To the "editor" at WTA, Twin Lakes is a place!  And a fantastic camping spot as well.  Look on the map!

From The Everett Herald, August 8 2021  A quote from you:

"Now we have a new tool to help hikers and trails. We recently released a feature on wta.org that offers personalized suggestions of hikes you might want to add to your to-do list. The new tool is designed to educate, spark curiosity and shift focus from a small number of often-recommended trails to the many trails that Washington has to offer."

Prove to me this isn't just lip service because you're losing readers to other sites, like the new one, TREAD, and leave my new entry for Twin Lakes up.  I've been pushing this idea for years!

Now my Report:

I didn't do the loop I came for, but did a loop just the same.

I was hoping to do a probably 20 mile circle around Gold Creek.  I left my bike at Snoqualmie Pass PCT North Trailhead.  Drove past the ski areas, parked the truck across I 90 from Lake Keechelus, at the end of the pavement on the frontage road.  I was going to ride my bike back to the truck at the end.

I walked up the gravel road to Lake Lillian Backdoor (Rocky Run Creek), about an hour.  I made it to Rampart Ridge above the lake in an hour, another hour to highest Rampart Lake.  There is still some snow around the lakes, like old times.  There were some people swimming and jumping off the rocks, it was hot!

At the Lila Lakes, I took the trail from the N end of the biggest one (with the island).  What I remember to be a good path disappeared in the meadow, I went too far R and wasted time figuring out where to go.  I knew it was going to take me another 2 - 3 hours at least to get to the PCT across the ridge top, with the hardest part just before.  I needed to get an earlier start.  Decided to take what I learned and come back in the next couple weeks to try again.

There were more swimmers in Lila Lake, lots of nice folks out hiking along the ridge, both the way I came in and the trail from Rachel Lake.  When I got to the downhill turn to the trail up from Rocky Run Creek I checked my watch, 3 o'clock.  Since my truck was at the freeway I decided to hike out past Twin Lakes and Lake Margaret on the official Lillian Lake Trail.  I wasn't sure how far it was but knew I had plenty of time for a one way.

Trail climbs beyond the turn, passes lovely Twin Lakes, postcard perfect with lots of excellent camp spots.  Caught up to some other hikers who assured me I had time to get to signed Margaret Lake and out before dark.  Took the steep trail down to the lake, got some pictures and headed back up.  Switchbacks are well graded so the climb out isn't as bad as you expect.

One thing there is no running water on this trail, only ponds and lakes.  Good thing I had plenty from the other parts of my trip.  There is an all summer source running across the trail on the east side of Lake Lillian, one above the highest Rampart Lake, a couple others.

Made it to the road, then TH parking.  2 cars, people I had encountered on trail, asked if I was alright and offered me a ride down, but I was close to the truck at that point so graciously declined.  Got to the bottom at 6:20, nearly 10 hours since I started.

This is a fun way to extend your Backdoor trip if you find you have time.  Wouldn't be a terrible walk from the Margaret TH to the Backdoor TH if you hadn't planned ahead, so no need to.  Or bikes, or 2 cars.

When I do my grand loop, I will get an earlier start (7?), and drive to the Backdoor TH rather than parking on the frontage road, worry about getting up to the truck at the end of the day.  Much of the gravel road can easily be biked up, and I could do it in the dark if I had to.  But this was good too, and I hadn't been to Twin Lakes or Lake Margaret before.

And this, the Chevron at Snoqualmie Pass has Michoacana ice cream bars for $1.50, less than in town!  Decent gas prices, too.