Robinson Pass Loop — Monday, Aug. 9, 2021

Like many infrequently trodden trails you may experience difficulty in finding this route. However, your efforts will be rewarded. The Harts Pass area is not known to be crowded, this route in particular should not be busy at all.

The flower show is really quite spectacular, though perhaps a week or two past prime. We identified 72 flowers and still have a handful that we are trying to figure out. The Robinson Pass Loop (RPL) takes you through several ecosystems so the flora is changing all day.

From a technical aspect the RPL is in great shape. I cleared all but a five of the trees which were down on the trail. These will require a crosscut saw. They are all easily managed by hikers (not stock) now. As other reports have mentioned, I feel doing the loop counter-clockwise is preferable. Crossing Robinson Creek at the junction of 478A is easy now though at high water could be a serious problem.

Robinson Pass itself is a gorgeous spot. There were blueberries and huckleberries in spades. Camping here would be a pleasure though be sure to stock up on water before getting to the pass. The west facing slope above the pass seems to offer cross country hiking/scrambling opportunities to climb some pretty obscure terrain. Robinson Peak (which is above the pass) is not to be confused with Robinson Mountain (in WA state's top 100 peaks by elevation) which is just a mile or so down the ridge. Numerous other camp sites are sprinkled around the loop. Day hiking to Ferguson Lake to fish or swim is possible off this loop.