Parked at the Mount Catherine trailhead. Road in is rough but passable. One higher clearance area that I think you could get by with low clearance if you picked your line nicely.
Trail up to summit and back is about 3 miles/1300'. Well graded. More popular than expected. Saw a few groups on the way up, and more on the way down. Cloudy & gloomy day in Western WA, blue skies in Eastern. This intersect them. Best of both weathers. Drips from trees in clouds on way up. Wet trail. Socked in. Clearer and dry at top. View of Rainier to South, Alpine Lakes peaks to North. Shark fins in ocean of clouds. Great view for payoff - even if not perfect vis. Bit steep on last 100', but two ways, found way to climbers right easier. Used hands, class 2 scramble. Lotta exposure once at top so hold onto dogs/kids. Plenty of space to safely have a snack.
When I returned to car I continued down #1348 that was about 100' down the road. Trail descends, wet and rocky and very overgrown. Low use. Fun to explore. Never before seen orange dandelions. Down about 700' vertical from car to Twin Lakes campground. Very nice campground in woods, quiet. I always sleep like a log at campsites like this, will return. Great lake access with views of the basin (Tinkham & Silver Peaks). Plan is to circumnavigate this basin. Second twin is missing, hidden in woods with no trail. Left the lake and crossed a downed tree over the Cold Creek outlet steam. Easy crossing, stable tree with cut marks in surface for better grip. Then the "character building climb" began. Up about 1400' to the PCT. Really rough and rocky and overgrown trail. Lots of sticky plans and ripe berries. No animal signs. Crossing talus fields and steep forest. Gaining elevation fast >1000'/mile. Eventually reached the PCT. Big dichotomy to the previous trail. Smooth, fast sailing. Pondered checking out Mirror Lake, but didn't want to descend to it only to reclimb. Saw a few PCT hikers - jealous. Took the Tinkham Lakes bypass, rough fisherman's trail but well worth it. Gorgeous. Went skinny dipping and fished. Hiked out along the PCT. Always a highway. Cruised out smoothly down to Windy Pass and then another quarter mile to the car. 6.5 more miles and ~1500'.
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