I can't believe it's taken me so long to do this hike, it's lovely!
On the morning drive to the trailhead, my car's temperature gauge read as low as 33 degrees. The road to the trailhead was rough but mostly just rocky with some potholes navigable with careful driving. Parking is fairly limited at the trailhead but multiple spots were left around 8am. I suspect many of the already parked cars belonged to overnighters. There are no facilities at the trailhead. However, there are numerous car campgrounds on Chiwawa River Road, and the Atkinson Flat campground bathroom is easily accessible with a quick turnoff (I imagine this will get locked up for the season at some point).
When you start the trail, the Chiwawa river crossing appears almost immediately - it's probably less than 20 steps from the trailhead. Had I realized this, I would've just worn my river crossing shoes from the car. I brought an old pair of trail runners for the crossing. Crossing with poles felt sturdy - the bottom of the river is medium sized rocks and not slippery, and there is a small current but nothing too strong. I forgot to pay attention to how high the water was, which means it was definitely below my knee and probably more like mid-calf height (I'm 5'8"). My main observation was that the river was VERY cold :) I also noticed that after the crossing, someone had stashed their river crossing sandals for the way back (cute Tevas!).
The first three miles of the trail are pleasant and mostly forested. It warmed up fast (and so did I) and I quickly wished I had worn shorts instead of long pants. At around three miles, there is a stream that would be a good place to refill water. Soon, the views start to gradually open up, and the grade of the trail gets a bit more challenging - I was definitely slower during miles 4 and 5 than during the start of the trail. There is also a brief section about 3.5 miles in where you are on a rock outcropping with cairns to help navigate. I would not want to go through this section in the dark, because the cairns take some care to spot even when it's light.
The area around Little Giant Pass is full of fall colors right now - it is stunning. There are also lots of ripe blueberries. If you need to refill water, there is a small stream around mile 4 and another just after. Near the streams, there are two separate trailside camps, each with room for 2-3 tents. I would love to stay the night in either camp. From the pass itself, you can't see the Napeequa winding its way down the valley. But if you follow the faint trail to the right of the pass that leads up the ridge, you can get a better view. This was my favorite part of the hike. The Napeequa Valley with Clark Mountain and Glacier Peak in the background is just gorgeous.
Every time I come to this area, I add more places to my list that I need to come back and see. I met some backpackers who had spent the night in the Napeequa Valley, some backpackers headed in, and a PCT thru hiker on their way north. I was jealous of them all! I also saw a hunter and about 6 other day hikers. Expect some company, but not crowds on this trail.
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