Road bad, everything else perfect.

That about sums it up, but for anyone looking for a bit more...

I drive roads like this frequently, but it is still one of the worst, though I will admit the lower river section is much better after some recent work. My wife and daughter hated it, but any car can get by if you are cautious. I drive a Subaru Outback Impreza, not high clearance, and made it, and I'm not super cautious either.

The trail is up, up to the top. Not much flat ground between the parking lot and ridge. 1.8 to the top, about an hour of hiking. Once on the ridge we explored left and right along the ridge. 

Clouds teased us and eventually let up enough for views of Shuksan, but Kulshan stayed hidden most of the day. The crazy thing was that on the west of the trail was a solid wall of mist and cloud while the right opened up to glorious views. Almost like the trail divided the skyline...see what I did there...

Anyway, beautiful hike, 8.5 miles, 2.5k elevation gain, fall colors starting, berries still ripe, get out there. 

It's been a long time since we hiked Skyline Divide so it felt so good to be back on this trail.  They had just graded the first four miles of FR 37 so the first of the 13 miles up to the trail head are not bad.  The other miles have some really not so great sections, but never truly awful sections.  The road up is always wide with no scary drop-offs, but it is long and bumpy and with many protruding rocky sections.  Always a risk of blowing a tire out, or hitting something with your undercarriage if you don't have a vehicle with decent clearance.  Just one sedan at the trail head with the rest mostly being the Subaru/Toyota crowd.  Not too crowded mid week and the pit potty in good shape.

The info kiosk has specific instructions on back country use - it's blue bag time, and where to camp - established campsites on durable surfaces only.

The climb up is shaded but does feel on the steep side.  Once on the ridge, the climb is immediately forgotten and it's all fun.  The knoll counting is a bit complicated and I'm not sure we ever knew quite which knoll we were on until the end!  If there seemed to be an easier route at a junction we took it, there are enough "compulsory" up and downs without adding more.

The really important junction (down to dead horse creek or up even higher on the divide to Skyline Divide peak itself), presents as a triangle of braided trails but it does have a significant cairn - look for it.  What appears to be the main trail to the left is actually the one headed to the creek campsite area, the trail you want goes off to the right disappearing up a short cliff section into some trees.  This is class two light scrambling but once up the rocks you are back on a clear trail again.  The trail then follows the spine first on one side then the other.  You might be pushing through small trees in places, and there was one spot where a half fallen/broken tree was easier to go around than under.  Pay attention to your route as there are a few way trails to confuse you on the way back.  The final ascent to Skyline Divide Peak itself can not be mistaken.  It is the steepest most barren section of the trail and the views when you reach the top are full out of this world 360.

After admiring the views we continued on the still obvious trail just far enough to drop down out of the wind, stopping for lunch on a gravel bar by some small trees.

Then it was back other way.  Just amazing scenery and yummy berries as well.  Flowers are done and just a little fall color.  We confused ourselves on the way back as to which knoll we were on and thought a junction was the trail off the ridge, it was not and our tired feet had further to go.  The trail off the ridge is marked with a short info post, so look for that. 

On the return it was sad to see backpackers setting up on now camp-denuded meadow areas of the ridge, and one couple were actively pitching their tent only five feet from the actual trail.  Hopefully the forest service can be more active in restricting camping to specific sites, not merely suggesting!

We had great weather and zero bugs, this trail is definitely a blue ribbon hike and this is a great time of year to follow it all the way to its namesake peak to appreciate what it has to offer.

Great news!  Citizens for Forest Roads (CFFR) in conjunction with a very generous donation from Ron Roosma of Cascade Clearing* graded the first 4.5 miles of the road this week*, and it is now at its best: 12.5 miles in 48 minutes, much of it at 20 mph!  I drive a Subaru Forester and all but one of the vehicles in the parking lot were SUVs--the upper road is still capable of beating a Honda Civic to pieces, as it regularly used to do mine. 

* Corrected. I posted this before the previous report from Tussilago went up. See that one for the scoop.

By contrast, on July 4 it was at its worst.  Taking the cue from numerous others, I turned around at 4 miles, brains scrambled like a bowl of eggs.

The hike itself was gorgeous as ever, but still unique:  I'd never seen a pack train of four goats.  Light clouds in layers. Cool breezes. No bugs.  No water.  Surprisingly few blueberries clung to stunted bushes, though, probably victims of the heat earlier in the year. 

Another day in paradise.

A road update more than a trip report. Citizens for Forest Roads (CFFR) in conjunction with a very generous donation from Ron Roosma of Cascade Clearing did an initial pass of Deadhorse creek road to improve the road conditions. 

Cold rain and some wet snow that accumulated on the ridge in early morning on Aug 31.  Brrr.  It's easy to get chilled fast!  Be prepared with rain gear and warm clothes.  One of us forgot gloves but luckily I had some handwarmers stashed in my bag of 10+ essentials that I always take on hikes and backpacks in the mountains, which were helpful.  And they used an extra pair of socks some of the time -- but it's hard to hold poles in sock-mittens.