Started about 11 AM, parking lot was 2/3 full. Trail was in full shade, with intermittent complete overcast. Gentle slope for several hundred yards, then turned into moderately steep switchbacks until reaching the Military Ridge, then a more gentle grade up to Shangi La Trail. Shangi La is a road-wide trail leading up to the upper parking lot on Cougar Mountain. Turned off towards the Pergola, and had snacks at the picnic tables overlooking Lake Sammamish. Returned via the upper parking lot (port a potty in residence) and Shangri La Trail. Returned to the start at about 1:30 PM, for a total of 4.6 miles and 1333 feet elevation gain according to my GPS watch.
Trail conditions: Damp enough to have very little dust, but dry enough to not have any real mud.
Overall trail traffic was about 24 people and 4 well behaved dogs.
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