I drove out to the North Fork Sauk River trailhead for an overnight loop hike. The loop I did is a combo of the White Pass-Pilot Ridge trek and Craig Romano's Blue Lake Loop. Starting at the NFSR trailhead, I walked south on road 49 for 3 miles to the Bald Eagle Mountain trailhead. There is an impassible washout on this part of the road so you have to walk or mountain bike from NFSR or one of the nearby pullouts.
Bald Eagle is overgrown in places but never hard to follow. The first 4 miles or so to Curry Gap is a mellow woodsey hike with some muddy sections of trail and several blowdowns. Hikers can cross them easily but stock might have more difficulty. After a snack break at Curry, the trail switchbacks up the ridge to Bald Eagle Mountain. There are steep sections that are nicely broken up by gentler grades. The trail gains the ridge and meanders you through splendid meadows to June Mountain. A few down trees along the way but not tough to go around or under. There's very little water past Curry Gap: only one tiny trickle at about mile 8.5 and some stagnant creek water at the camp 9 miles in. I camped on June Mtn and woke to find myself in a cloud. I packed and headed past the Pilot Ridge Trail junction and on to Dishpan Gap. Had I been doing the Blue Lake Loop, I would have turned onto Pilot Ridge and gone toward Johnson Mtn. Instead, I hiked 3 miles through misty meadows to Dishpan and the PCT. I met some thru-hikers there who said there is an alternate route open for the PCT Northbound. Apparently you take the Indian Creek Trail to the White River, over Boulder Pass, through the Napeequa Valley, over Little Giant Pass and then head up Phelp's Creek to Spider Gap. Now there's an adventure!
I followed the PCT north for 8 miles or so to White Pass. Blueberries are ripe and the leaves are turning purple and red. Ran into a handful of other hikers but not as many as you'd expect. White Pass was between groups when I passed through and the mist lifted just enough for a few pictures. Heading back down the Sauk River Trail, I passed three parties heading for Glacier Peak. There are a few blowdowns on the NF Sauk Trail including a big one you have to crawl under. The log bridge called Redbridge has damaged railings probably from a fallen tree. There is an easy ford just downstream if you are uncomfortable with the gap in the railings.
Summary: ~35miles RT w/~7000ft elevation gain. ~16 hours moving time.
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