I were a fisherman! I ran into some very lost mountain bikers on my way out. They were having some trouble finding the ridge top trail, but very close to it.

The guidebook says this is a steep trail: believe it. The trail gains elevation by going straight up hillsides rather than by switchbacks. Begin climbing at the trailhed on an old logging road until you reach the trail in half a mile or so. Begin a nice, steady traverse along Johnson Ridge, which is forested but provides occasional views. At two miles it's time to climb Sunrise Mountain. It's straight up, then straight down and on to Scorpion Mountain (try not to think about having to re-climb Sunrise Mountain on the return trip!). Eventually your effort is rewarded as the trail breaks out into a glorious meadow that seems to reach to the sky. At the juncture with the trail that descends to Joan Lake, turn uphill and have lunch at the top. If it's a warm, sunny Saturday like this day, be prepared to be assaulted by bugs. The guidebook says it's four miles to Scorpion Mountain, but we made it in 90 minutes, so we're dubious of the length. It also says they you won't find many people, which is true. We saw only two parties (one camping atop Scorpion) and there's not room at the trailhed for many more vehicles.

After a bone jarring ride to the trailhead, I was rewarded with a deserted trailhead. To say the first half mile is steep would be putting it mildly (no warm up!) but then things get interesting. As you enter the first ridge and old growth forest, you find a trail that is in excellent condition. The snow was totally gone. This is a good grunt that can be day hiked in around 5 hours, but if I was to do it again I would have stayed the night at the ridge above Joan Lake. The Trout were visible right up to the edge. Packed out some garbage that was tossed on the fire ring, unburned. Remember, the garbage trucks have a tough time making it up the steep trail, so PACK IT OUT! : ) I did not encounter a single person on the entire hike, this is a good one if you enjoy solitude and a good workout. There were no bugs on this day!